Ofcom opens bids for new local licence

by Karen Higginbottom, Media Week 16-Aug-06, 12:03

Ofcom has launched a new local FM commercial radio licence to cover Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.

The regulator estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult population of around 200,000.
The licence will be issued for a twelve year period, with applications to be published on the Ofcom website shortly after the closing date of 3pm on 14 November. A non-refundable fee of £5,000 will be payable for each application submitted.

The proposed frequencies for this licence are subject to international agreement on radio spectrum usage.

Ofcom has also opened the second round of bids for community radio licences, which will be on a region-by-region basis rather than nationwide due to the expected level of demand.
In the first round, it received 180 letters of intent and awarded licences to 107 groups.