UK

Community station Radio Leyland in central Lancashire has been found in breach of its licence for playing an offensive song.

One person complained when the station played “Let’s Go Fishing” by Aaron Lewis, which was broadcast at 10:34 on a Saturday morning in April 2024.
The track contained three uses of the word “fu**ed”.
The station said the mistake happened due to human error, and usually has a process in place to avoid non-vetted tracks being played.
Radio Leyland apologised to Ofcom for the broadcast of the offensive language and accepted that it did not comply with Rule 1.14, but added that it did not have time to broadcast an apology on-air because it was “too caught up in ensuring we could prevent any recurrence” and that it would issue an apology when it had received Ofcom’s “judgement”.
Ofcom took into consideration the Licensee’s explanation of the circumstances that led to the broadcast of the offensive language and its representations that the error occurred due to a “departure from the presenter’s usual procedure”.
However, Ofcom reminded Radio Leyland that it is the Licensee’s responsibility to ensure all content broadcast on its service complies with the Code. […]

Regulator Ofcom has announced 15 stations have been found in breach of their licences for not filing their finance reports in time.
Nine of these radio stations subsequently submitted a late report, Ofcom added.
Failure by a licensee to submit a finance report when required represents a serious and fundamental breach of a community radio licence, as the absence of the information contained in the report means that Ofcom is unable to properly carry out its regulatory duties.
Ofcom requested finance reports for the calendar year 2023 from all community radio licensees who were broadcasting for the whole of 2023.
“It is of fundamental importance that Ofcom can verify that a licensee is complying with its licence requirements relating to funding,” Ofcom says. “We therefore require licensees to submit a finance report setting out how they have met their licence obligations. The finance reports from stations also inform Ofcom’s own understanding of the community radio sector, and financial information about the sector features in the Communications Market Report.”
Those stations reporting late were:

Air FM
Awaaz FM
Bute Island Radio
EAVA FM
Fiesta FM
Juice Radio
Liverpool Community Radio
Radio2Funky
Skyline Gold 102.5

The remaining six still have not filed a report:

1BTN
Halton Community Radio
Juice FM Belfast
KCC Live
Revival FM
Ujima Radio […]

A new service offing an hourly updated travel news bulletin for radio stations is launching soon.

My Radio Group has announced the audio will be available from Monday 15th July, along with options for regional and bespoke services.
Luca Marshall, partner at the My Radio Group, expressed his excitement about the launch: “We are excited to launch our new UK travel bulletin service to radio stations from the 15th of July.
“Since the demise of Radio Travel News, small, independent stations across the UK have not had access to a financially viable travel news service.
“With the My Radio Travel News bulletin service, we aim to fill that void. Alongside our syndicated shows and Power Intro service, we hope we can continue to provide value for money to UK and international radio stations.”
You can see more information about the new travel bulletin service at MyRadioNetwork.co.uk or you can email Luca Marshall at luca@myradiogroup.com. […]

Nation’s new app has officially launched complete with free carriage for third party services.

Nation Player now has over 50 stations, including initial partner stations Fun Kids, BFBS, Panjab Radio, Colourful, Sunrise, Channel 103, Island FM, Star Radio, CountryLine Radio, Podcast Radio and Bournemouth One.
For radio listeners, the new app also has access to hours of podcasts that are free to listen to and introduces personalisation features such as trending podcasts and stations to help users quickly find content.
Additionally, it also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
For radio stations, the new app brings additional opportunities for them to grow both their audience and revenues through new managed advertising opportunities that are built into the end-to-end Xperi ecosystem that underlies the platform.
Nation’s founder Jason Bryant, said; ‘After three years of growth at Nation Player, we are delighted to today welcome these partner stations to our app that can now monetise in-app listening.
“Our tech partners Xperi have ensured Nation Player offers a best in class in-car and mobile streaming solution whilst also working with the industry’s leading streamed revenue partners to drive revenues.”
Chris Gould, vice president at All In Media, a part of Xperi said; “We’re proud to have worked with Nation Broadcasting to bring this innovative radio app to the UK market. Our technology and relationships in the automotive, tech and advertising industries helps us to bring best-in-class content and user experience to the partnership and, in addition, we are helping stations find new revenue streams to support their growth.
“We look forward to more stations and podcasters joining the platform in the coming months.”
To sign up your station or podcast to be part of the new Nation Player app see this link. […]

