A guide to community radio

What are community radio stations?

Community radio stations typically cover a small geographical area with a coverage radius of up to 5km and run on a not-for-profit basis. They can cater for whole communities or for different areas of interest – such as a particular ethnic group, age group or interest group. Community radio stations reflect a diverse mix of cultures and interests. For example, you can listen to stations which cater for urban or experimental music, while others are aimed at younger people, religious communities or the Armed Forces and their families.

What services must a community radio station provide?

A community radio station’s programmes will reflect the needs and interests of its audience. But rather than ‘talk at’ its community, the station should become a central part of it. This means creating direct links with its listeners, offering training opportunities and making sure that members of the community can take part in how the station is run. Community stations typically provide 81 hours of original and distinctive output a week, mostly locally produced. On average, stations operate with 74 volunteers who together give around 214 hours of their time a week.

Who can hold a community radio licence?

Individuals are not entitled to hold a licence. We only offer licences to registered companies (or equivalent bodies such as those created by statute). No company or organisation can hold more than one community radio licence.  There are also restrictions on ownership between commercial radio and community radio.

What does not for profit mean?

It means any profits generated by the community radio station cannot be given to shareholders for example, or to benefit the people running the service. However, this requirement does not prevent stations from paying staff. Any profit or surplus must be used for securing or improving the future provision of the radio service or for delivering social gain/community benefits to the station’s target community.

Can community stations carry adverts?

Most stations can carry advertising and sponsorship, although at least half the station’s income must come from other areas. A small number of community stations – where they overlap with small commercial services – may not carry advertising and sponsorship.

How do I apply for a community radio licence?

Ofcom can only accept applications for community radio licences as part of a licensing round, and not at any other time. Ofcom will usually advertise a licensing round and invite applications by posting information on our website. See below for more information on the latest licensing round.

This will include information about the region for which we are inviting applications, as well as details on how to apply. Applications cannot be accepted outside the period specified for each region. To be kept informed about community radio, including notification of when we invite applications, as well as other broadcasting issues, sign up for our broadcasting email updates

When is the next licensing round?

Ofcom announced the latest round in April 2011. Applications for new licences will open on a region by region basis, starting with Wales and south west England.

There are seven regions in total. Scotland is second in the process, and we anticipate applications opening before the end of 2011. This will be followed by Northern Ireland in the first half of 2012 and then four English regions – one every six months – that finish with the South East (see table below).

Potential applicants should note that there are large parts of the UK where there are no suitable FM frequencies available. This is mainly in major towns and cities.

Regions and timetable

What happens after I submit my application?

Applications will be made available for public inspection on the Ofcom website. Shortly after the closing date for applications, we will announce the number of applications received, and subsequently we will publish on the Ofcom website all parts of the applications received other than those parts we agree to keep confidential. The published parts will include the name(s), address(es) and daytime telephone number(s) of individuals nominated to handle any press or public enquires on behalf of the applicant.

How are licences awarded?

We expect that licences for each region will be awarded in batches on a rolling basis. If the number of applications received for any region is high, consideration of all applications is likely to take a number of months. Licence awards will be made by a standing committee of the main Ofcom board, called the Radio Licensing Committee. Successful groups will be required to start broadcasting within two years of the licence award.

How long do licences last?

The licence will last for up to five years at a time. Community radio licensees may then apply to Ofcom to extend their licences for a further period of up to five years. Click here for more information on this process.

ParentPort: Working together for media standards