Free Radio (Coventry, Wolverhampton1, Birmingham and Hereford/Worcester)

Section 355 Review of Output: Free Radio (Coventry, Wolverhampton1, Birmingham and Hereford/Worcester)

When a local commercial radio licence undergoes a change of control (this includes licence transfer), Ofcom is required, under section 355 of the Communications Act 2003 (the Act), to undertake a review of the effects or likely effects of the change of control in relation to:

 the quality and range of programmes included in the service;  the character of the service, and;  the extent to which Ofcom’s duty under section 314 of the Act is performed in relation to the service. Ofcom’s duty under section 314 of the Act relates to securing the inclusion of an appropriate amount of local material, and a suitable proportion of locally-made programmes in the service.

Under section 356 of the Act, where it appears to Ofcom from its review that the change of control would be prejudicial to any of the three matters listed above, then it must vary the licence, by including such conditions as it considers appropriate, with a view to ensuring that the relevant change of control is not so prejudicial. In doing so, any new or varied conditions must be such that the licence holder would have satisfied them throughout the three months immediately before the change of control. Ofcom is required to publish a report of its review, setting out its conclusions and any steps it proposes to take under section 356. Where Ofcom proposes to vary the licence, it is required to give the licence holder a reasonable opportunity to make representations about the variation.

In May 2016, a change of control took place at Orion Media Limited, which was the parent company of the licence holding subsidiaries shown in the table below. Orion Media Holdings Limited is now owned by Bauer Radio Limited, which previously had no shareholding. Bauer Radio Limited’s named directors are Paul Keenan, Deidre Ford and Sarah Vickery. The parent company to Bauer Radio Limited is UK unlimited company HBVB.

In consideration of the three matters listed above, this review carried out under section 355 is only in relation to the station(s) highlighted in this table. Separate reviews consider the licensed services not highlighted. All stations listed were previously subsidiaries of Orion Media Holdings Limited.

Company Licence no. Station name Locality Orion Media Limited AL000021 Free Radio 80s Coventry AL000022 Free Radio Coventry AL000118 Free Radio 80s Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Telford Beacon Broadcasting AL000119 Free Radio Wolverhampton, Limited Shrewsbury and Telford Birmingham Broadcasting AL00076 Free Radio 80s Birmingham Limited AL00077 Free Radio Birmingham Radio Wyvern Limited AL00061 Free Radio Hereford & Worcester Orion Media (East AL000200 GEM 106 East Midlands Midlands) Limited

1 Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Telford

Ofcom has reviewed the output of these licensed services in the three months prior to the change of control taking place2, and considered information provided to it with regard to the future programming on the station(s).

Ofcom’s assessment of the output of Free Radio (prior to the change of control)

The Character of Service for each station is shown below:

A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s IN THE COVENTRY AREA

A LOCALLY ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER 44s IN THE WOLVERHAMPTON, SHREWSBURY AND TELFORD AREA

A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA

A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s IN THE HEREFORD AND WORCESTER AREA

The Format for each of the stations is shown in Annex 1. Annex 2 is the licensee’s completed Review of Output, which summarises the output of these services.

In reviewing each station’s output prior to the change of control, it was noted that the Birmingham and Coventry licensed services were allowed to share all programmes and produce locally-made programming in either area. The licensed services for Wolverhampton and Hereford & Worcester were each required to broadcast locally-made programming3, including local material, for at least seven hours during each weekday daytime4 and for at least four hours during daytime on each of Saturday and Sunday. Between 0600 – 0900 and between 1500 – 1900 on weekdays all four radio stations broadcast locally-made bespoke programming. Similarly, on Saturdays between 0700 - 1100 and Sundays between 0800 – 12 noon locally-made bespoke programming was broadcast.

The Formats also required each station to provide local news bulletins at least hourly during daytime on weekdays, and during peak times5 on each of Saturday and Sunday. Free Radio operates a central news hub. When monitored it was found that each radio station broadcast bespoke news bulletins which contained local news stories on weekdays and at peak times Saturdays and Sundays. Stories were fully-formed and directly relevant to the interests and concerns of listeners in each of the four licensed areas. The table below shows the common schedule of news bulletins broadcast on each of the four radio services. On the days monitored the duration of many news bulletins substantially exceeded the minimum durations shown in the table.

