This document analyzes Grant Goddard's findings on applications submitted to OFCOM for local commercial radio licenses in the UK and the licenses that were ultimately awarded. The main points are: 1) Most applications came from serial applicants already owning radio stations. The top applicant submitted 10 applications. 2) The biggest winner of licenses awarded so far is The Local Radio Company, followed by smaller radio groups. 3) Licenses covering larger areas attracted more applicants, with an average of 6 applicants per license. 4) Existing owners of local media - radio stations, TV stations and newspapers - were more likely to win a license, and only 5 licenses went to companies without existing local media ownership.

1. ANALYSIS OF LOCAL COMMERCIAL RADIO LICENCE
APPLICATIONS TO OFCOM & AWARDS
by
GRANT GODDARD
www.grantgoddard.co.uk
November 2005

2. BLACKBURN EDINBURGH ASHFORD KIDDERMINSTER BELFAST
CORNWALL DURHAM BANBURY MANCHESTER NORWICH
BALLYMENA
SOLENT
TORBAY
SWINDON
BARROW
NORTHALLERTON SWANSEA IPSWICH WARWICK SHREWSBURY
NORTHEAST ENGLAND PLYMOUTH SOUTHEND BLACKBURN
EDINBURGH ASHFORD KIDDERMINSTER BELFAST CORNWALL
DURHAM BANBURY MANCHESTER NORWICH BALLYMENA
SOLENT TORBAY SWINDON BARROW NORTHALLERTON
SWANSEA IPSWICH WARWICK SHREWSBURY NORTHEAST
ENGLAND PLYMOUTH SOUTHEND BLACKBURN EDINBURGH
ASHFORD KIDDERMINSTER BELFAST CORNWALL DURHAM
BANBURY MANCHESTER NORWICH BALLYMENA SOLENT
TORBAY SWINDON BARROW NORTHALLERTON SWANSEA
IPSWICH WARWICK SHREWSBURY NORTHEAST ENGLAND
PLYMOUTH SOUTHEND BLACKBURN EDINBURGH ASHFORD
KIDDERMINSTER BELFAST CORNWALL DURHAM BANBURY
MANCHESTER NORWICH BALLYMENA SOLENT TORBAY
17 LICENCES
AWARDED BY
OFCOM TO
DATE
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 2

3. The larger the coverage area of the licence, the more applicants it
attracts:
NUMBER OF LICENCE APPLICANTS
20
18
number of applicants
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
1,300,000
1,250,000
940,000
750,000
410,000
300,000
240,000
200,000
160,000
150,000
150,000
100,000
70,000
65,000
60,000
56,000
30,000
0
Total Survey Area size
The mean average is six applications for each licence
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 3

4. Most of the licence applications are from serial applicants:
applicant
CN Group Ltd
The Wireless Group plc
GCap Media plc
Sunrise Radio Ltd
The Local Radio Company plc
Laser Broadcasting Ltd
Tindle Radio Ltd (Provincial Radio)
Celador Radio Broadcasting Ltd
EMAP
GMG Radio Holdings Ltd
The Radio Business Ltd
Town & Country Broadcasting Ltd
CanWest MediaWorks UK Ltd.
Chrysalis Group plc
Milestone Group plc
Saga Group Ltd
Scottish Radio Holdings plc
SMG plc
Ulster Television plc
Associated Radio
Atlantic Radio Ltd
Emmis International
HIT Entertainment
UKRD Group Ltd
TOTAL
no.
applications
10
10
8
8
7
6
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
101
Out of 109 applications submitted, 101 were from serial applicants
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 4

5. The biggest winner to date has been The Local Radio Company plc,
followed by small radio groups such as CN, Tindle, The Radio Business
and Town & Country Broadcasting:
applicant
The Local Radio Company plc
CN Group Ltd
Tindle Radio Ltd (Provincial Radio)
The Radio Business Ltd
Town & Country Broadcasting Ltd
The Wireless Group plc
GCap Media plc
Sunrise Radio Ltd
CanWest MediaWorks UK Ltd.
Ulster Television plc
Kent Messenger Ltd
Midland News Association Ltd
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
no. wins
5
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
page 5

6. The success rates of licence applicants varies considerably:
no.
applications
CN Group Ltd
The Wireless Group plc
GCap Media plc
Sunrise Radio Ltd
The Local Radio Company plc
Laser Broadcasting Ltd
Tindle Radio Ltd (Provincial Radio)
Celador Radio Broadcasting Ltd
EMAP
GMG Radio Holdings Ltd
The Radio Business Ltd
Town & Country Broadcasting Ltd
CanWest MediaWorks UK Ltd.
Chrysalis Group plc
Milestone Group plc
Saga Group Ltd
Scottish Radio Holdings plc
SMG plc
Ulster Television plc
Associated Radio
Atlantic Radio Ltd
Emmis International
HIT Entertainment
UKRD Group Ltd
Kent Messenger Ltd
Midland News Association Ltd
Absolute Radio
Forward Media Ltd
Lincs FM
Radio UK Holdings Ltd
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
10
10
8
8
7
6
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
no. wins
2
1
1
1
5
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
page 6

7. Only 3 of the 17 licences were awarded to applicants that did not
already own UK commercial radio stations:
 Belfast
Awarded to Ulster Television plc – already owned the UK commercial TV
licence for Northern Ireland and was the largest owner of commerial radio
stations in the Republic of Ireland
 Ballymena
Awarded to a local group that included Alpha Newspaper Group (22%) and
Irish News Ltd (16%)
 Solent
Awarded to CanWest Global – owner of TV network in Republic of Ireland and
Canada’s largest media owner
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 7

8. Only 5 of the 17 licences were awarded to applicants who did not
already have existing ownership of local radio stations, TV stations or
newspapers within or adjacent to the area:
 Edinburgh (940,000 survey area)
Awarded to The Wireless Group plc – owner of national talk station TalkSport
 Manchester (1,300,000 survey area)
Awarded to GCap Media plc – owner of national and local radio
 Solent (1,250,000 survey area)
Awarded to CanWest Global – owner of local radio in Canada & New Zealand
 Torbay (200,000 survey area)
Awarded to Sunrise Radio/London Media Company – owner of ethnic radio
 Barrow (65,000 survey area)
Awarded jointly to CN Group, The Local Radio Company plc & The Radio
Business
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 8

9. The remaining 12 of the 17 licences were awarded to applicants who
had existing ownership of local radio stations, TV stations or
newspapers within or adjacent to the area:
 Local radio stations
8 applicants
 Local newspapers
3 applicants
 Local television stations
1 applicant
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 9

10. 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
Analysis Of Local Commercial Radio Licence Applications To Ofcom & Awards
©2005 Grant Goddard
page 10