Commercial Radio Operators Must Broadcast At Least 10 Hours Of Local Content Daily

Ofcom has said that commercial radio operators must broadcast a minimum of 10 hours a day of local content, more than the regulator previously proposed.

The long-awaited move came as the government announced a taskforce to look at how to drive listening of digital radio.

Ofcom has indicated that any AM and FM licences expiring before the group reports back in late 2008 will be readvertised but awarded for a shorter period than the current 12 years.

Recently, radio bosses asked Ofcom to consider a radical overhaul of radio regulations, claiming that smaller commercial stations outside London cannot compete with the BBC.

The radio chiefs, such as GCap’s Ralph Bernard and Emap’s Dee Ford, also suggested that stations with a potential audience of fewer than 500,000 listeners should be allowed to cut local content to as little as three hours a day in favour of networked programmes (see Radio Bosses Urge Ofcom To Consider Radio Overhaul).

Ofcom said it was “not convinced by the argument”.

The new rules require local commercial radio stations to broadcast a minimum 10 hours of locally made programming on weekdays and four hours on Saturdays and Sundays, with a limit of three hours of network programming on weekdays.

Currently different radio stations have different limits, stipulated in their licence, typically of between 13 and 24 hours.

The RadioCentre today said it “broadly welcomed” the announcement and was awaiting the further details of Ofcom’s proposals.

Ofcom’s chief executive, Ed Richards, said: “Our research shows that localness is still important to listeners and we believe that this should be protected.”

In a concession to smaller stations, which find it most difficult to compete with the BBC, Ofcom’s rules will allow them to co-locate or share content with neighbouring stations to provide sub-regional networks.

The proposals have been substantially altered since the public consultation on the ‘Future of Radio’ framework originally published in April (see Ofcom Outlines Its Future Vision For Radio), and will now be subject to a short second consultation until December 21.

Coinciding with the Ofcom statement, the department for culture, media and sport said it would set up an expert and consumer working group to look at how to promote digital radio and increase the numbers of people listening to it.

The initiative comes amid growing concern about the health of digital radio. In recent weeks SMG-owned Virgin Radio has closed one of its digital radio stations, Virgin Radio Groove, cancelled the launch of Virgin Radio Viva, and pulled out of the Channel 4 multiplex, while UBC Media has written off its 49% investment in digital speech station Oneword.

There are 18 national digital radio stations, compared with nine national analogue stations, and the number of digital-only stations will increase to 26 from next July when the 4 Digital Group, the multiplex owned by a Channel 4-led consortium (see Ofcom Publishes Reasons For DAB Multiplex Licence Award), starts broadcasting.

RadioCentre said it was pleased about the digital radio taskforce, which was one of its suggestions in response to the ‘Future of Radio’ consultation.

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