2 At Ofcom’s request, Orion Media Holdings Limited supplied recordings of the output from the relevant stations broadcast on the 29 and 30 April 2016 3 i.e. programming made within the respective licensed area. 4 0600 to 1900 5 Late breakfast Schedule of news bulletins Monday – Friday Dur. Saturday & Sunday Dur. (secs) (secs)

0600,0700,0800 120 0700 100 0630,0730,0830 90 0800,0900,1000,1100,1200,1 100 0900,1000,1100,1200,1300,1400,150 100 300 0 1600,1700,1800 120 1630,1730,1830 90 1900 100

All bulletins were compiled, produced and presented by a team of ten journalists based at the group’s Birmingham studios, with the exception of certain weekend periods when bulletins were presented by journalists based in Nottingham.

Other local material broadcast by the radio stations included local travel news, which was broadcast weekdays every 20 minutes between 0600 and 0900 and between 1500 and 1900. and at weekends hourly between 0800 and 1000. On the days monitored, traffic and travel news bulletins were typically of 20 seconds duration and bespoke to each licensed area. Local weather reports were broadcast hourly at the end of the news bulletins between 0600 and 1900, typically of 10 seconds duration.

Locally-made programmes contained listener interaction e.g. through listeners phoning in to each individual station to take part in competitions, or to phone up to provide on-the-ground travel information.

As noted above the Format for each Free Radio station requires the service to broadcast ‘mainstream popular music’ that would appeal to those aged under 44. When monitored, among the songs played on each Free Radio service, those listed below satisfactorily met this term.

Artist Title Sigala feat. Bryn Christopher Sweet Lovin’ Robin Thicke feat. T.I., Pharrell Blurred Lines Coldplay Hymn For The Weekend Jonas Blue feat. Dakota Fast Car Selena Gomez Hands To Myself Kings Of Leon Sex On Fire Beyoncé Crazy In Love Mike Posner I Took A Pill In Ibiza (SeeB remix) Pink Just Like Fire

The four Free Radio stations broadcast a themed music programme each Friday and Saturday between 1900 and midnight. The programme, ‘Freewind’, played mainstream dance anthems.

The new owner’s plans

The new owner of these licences proposes to provide news bulletins containing local news in line with the Format minimum. The duration of locally-made programmes (eight hours per weekday and four hours each on Saturdays and Sundays) would exceed the Format requirement by one hour per weekday. Frequent traffic and travel bulletins and local weather updates would still be broadcast across weekdays. The new owner plans to add entertainment news bulletins. See Annex 3.

These proposals would be compliant with the broadcaster’s localness requirements.

Recommended variations to the licence

Based on our assessment of the output from each station in the three months prior to the change of control, we do not believe that the Free Radio services for each of Coventry and Warwickshire, Wolverhampton (Shropshire & Black Country), Birmingham and Hereford & Worcester were broadcasting any programming not already reflected in the existing requirements of each station’s Format which would, in our view, have a significant impact upon:

 the quality and range of programmes included in the service;  the character of the service; and,  the extent to which local material and locally-made programmes are included in the service.

Therefore, we are not proposing any variations to the licences.

January 2017

Annex 1

COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION FORMATS

Service name Service name

FREE RADIO COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE FREE RADIO SHROPSHIRE & THE BLACK COUNTRY

Licence number AL022 Licence number AL119

Licensed area Coventry and surrounding area

Licensed area Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury & Telford area MCA population 559,811

MCA population 1,373,782 Frequency/ies 97.0 and 102.9 MHz

Frequencies 97.2 & 103.1 MHz

Character of Service

Character of Service A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s IN THE COVENTRY AREA. A LOCALLY ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION

Service duration 24 hours STATION FOR UNDER 44s IN THE WOLVERHAMPTON, SHREWSBURY AND TELFORD AREA.

Locally-made Studio location: programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Service duration 24 hours Coventry (AL022) or Birmingham (AL077).

