NEWS: FIVE APPLICANTS TO THE RADIO AUTHORITY FOR NEW LOCAL COMMERCIAL RADIO LICENCE IN WEST DORSET by GRANT

GODDARD

www.grantgoddard.co.uk September 1992

Five groups are bidding for The Radio Authority's West Dorset licence, including two backed by owners of neighbouring commercial stations 'Orchard FM' and '2CR'. The new FM licence will serve 80,000 adults in the Weymouth and Dorchester areas of Dorset presently unserved by any dedicated local radio. The BBC's decision last year to abandon its planned 'Radio Dorset' service will significantly make this licensee the area's only radio source of local news and information. HARDY FM's 200,000 capital is subscribed by GWR Group (30%), owner of nearby'2CR', Mike Powell's Infinity Radio (20%), Radio Trust (10%) and Southern Newspaper Group (10%). Bill Ludlow, former High Sheriff of Dorset, is Chairman designate and Tony Biles, former Mayor of Weymouth, is a Non-Executive Director. Biles says the group's eventual hope is to "create a county-wide station", a move that would consolidate GWR's holdings in adjacent Wiltshire and Hampshire. REGENT RADIO is backed by 'Orchard FM' (30%) and Radio Investments (25%), owner of Kettering incremental 'KCBC', with the remainder of the bid's 200,000 share capital subscribed by local investors, including Chris O'Dell, MD of independent TV production company Screenlife. The station's 16 hours/day local output is comprised of 70% Top 40 music, 7% specialist music programmes and 5% speech, with 'Orchard FM' providing traffic and commercial production services. Ex-'Devonair' MD David Cousins is likely to be the group's launch MD, following his involvement in INBC's failed bid for the INR2 licence. RIDGEWAY RADIO is a community bid evolved from hospital radio groups in Weymouth and Dorchester. The consortium includes Community Radio Association Vice-Chairman Michael Law, who lives in Weymouth, and its 50,000 funding will be raised through grants, donations and advertising. 12 hours/day live programming will initially comprise 75% music and 25% speech, produced by two full-time staff and a team of volunteers from a new Weymouth studio and an adapted hospital radio studio in Dorchester. WDFM RADIO will combine middle-of-the-road music with local news provided by the Dorset Evening Echo. Its 200,000 capital has been raised from the Southern Newspaper Group (10%), EJ Radio Developments (5.5%) and local business interests. Seven full-time staff will produce programming modelled on Kettering's 'KCBC', and Programme Controller designate is 'Essex Radio' presenter Andy Jackson. WHITE HORSE RADIO aims to "revitalise the best of the old fashioned values which formed the foundation of Independent Local Radio in the UK". The bid's 200,000 capital is subscribed entirely from local sources, and the station's 18 hour/day output combines middle-of-the-road music with strong local news and specialist programmes during evenings and weekends. The consortium is led by former '2CR' MD David Porter and ex-'2CR' Founder Director David Spokes who says it has "deliberately kept a low profile."
News: Five Applicants To The Radio Authority For New Local Commercial Radio Licence In West Dorset 1992 Grant Goddard page 2

Yeovil-based 'Orchard FM' and Bournemouth's '2CR' are both audible in Weymouth and Dorchester, though the towns fall outside these stations' editorial coverage. The Radio Authority will announce the winner within two months.

[First published in 'Broadcast' magazine as 'Five Bids Go In For Dorset Licence', 18 September 1992]

Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk

News: Five Applicants To The Radio Authority For New Local Commercial Radio Licence In West Dorset 1992 Grant Goddard

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