Emap Radio Wins Liverpool FM Licence

Emap Radio has been awarded the new FM local radio licence for Liverpool and will launch CityTalk, the group’s first all-speech service.

Emap beat off competition from nine other applicants including UTV, Chrysalis and GCap, to be awarded the licence by regulator Ofcom (see Talk Radio Looks Likely For Liverpool).

The licence covers an adult population (aged 15+) of around 1.5 million and will be worth an estimated £20 million to Emap in terms of revenue and commercial opportunities.

Emap already has two analogue radio services in Liverpool: Radio City and Magic 1548. They broadcast from the iconic Radio City Tower which dominates Liverpool’s city centre skyline and which will also become home to CityTalk.

Terry Smith, chairman of Radio City, who founded the station in 1974, said: “We are delighted at the news and it will give a great boost to the services our two stations, Radio City and Magic, already provide for Merseyside.

“The new station will be 100% speech and nothing like any existing service in the UK… We knew we were being radical in our application and applaud Ofcom for recognising our vision. We are now ready to create some more great radio for the area. Work on the project starts tomorrow when we shall start looking for people who want to be part of something absolutely new.”

Emap: 01733 568 900 www.emap.co.uk