Locally-made Studio location: Locally-made hours: At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed area. At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays. Locally-made hours: At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). Programme sharing: At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.

All programmes may be shared between the Coventry licence (AL022) and the Birmingham licence (AL077), subject to satisfying the character of service Programme sharing: requirements above. No arrangements.

Local news At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends. Local news At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends. At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature. At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.

Definitions Definitions Speech Excludes advertising, programme/promotional trails & sponsor credits Speech Excludes advertising, programme/promotional trails & sponsor credits Peak-time Weekday breakfast and drive-time, and weekend late breakfast Peak-time Weekday breakfast and drive-time, and weekend late breakfast Daytime 06.00 to 19.00 weekdays and weekends Daytime 06.00 to 19.00 weekdays and weekends

Notes Notes This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guidelines This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guidelines

Last amended: August 2015 Last amended: August 2015

Service name Service name

FREE RADIO BIRMINGHAM FREE RADIO HEREFORDSHIRE & WORCESTERSHIRE

Licence number AL077 Licence number AL061

Licensed area Birmingham and the surrounding area Licensed area Hereford and Worcester area

MCA population 1,816,137 MCA population 641,508

Frequency 96.4 MHz Frequencies 96.7, 97.6 and 102.8 MHz

Character of Service Character of Service

A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s A LOCALLY-ORIENTED MAINSTREAM POPULAR MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION FOR UNDER-44s IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA. IN THE HEREFORD AND WORCESTER AREA.

Service duration 24 hours Service duration 24 hours

Locally-made Studio location: Locally-made Studio location: programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed area. programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed area.

Locally-made hours: At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). Locally-made hours: At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays. At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.

Programme sharing: All programmes may be shared between the Birmingham licence (AL077) and the Programme sharing: Coventry licence (AL022). No arrangements

Notes Notes This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guidelines This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guidelines

Last amended: August 2015 Last amended: August 2015

Annex 2

Review of output questionnaires

Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire Licensed area and licence Coventry and surrounding area. AL022 number: Licensee company: Orion Media LTD Submitted by (name and Mike Newman, Free Radio Brand Programme position): Director

Existing Format

Character of Service A locally orientated mainstream popular music and information station for under 44s in the Coventry area.

Programme sharing and/or In accordance with licence agreement (where co-location arrangements locally made programming is permitted to be produced within the licensed area of Coventry AL022 or Birmingham AL077), all programmes for this service originate from our studios in Birmingham.

Some of those services are solely broadcast on 97.0 and 102.9 MHz (Mon-Fri: 6am-9am/3pm- 7pm // Sat: 7am -11am // Sun 8am – 12pm).

The Big Top 40, is broadcast from London.

All other output is broadcast from our Birmingham based studios. Locally-made hours and/or Locally-made hours: local news bulletins At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.

Local news bulletins

At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends.

At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.

Station output questions

Please answer, as fully as possible, the following questions regarding the station’s broadcast output (the ‘station’s output’ being defined as that being broadcast regularly prior to any change of control taking place at the licence-holding company).

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding the station’s output that may be specific to the particular licence.

‘Freewind’ is a themed show carried every Friday and Saturday evening (7pm to midnight).

Freewind plays mainstream dance anthems from the last 20 years or so.

2. Please confirm, in the three months prior to the change of control, the hours and scheduling of all locally-made programming on the station, and where this is broadcast from. Where applicable, please list any other stations the locally-made hours are shared with.

All listed shows are broadcast from our studios in Birmingham. Monday to Friday 6am – 9am: JD & Roisin 3pm – 7pm: Tom Newitt Saturday 7am – 11am: Andy Martindale Sunday 8am – 12pm: Andy Martindale

Monday to Friday, local travel news is broadcast 3 times per hour from 6am to 9am inclusive and from 3pm to 6pm inclusive.

At the weekend, local travel news is broadcast at least once per hour from 8am to 10am inclusive.

Weekdays, local weather is broadcast hourly between 6am and 7pm inclusive.

