TalkSPORT Offered Licence Renewal By Radio Authority

The Radio Authority has made an offer to talkSPORT regarding the terms of renewal for its national analogue licence, following talkSPORT’s commitment to digital simulcast. If the deal is accepted, Kelvin MacKenzie’s company would pay a cash bid sum per annum of £500,000 for the eight year licence compared to the £4,251,660 it pays at present and the £3,820,000 bid it submitted when applying for the licence in 1994.

The Radio Authority has to set Additional Payments, consisting of a cash bid and a percentage of qualifying revenue (PQR) when it receives an application for an Independent National Radio renewal, taking into account the amount that could be received if licence were re-advertised and awarded to the highest bidder. The deal offered to talkSPORT places greater emphasis on the PQR component, an approach the Authority believes will help the stability of the industry.

If talkSPORT accept the agreement, the new licence will come into effect on 1 January 2001. If they reject it, the Radio Authority will re-advertise the licence, awarding it to the highest cash bidder.

Radio Authority: 020 7430 2724 talkSPORT: 020 7959 7800

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