Radio Broadcast Update – February 2025

Published: 7 March 2025

A round-up of Ofcom’s broadcast radio licensing activity in February 2025.

Digital Radio

Small-scale DAB multiplex licence awards

The following small-scale radio multiplex licence awards were made during this period:

Licence area Successful applicant company
Ayr, Troon & Irvine Muxcast 9 Ltd
Cumbernauld & Coatbridge Tower DAB Ltd
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire DAB Ltd
North Ayrshire North Ayreshire Broadcasting Ltd
Paisley & West Glasgow Ross Inc Ltd

Grant of small-scale DAB multiplex licences

The following small-scale radio multiplex licences were granted during this period: 

Licence area Licensee Transmitters licensed Date from
Alnwick & Morpeth Northumberland Community Digital C.I.C Alnwick - Longhoughton Quarry; Morpeth – Shotton. 18 February 2025

Digital sound programme service (DSP) and digital additional sound (DAS) licences issued during this period

Licensee Service name Licence type (DSPS or DAS)
Lets Groove Media Ltd Divine Radio London DSPS
Mission Radio Love Music Love Life Ltd Mission Radio 90.6 DSPS
Cultural Media Enterprise Unity 101 Community Radio DSPS
Craig Watts Cyndicut Radio DSPS 
Mohammad Naseer Radio Ramadhan Bristol DSPS 

Digital sound programme service (DSP) and Digital additional sound (DAS) licences which have ceased to be licensed (handed back or revoked) in this period

Licensee Service name Licence type (DSPS or DAS) Reason
Outreach FM Ltd Skylinegold Radio DSPS Surrendered
Launchpad One Ltd Strawberry Radio  DSPS Surrendered

Community digital sound programme service (C-DSP) applications received during this period

Licensee Service name Area
Boreham Wood & Elstree Community Radio Ltd Boreham Wood Radio  South Hertfordshire
Koast Radio Limited Koast Radio Alnwick and Morpeth
BFBS Colchester Limited BFBS Colchester Colchester and Clacton 

Community digital sound programme service (C-DSP) licences issued during this period

Licensee Service name Area
Cheshire Media and Arts CIC Strawberry Radio Stockport
Welwyn Hatfield Radio LTD Welwyn Hatfield Radio South Hertfordshire
Radio Chelmsford CIC City Sound Chelmsford
Community Action Dacorum Radio Dacorum South Hertfordshire

Analogue Commercial Radio

Licence renewals granted in this period

A seven-year renewal has been granted to the following:

Area Service name Current Licensee
East Midlands  Smooth Radio Smooth Radio Midlands Limited
Chester Chester’s Dee Radio Dee 106.3 Limited

A five-year renewal has been granted to the following:

Area Service name Current Licensee
Yorkshire   Capital Galaxy Radio Yorkshire Limited

Analogue commercial radio licences which have ceased to be licensed in this period

Licensee Service name Reason
Oban FM Community Radio Ltd Oban FM Surrendered

Analogue Community Radio

Community Radio Fund – Round 2, 2024-25

Ofcom’s Community Radio Fund Panel (‘the Panel’) met on Tuesday 28 January 2025 to consider applications in the second round of funding for the 2024-2025 financial year.

The Panel considered each application and awarded funding based on the information provided, and with reference to the Community Radio Fund (‘the Fund’) guidance notes. For each grant bid the Panel decided whether to make a full award, a partial award or not to award any funding.

At the meeting:

  • 80 applications for grants were considered;
  • The total amount of funding requested in these applications was £1,852,282;
  • 15 applicants were awarded grants which totaled £261,476;
  • 65 applicants were not awarded a grant; and,
  • The grants awarded ranged from £5,752 up to £30,000 for individual positions, with an average of £17,432. A summary of the awards is at the end of this statement.

Licence extensions granted this period 

A five year extension has been granted to the following:

Service name Licensee Location New expiry date
Radio Newark Radio Newark Limited Newark on Trent 1 May 2030

Restricted service licences

Licences which have ceased to be licensed in this period

Licensee Service name Reason
 UWE Students Union  Hub Radio Surrendered
Trustees of Radio Glangwili Radio Glangwili Surrendered
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