At other times, when the services are local (generally 6-9am and 3pm-7pm, Monday to Friday), presenters will reference local stories relevant to our 25-44 target audience. These will generally be in the form of a standard presenter link. Local voices are sometimes featured during phone-in topics, in particular on the breakfast show.

Mon-Fri

6am, 7am, 8am – 2 mins 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am – 90” 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm – 1’40 4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins 4.30pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm – 90” 7pm – 1’40

Sat & Sun

7am – 1’40 – Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Birmingham, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire & Free Radio 80s 11am, 12pm, 1pm - Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio

All bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham.

10 Journalists employed in Birmingham news hub – working either in the field reporting or reading bulletins at the hub

5. Please attach to this document a copy of the station’s programme schedule (prior to the change of control taking place).

Version 1 – June 2011

Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio - Shropshire and the Black Country Licensed area and licence Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury & Telford area. number: AL119 Licensee company: Beacon Broadcasting Ltd Submitted by (name and Mike Newman – Free Radio, Brand Programme position): Director

Existing Format

Character of Service A locally orientated mainstream popular music and information station for under 44s in the Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury & Telford area.

Programme sharing and/or All local programming (Mon-Fri: 6am-9am/3pm- co-location arrangements 7pm // Sat: 7am -11am // Sun 8am – 12pm) is broadcast from our studio in Oldbury.

Apart from the Big Top 40, which is broadcast from London, all other output is broadcast from our Birmingham based studios. Locally-made hours and/or Locally-made hours: local news bulletins At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast). At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.

Local news bulletins

At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends.

At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.

Station output questions

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding the station’s output that may be specific to the particular licence.

‘Freewind’ is a themed show carried every Friday and Saturday evening (7pm to midnight).

Freewind plays mainstream dance anthems from the last 20 years or so.

All listed shows are broadcast from our studios in Oldbury. Monday to Friday 6am – 9am: Jo & Sparky 3pm – 7pm: Ed Nell Saturday 7am – 11am: Ed Nell Sunday 8am – 12pm: Allan Lake

Monday to Friday, local travel news is broadcast 3 times per hour from 6am to 9am inclusive and from 3pm to 6pm inclusive. At the weekend, local travel news is broadcast at least once per hour from 8am to 10am inclusive. Weekdays, local weather is broadcast hourly between 6am and 7pm inclusive. At other times, when the services are local (generally 6-9am and 3pm-7pm, Monday to Friday), presenters will reference local stories relevant to our 25-44 target audience. These will generally be in the form of a standard presenter link. Local voices are sometimes featured during phone-in topics, in particular on the breakfast show.

Mon-Fri

6am, 7am, 8am – 2 mins 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am – 90” 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm – 1’40 4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins 4.30pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm – 90” 7pm – 1’40

Sat & Sun

7am – 1’40 – Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Black Country & Shropshire only 11am, 12pm, 1pm - Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio

All bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham

10 Journalists employed in Birmingham news hub – working either in the field reporting or reading bulletins at the hub

5. Please attach to this document a copy of the station’s programme schedule (prior to the change of control taking place).

Version 1 – June 2011

Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio – Birmingham Licensed area and licence Birmingham and the surrounding area. AL077 number: Licensee company: Birmingham Broadcasting Limited Submitted by (name and Mike Newman – Free Radio, Brand Programme position): Director

Existing Format

Character of Service A locally orientated mainstream popular music and information station for under 44s in the Birmingham area.

Programme sharing and/or All programmes may be shared between the co-location arrangements Birmingham licence (AL077) and the Coventry licence (AL022)

Locally-made hours and/or local news bulletins Locally-made hours:

At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast).

At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.

Local news bulletins

At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends.

At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.

Station output questions

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding the station’s output that may be specific to the particular licence.

1. Please provide details of the content, scheduling and duration of any specialist or themed programming (music-based or speech-based, and including sports shows) broadcast regularly by the station in the three months prior to the change of control. ‘Freewind’ is a themed show carried every Friday and Saturday evening (7pm to midnight) on Free Radio Birmingham. Freewind plays mainstream dance anthems from the last 20 years or so.