The change of Government brings another new Culture Secretary as Lisa Nandy replaces Lucy Frazer.
Lisa, who is also MP for Wigan, becomes the 14th Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in as many years.
Lucy Frazer, who also lost her seat in the election, was appointed by outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in February 2023.
Lisa has been an MP since 2010 and was most recently Shadow International Development minister. […]

The Community Media Association has written to the new Prime Minister looking for increased investment and better policy support.
In a public letter, Terry Lee, Chair of the CMA says the member organisation is eager to discuss matters it believes will greatly benefit Community Radio and, in turn, local communities.
The letter also mentions an all-party parliamentary group (APPG) dedicated to Community Radio is currently being set up.
You can see the letter in full below.
“Dear Sir Keir Starmer,
On behalf of the Community Media Association (CMA), I extend our heartfelt congratulations to you and the Labour Party on your successful election campaign. Your party’s victory is a testament to your dedication and vision for a better future for the UK.
As the members-based representative organisation for Community Radio in the UK, writing on behalf of over 200 stations, the CMA is excited about the prospect of working closely with your government to support and enhance the Community Radio sector.
Community Radio is an established and growing sector that plays a crucial role in our local communities by fostering cultural and creative expression, community development, and entertainment.
We are eager to discuss the following policy interventions that we believe will greatly benefit Community Radio and, in turn, our local communities:

Increased Investment
Community Radio Fund (CRF):

Expansion to Meet Sector Growth: Given the increase in the number of stations eligible to apply for the CRF, we advocate for expanding the fund to ensure meaningful support for all successful stations.

Index-Linking to Inflation: Adjusting the CRF annually to reflect inflation will maintain its value in real terms, ensuring sustained support for Community Radio.

Broader Scope for Projects: Expanding the focus of the CRF to include a wider range of projects will allow Community Radio to deliver more significant social benefits, such as employment and training, education, social cohesion, media literacy, health, and intercultural communication.

Policy Support
Future of FM/AM (Analogue) Broadcasting:

Preservation of Analogue Frequencies: Retaining FM and AM broadcasting platforms is vital given the continued listener base for analogue radio.

Support for SSDAB: Assisting community radio stations in transitioning to Small-Scale DAB (SSDAB) where appropriate will enhance their reach and impact.

IP-Based Solutions: Ensuring affordable and reliable simulcast transmission over IP platforms for all Ofcom-licensed Community Radio stations is essential.

Analogue Licence Extensions:

Extension in Perpetuity or Longer Terms: Reconsidering the current five-year extension for analogue licenses to provide greater stability for Community Radio stations.

Advertising Restrictions:

Significant Increase in ‘Fixed Revenue Allowance’: Doubling the current annual allowance (currently £15k) and linking it to inflation for advertising and sponsorship – this will enhance the financial sustainability of volunteer-driven, not-for-profit stations.

Partnership Opportunities
Community Radio is a quick, low-cost, and effective means of delivering various social benefits. We propose partnering with your government to utilise the 350+ Community Radio stations for future social-gain projects. These projects could focus on areas such as:

Employment and Training: Providing opportunities for skills development and job training.

Education and Oracy: Promoting educational initiatives and enhancing communication skills.

Social Cohesion: Strengthening community bonds through local engagement.

Media Literacy: Enhancing public understanding of media processes and consumption.

Health Initiatives: Promoting public health campaigns and wellness plans.

Intercultural Communication: Bridging cultural gaps and fostering inclusive communities.

We are pleased with the election outcome and look forward to continuing our regular meetings with civil servants from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). We believe Community Radio can also play a significant role in other Government departments, including Education, Health, and Levelling-up. We welcome the opportunity to meet with relevant Ministers and Civil Servants at the earliest convenience to discuss how we can work together to support these important initiatives.
Additionally, we are in the process of establishing an all-party parliamentary group (APPG) dedicated to Community Radio. We will be approaching some of your back-bench MPs who have a specific interest in this area and would appreciate your support in this endeavour.
Once again, congratulations on your victory. Community Radio in the UK owes much of its development to the vision and support of a previous Labour administration (not least the passing of The Community Radio Order in 2004).
We look forward to a productive and collaborative relationship with your government.
Yours sincerely,
Terry LeeChair, Community Media Association” […]