Ofcom Opens Bidding On Ipswich FM Licence

Residents of Ipswich and the surrounding areas will soon receive a new FM radio service, after Ofcom advertised the latest in a succession of regional licences, serving an audience of between 200,000 and 250,000 adults.

The exact coverage provided by the new licence will be determined by the location of the transmission site and other technical characteristics, the watchdog said, with the proposed frequency for the new service being 102 FM.

Applications for the new licence must be received by Ofcom by 1 September, with each application incurring a non-refundable fee of £5,000.

The licence will be issued for a twelve year period, with all applications published via Ofcom’s website soon after the closing date.

Full details of the licence are available online, with Ofcom welcoming the views of local residents on their needs and the types of services required.

Last month saw Ofcom award the FM radio licence for Banbury to CN Radio, selecting the company’s bid from three applications received by the closing date in February. The watchdog’s licensing committee selected CN for approval following its application for “a locally focused, adult contemporary radio station with news information and features of particular interest to Banbury and the surrounding areas,” which best met the statutory criteria (see CN Radio Scoops Banbury FM Licence).

Ofcom: 020 7981 3040 www.ofcom.org.uk