All shows are broadcast from Birmingham. Monday to Thursday Midnight – 6am: Adam Wilbourn (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 6am – 9am: Foxy & Giuliano 9am – 12pm: Andy Goulding (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 12pm – 3pm: Dan Morrissey (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 3pm – 7pm: Dan Kelly 7pm – midnight: Naomi Kent (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) Friday Midnight – 6am: Adam Wilbourn (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 6am – 9am: Foxy & Giuliano 9am – 12pm: Andy Goulding (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 12pm – 3pm: Dan Morrissey (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 3pm – 7pm: Dan Kelly 7pm – midnight: Freewind with Adam Wilbourn (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) Saturday Midnight – 5am: Automated music sequence (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 5am – 7am: Gemma Hill (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 7am – 11am: Cat James 11am – 3pm: Dan Kelly (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 3pm – 7pm Tom Newitt (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 7pm – midnight: Freewind with Adam Wilbourn (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) Sunday Midnight – 5am: Automated music sequence (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 5am – 8am: Gemma Hill (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 8am – 12pm: David Francis 12pm – 4pm: Adam Wilbourn (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester) 7pm – midnight: Naomi Kent (this show is also broadcast across Free Radio Black Country, Wolverhampton & Shropshire, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire and Free Radio Hereford & Worcester)

3. Please list, as fully as possible, the amount and type of local material (excluding local news bulletins) broadcast by the station in the three months prior to the change of control. Examples could include what’s on information, travel news, local weather, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews, local music programmes etc. Monday to Friday, local travel news is broadcast 3 times per hour from 6am to 9am inclusive and from 3pm to 6pm inclusive. At the weekend, local travel news is broadcast at least once per hour from 8am to 10am inclusive. Weekdays, local weather is broadcast hourly between 6am and 7pm inclusive. At other times, when the services are local (generally 6-9am and 3pm-7pm, Monday to Friday), presenters will reference local stories relevant to our 25-44 target audience. These will generally be in the form of a standard presenter link. Local voices are sometimes featured during phone-in topics, in particular on the breakfast show.

4. Please confirm, in the three months prior to the change of control, the scheduling and approximate duration of all local news bulletins. Please state whether these bulletins were ‘unique’ to this licence or shared with any other stations. Please also describe the arrangements in place for the compilation, production and presentation of local news (for example, the number of journalists employed, and any sharing of resources with other radio stations, local newspapers, news agencies or other sources). Mon-Fri 6am, 7am, 8am – 2 mins 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am – 90” 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm – 1’40 4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins 4.30pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm – 90” 7pm – 1’40 Sat & Sun 7am – 1’40 – Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Birmingham, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire & Free Radio 80s 11am, 12pm, 1pm - Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio All bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham. 10 Journalists employed in Birmingham news hub – working either in the field reporting or reading bulletins at the hub.

5. Please attach to this document a copy of the station’s programme schedule (prior to the change of control taking place).

Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire Licensed area and licence Hereford and Worcester area. AL061 number: Licensee company: Radio Wyvern Ltd Submitted by (name and Mike Newman, Free Radio Brand Programme position): Director

Existing Format

Character of Service A locally orientated mainstream popular music and information station for under 44s in the Hereford and Worcester area.

Programme sharing and/or All local programming (Mon-Fri: 6am-9am/3pm- co-location arrangements 7pm // Sat: 7am -11am // Sun 8am – 12pm) is broadcast from our studio in Worcester.

Local news bulletins

At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends.

At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.

Station output questions

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding the station’s output that may be specific to the particular licence.

‘Freewind’ is a themed show carried every Friday and Saturday evening (7pm to midnight).

Freewind plays mainstream dance anthems from the last 20 years or so.

