Ofcom: 192 community applications

UK regulator Ofcom has been received 192 applications for five-year licences to run community radio stations. The watchdog’s chief executive Stephen Carter said the response showed “a considerable enthusiasm for community radio”. Ofcom will now look more closely at applications in areas where there has been only one bid or where there is sufficient capacity to cater for all bids. It will then sift through applications in the areas where it is likely to have to choose between bids. There is no limit to the number of licences up for grabs, nor guidelines on where they must be allocated. Applications will be considered on the basis of potential benefit to the local community, and potential threat to commercial stations.