INR3 Launch Delayed/New ILR Licences
The launch of the third Independent National Radio station, which is to be predominantly speech based, has been delayed until the spring of 1995.
The Radio Authority, in a statement issued yesterday clarifying plans for the advertisement of new licences, said that the delay followed a “full consideration of the pace of development of Independent Radio.” The station will now come on air a year later than originally planned.
The decision means that the BBC’s 24- hour news station, first announced in July and planned for 1994, is likely to come on air before INR3. It is expected that both stations will have a similar output as the commercial station is required to be predominantly speech- based.
Stuart Francis, chairman of the Association of Independent Radio Contractors, criticised the Authority’s decision stating that “The national stations offer a chance of attracting genuine new money to radio.” He said the AIRC had wanted all three national stations to be operating before new regional services are launched, this will not now be the case.
The Radio Authority yesterday issued details of the five large regional licences to be advertised over the next six months;
North West: Greater Manchester, Central Lancashire and the Fylde, Merseyside and parts of Cheshire and the Wirral. Adult Population = 4-4.5m.
Central Scotland: Glasgow, Edinburgh and most of Scotland’s central belt. Adult Population = 2.5m
West Midlands: Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and parts of Staffordshire and Warwickshire. Adult Population = 2-2.5m North East: Tyne and Wear, Teesside and part of North Yorkshire. Adult Population = 2m
Severn Estuary: Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and most of Somerset. Adult Population = 1.5m
The Severn Estuary will be advertised next month, the dates and order of which the remaining licences will be advertised are still to be confirmed. The regional licences will use the spare capacity within the 100-102 FM range, this is also used by Classic FM but transmissions will not interfere with each other. The successful applicants for these licences will have to offer services which broaden audience choice available in each region. The Radio Authority has said it will not “regard favourably an applicant proposing to hold all five licences, together with a Greater London licence, broadcasting a common programme format.”
Two new AM licences for the Greater London Region are to be advertised, one of these will utilise the frequency currently occupied by GLR. There will also be new AM licences for Manchester, Birmingham and Wolverhampton. All of these will be advertised in Spring and summer 1993 when existing licences in these areas are to be re-advertised.
Licences for two of the areas which have so far remained unserved by Independent Radio are also to be advertised. Workington, Whitehaven and Southwold, covering parts of West Cumbria and Suffolk, and Darlington in County Durham.
The Radio Authority also intends to advertise licences in the following areas, which remain from previously published lists; Aylesbury, Chesterfield, Craigavon, Dunfermline, Harrogate, Head of Welsh Valleys, Inverurie, Londonderry, Mid-Ulster, St Albans, Scarborough and Tunbridge Wells.
Radio Authority: 071 405 7058
AIRC: 071 727 2646