21 Applicants For New North West Licence

The deadline for applications to run the new FM licence for Great Manchester, Merseyside and the south and central parts of Lancashire has passed. Twenty-one applicants submitted proposals for the new station that will be able to broadcast to around 4.3 million.

The applicants are:

• 105.4 Ace FM (Capital Radio North West Ltd) (0171 766 6019/ 01489 587702) – a rock contemporary music station aimed at 30-39 year old adults.
• Action 105 (0181 995 1507) – classic and adult oriented rock music, with sports news and features, health and leisure.
• Arena 105.4 (01942 777660) – adult music and speech radio station broadcasting mainly to the 25-44 year old market.
• Asian Sound FM (0161 288 1000) – news, information and sport for the Asian population of the North West.
• Boss FM (0191 477 6666) – 24-hou regional news with adult contemporary music for a 25-44 audience.
• The Bridge (01204 307991/ 01204 366219) – a 24-hour service of contemporary Christian music.
• 105.4 Easy FM (01942 777660/ 01942 777666) – easy listening and soft adult contemporary music.
• Heart 105.4 (0171 221 2213/ 0161 236 1558) – similar to Heart’s London station.
• KLCX (0860 898347/ 01925 650161) – classic album rock music featuring song not released as singles.
• Live 105 (0171 938 6790/ 0171 577 7100) – adult contemporary music station aimed at 25-44.
• More 105.4 (0161 285 4545)/ 0191 286 0000) – adult contemporary music station.
• New Rock Radio (0161 237 9499/ 0468 731758) – alternative music station.
• Nomad 105.4 (01942 777660/ 01942 777656) – new music format targeted at 15-29 year olds.
• North West Radio (0171 312 8500/ 0171 312 8505) – 24-hour news and newstalk station for the North West.
• North West One (0161 827 2073/ 01392 444444) – music station aimed at a mature audience.
• NRJ North West (0161 941 2121/ 0161 445 6825) – alternative rock music station targeted at 15-24 year olds as well as 25-34.
• NWBC (01625 549081/ 01952 727602) – mixture of music and speech based format aimed at 35+ age range.
• Route 105 (01522 549900/ 0141 306 2200) – 24-hour country music based station.
• Saga Radio (01303 711003/ 01727 844381) – music and speech station aimed at 45 and over age range.
• Virus Radio (0161 833 3630/ 01865 381800) – new music radio station aimed at the young.
• XL Radio (01253 20074) – a sport and music based station.

The Radio Authority is inviting comments on the above applicants (Tel: 0171 430 2724) and hopes to announce who has won the licences by the end of the year.

Radio Authority: 0171 405 7058