All listed shows are broadcast from our studios in Worcester. Monday to Friday 6am – 9am: Hursty & Helen 3pm – 7pm: David Francis Saturday 7am – 11am: Simon Hawkins Sunday 8am – 12pm: Simon Hawkins

Mon-Fri

6am, 7am, 8am – 2 mins 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am – 90” 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm – 1’40 4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins 4.30pm, 5.30pm, 6.30pm – 90” 7pm – 1’40

Sat & Sun

7am – 1’40 – Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire only 11am, 12pm, 1pm - Free Radio West Midlands bulletin on all FM Free Radio

All bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham 10 Journalists employed in Birmingham news hub – working either in the field reporting or reading bulletins at the hub

5. Please attach to this document a copy of the station’s programme schedule (prior to the change of control taking place)

Version 1 – June 2011

Annex 3

Section 355 Review: Future plans questionnaire

Station name and licence number: Free Radio Shropshire & The Black Country AL119

Please answer, as fully as possible, the following questions regarding the licensee’s plans for the future output of the station. Some of these may have already been implemented since the change in control took place; others may be future plans requiring a Format Change Request and would therefore be subject to Ofcom approval. This information will remain confidential to Ofcom and will not be published without the licensee’s consent.

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding plans for the station that may be specific to the particular licence.

If no changes are planned (in comparison with the output of the station in the three months prior to the change of control), simply answer “No change from previous output” under each relevant question.

1. Please provide details of the content, scheduling and duration of any specialist or themed programming (music-based or speech-based, and including sports shows) which the station plans to broadcast regularly, following the change of control.

Free Radio - The following shows will be broadcast on Free Radio Shrophshire and the Black Country from January 2017:

Floor Fillers – Friday 7pm-10pm. Floor Fillers – Saturday 6pm-10pm. Floor Fillers is a music intensive network show focused on hit ‘dancefloor fillers’ from the present day back to 1990 and includes remixed songs with an upbeat tempo. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub.

Floor Fillers Chilled – Saturday 10pm-1am Floor Fillers Chilled is a music intensive network show focused on playing ‘chilled’ dance music from the present day back to 1990. Athough still upbeat, the tempo tends to be slower and more reflective of ‘Ibiza style chill out’ tracks. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub.

2. Please outline your plans with regard to locally-made programming arrangements and hours on the station. Where applicable, please list any other stations the locally-made hours will be shared with.

Monday to Friday 6am – 10am: Local breakfast show (as now) 3pm – 7pm: Local drive show (as now) Saturday 2pm – 6pm: Local weekend show. Sunday 12pm – 4pm: Local weekend show.

3. Please list, as fully as possible, the amount and type of local material (excluding local news bulletins) that the station plans to broadcast following the change of control. Examples could include what’s on information, travel news, local weather, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews, local music programmes etc.

Monday to Friday, local travel news is broadcast 3 times per hour from 6am to 8am inclusive and from 3pm to 6pm inclusive. Weekdays, local weather is broadcast hourly between 6am and 7pm inclusive. At other times, when the services are local (generally 6-10am and 3pm-7pm, Monday to Friday), presenters will reference local stories relevant to our 25-44 target audience. These will generally be in the form of a standard presenter link. Local voices are sometimes featured during phone-in topics, in particular on the breakfast show. The services listed above are already provided by the station. There will be an addition of entertainment bulletins Mon-Friday 11.40 / 13.40 / 15.20 and Mon - Thurs 20.20

4. Please confirm the planned scheduling and approximate duration of all local news bulletins following the change of control. Please state whether these bulletins will be ‘unique’ to this licence or shared with any other stations. Please also describe the arrangements that will be in place for the compilation, production and presentation of local news (for example, the number of journalists employed, and any sharing of resources with other radio stations, local newspapers, news agencies or other sources).

Free Radio Shropshire and the Black Country will run the following news: All top of hour bulletins 2 minutes. All headlines 60 seconds.

Local bulletins will run 6am-7pm weekdays, 7am-1pm at weekends. Headlines will run weekdays at 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am and 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm.

A 24 hour news service has been introduced since acquisition. At off peak times this is supplied by IRN/SKY news and delivered on the hour. Off Peak broadcast times are: - 8pm-5am Monday to Friday. - 2pm to 6am Saturday into Sunday. - 2pm to 5am Sunday into Monday

Local news will continue to be compiled, produced and presented in the same way as they are currently. News will be compiled by a team of 11 journalists, down from 13 pre-aquisition.

