Major commercial radio broadcasters are preparing to go head to head as the Radio Authority invites bids for two new major commercial analogue licences in the UK. The deadline for bids for a new West Midlands licence closed yesterday, and a similar licence in the Yorkshire area has started receiving applications.
The Radio Authority said it had received a dozen applications for the West Midlands licence, an FM service which will cover Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Walsall and surrounding areas, a total adult population of 2.3 million. The main candidates are targeting the affluent over 30’s in the area.
One of the frontrunners is the Wireless Group’s Big FM, which already broadcasts on an AM licence in Yorkshire, the north-west and the north-east. With the backing of local celebrity Jasper Carrott, it is appealing to the over 40’s in the area with a music and speech-based station.
Its main competition comes from Jazz FM, which is hoping to extend its older affluent audiences it has gained for its London and Manchester-based stations across the region. It has the backing of Roger Taylor, a former chief executive at Birmingham City Council. The third major contender is Central Radio’s offering from Forward Media which will provide a mix of “intelligent music radio” from the last 40 years.
The other applications come from Asian station Radio Minar, youth-based N-Joy radio, country music from Route 105, Saga radio for the over 50s, Spice FM playing Asian sounds, The Storm, backed by Rover chairman John Towers, Today FM, and Variety FM. The final applicant is a Christian station, Voice FM, which has the backing of Cliff Richard.
Chrysalis Radio has announced its intention to target the older generation in its bid for the new commercial licence in Yorkshire and has unveiled a multi-million pound bid in the shape of a new format The Arrow, described as “Adult Rock Radio”.
A departure from its youth-based portfolio, Chris Wright, chairman and founder of the group, said of the new brand: “In throwing our hat into the ring, Chrysalis is committing itself to the development of a new format for UK radio, which will be the third new brand for the group. Extensive research and analysis has shown that a station serving a 40 plus audience and playing rock music would significantly add to the choice already available to listeners in Yorkshire.”
The Radio Authority is expected to announce the winner of the 105.7FM licence for the West Midlands in January. The deadline for applications for the Yorkshire licence is December 2000, with broadcasting expected to commence in Autumn 2001.
Radio Authority: 020 7430 2724 Chrysalis Group: 020 7221 2213
