Cool FM And Southwest Sound Keep Licences

The Radio Authority has announced that the independent local radio licences for Northern Ireland have been re-warded to Downtown Radio and Cool FM. The licence for Dumfies & Falloway has been re-awarded to South West Sound.

Other areas which have had their licences re-advertised are South Hampshire; for which Ocean Sound, the existing licensee is the only applicant; for the Borders area Radio Borders Ltd, also the existing licensee is the only applicant, and for the Milton Keynes licence, the only applicant was incumbent Horizon Radio. These awards of these should be announced within three months.

There has also been an advertisement for a new local licence, for the Yorkshire Dales area, covering Skipton and some south-eastern parts of Cumbria. This licence is for two AM frequencies. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 26 March.

Radio Authority: 0171 430 2724