Station name and licence number: Free Radio Birmingham AL077

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding plans for the station that may be specific to the particular licence.

Free Radio - The following shows will be broadcast on Free Radio Birmingham from January 2017: Floor Fillers – Friday 7pm-10pm. Floor Fillers – Saturday 6pm-10pm. Floor Fillers is a music intensive network show focused on hit ‘dancefloor fillers’ from the present day back to 1990 and includes remixed songs with an upbeat tempo. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub. Floor Fillers Chilled – Saturday 10pm-1am Floor Fillers Chilled is a music intensive network show focused on playing ‘chilled’ dance music from the present day back to 1990. Athough still upbeat, the tempo tends to be slower and more reflective of ‘Ibiza style chill out’ tracks. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub.

Monday to Friday 6am – 10am: Local breakfast show (as now) 3pm – 7pm: Local drive show (as now) Saturday 2pm – 6pm: Local weekend show, programming will be shared with our Coventry service Sunday 12pm – 4pm: Local weekend show, programming will be shared with our Coventry service

Local weekend shows will be shared between Birmingham (AL077) and Coventry (AL022) where previously we had separate shows for each service. This provision is within the terms of the licence for each station.

Monday to Friday, local travel news is broadcast 3 times per hour from 6am to 8am inclusive and from 3pm to 6pm inclusive.

Weekdays, local weather is broadcast hourly between 6am and 7pm inclusive.

At other times, when the services are local (generally 6-10am and 3pm-7pm, Monday to Friday), presenters will reference local stories relevant to our 25-44 target audience. These will generally be in the form of a standard presenter link. Local voices are sometimes featured during phone-in topics, in particular on the breakfast show.

The services listed above are already provided by the station.

There will be an addition of entertainment bulletins Mon-Friday 11.40 / 13.40 / 15.20 and Mon - Thurs 20.20

Free Birmingham will run the following news: All top of hour bulletins 2 minutes. All headlines 60 seconds.

Local bulletins will run 6am-7pm weekdays, 7am-1pm at weekends. Headlines will run weekdays at 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am and 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm.

Local news will continue to be compiled, produced and presented in the same way as they are currently. News will be compiled by a team of 11 journalists, down from 13 pre-aquisition.

- 8pm-5am Monday to Friday. - 2pm to 6am Saturday into Sunday. - 2pm to 5am Sunday into Monday

Station name and licence number: Free Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire AL061

Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding plans for the station that may be specific to the particular licence.

Free Radio - The following shows will be broadcast on Free Radio Hereford and Worcestershire from January 2017: Floor Fillers – Friday 7pm-10pm. Floor Fillers – Saturday 6pm-10pm. Floor Fillers is a music intensive network show focused on hit ‘dancefloor fillers’ from the present day back to 1990 and includes remixed songs with an upbeat tempo. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub. Floor Fillers Chilled – Saturday 10pm-1am Floor Fillers Chilled is a music intensive network show focused on playing ‘chilled’ dance music from the present day back to 1990. Athough still upbeat, the tempo tends to be slower and more reflective of ‘Ibiza style chill out’ tracks. It is broadcast from the Bauer City Network Manchester hub.

Monday to Friday 6am – 10am: Local breakfast show (as now) 3pm – 7pm: Local drive show (as now) Saturday 2pm – 6pm: Local weekend show. Sunday 12pm – 4pm: Local weekend show.

Free Radio Hereford and Worcestershire will run the following news: All top of hour bulletins 2 minutes. All headlines 60 seconds. Local bulletins will run 6am-7pm weekdays, 7am-1pm at weekends. Headlines will run weekdays at 6:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am and 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm. A 24 hour news service has been introduced since acquisition. At off peak times this is supplied by IRN/SKY news and delivered on the hour. Off Peak broadcast times are: - 8pm-5am Monday to Friday. - 2pm to 6am Saturday into Sunday. - 2pm to 5am Sunday into Monday Local news will continue to be compiled, produced and presented in the same way as they are currently. News will be compiled by a team of 11 journalists, down from 13 pre-aquisition.