Section 355 Review of Output: Free Radio 80s (Coventry, Wolverhampton1 and Birmingham)
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 the table below. Separate reviews consider the licensed services not highlighted below. All 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 AL00077 Free Radio 80s Birmingham Limited AL00078 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 80s (prior to the change of control)
The Character of Service for each station is shown below:
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE COVENTRY AREA
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE WOLVERHAMPTON AREA
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA
Each station’s Format is shown in Annex 1. Annex 2 is the licensee’s completed Review of Output, which summarises the output of this service.
In reviewing the output of each station prior to the change of control, it was noted that each of the three licences were permitted to share their programmes. The licensee was required to broadcast locally-made programming including locally-made material for a minimum of four hours per day during weekdays between 0600 – 0000, and that these programmes may be made in any of the three licensed areas named above. All of Free 80s' output was broadcast from studios in Birmingham.
Each Format also requires the licensee to provide local news bulletins (i.e. news bulletins which contain local news stories) at least hourly during peak-times3 weekdays and weekends. Bulletins of two minutes' duration containing local news of relevance to listeners across the region was broadcast at 0700, 0800 & 0900 and at 1600, 1700 and 1800 (outside these times IRN/Sky news was broadcast. Typically two, and sometimes up to four, local stories were broadcast in a local bulletin. Morning bulletins were produced by journalists based in a Birmingham news hub, and compiled and read by a news reader in Nottingham. Afternoon bulletins were produced, compiled and read from Birmingham. Weekend bulletins were read either from Nottingham or the Birmingham news hub. Ten journalists were employed to work for the Birmingham news hub, either working in the field following and gathering stories or as studio-based staff.
Regional traffic and travel reports were broadcast twice-hourly between 0600-1000 and 1500-1900 weekdays, and 1030 & 1130 at weekends. On the days listened these were of 30 seconds duration. Regional weather reports of 17 seconds duration were broadcast hourly between 0700-1800 each day.
2 At Ofcom’s request, Orion Media Holdings Limited supplied recordings of the output from the relevant stations broadcast on 29 and 30 April 2016 3 Weekday breakfast and drive-time and late breakfast weekends Free Radio 80s also broadcast a (predominantly) football phone-in, The Goalzone. Presented by an expert broadcaster alongside football professionals, the programme, which was broadcast Monday and Fridays (1800-1900), gives local fans the opportunity to talk about the state of play in the game.
Two programmes focusing on specific types of music from the 1980s were also broadcast: 80s Party (1900-0000 Friday and 1800-0000 Saturday) and 80s Chilled (2200-0000 Sunday to Thursday).
As noted above, the Free 80s Format requires the services to broadcast classic pop hits. When monitored, among the songs played on Free Radio 80s, those listed below satisfactorily met this term.
Artist Title Wham! Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go The Bluebells Young At Heart Prince Purple Rain David Bowie China Girl Lionel Richie Dancing On The Ceiling Gloria Estefan Dr. Beat Swing Out Sister Breakout Jocelyn Brown Somebody Else’s Guy UB40 Red Red Wine
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 new owner proposes to continue to produce all programmes from the Birmingham studios. Frequent traffic and travel bulletins and local weather updates would still be broadcast across weekdays. The new owner plans to replace The Goalzone with Freekick, described as a light-hearted look at weekend sport. This programme would be broadcast for up to 15 minutes on Friday and Monday early evenings (see Annex 3).
Provided the character of service specific requirement to provide “…occasional local sports coverage…” is adequately addressed following implementation of the new owner’s plans, then these proposals would be expected to be compliant with the broadcaster’s localness requirements.
Recommended variations to the licence
Based on our assessment of the station’s output in the three months prior to the change of control, we do not believe that the shared Free Radio 80s service was 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 licence.
January 2017 Annex 1
COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION FORMAT
Service name Service name
FREE RADIO 80s (Coventry) FREE RADIO 80s (Wolverhampton & Shropshire)
Licence number AL021 Licence number AL118
Licensed area Coventry area Licensed area Wolverhampton & Shropshire
MCA population 584,701 MCA population 2,174,496
Frequency/ies 1359 kHz Frequency/ies 990 & 1017 kHz
Character of Service Character of Service
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE COVENTRY AREA. WOLVERHAMPTON 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 areas of programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118). Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
Locally-made hours: Locally-made hours: At least 4 hours a day between 6am and midnight on weekdays. At least 4 hours a day between 6am and midnight on weekdays.
Programme sharing: Programme sharing: All programmes may be shared between the Birmingham licence (AL076), the All programmes may be shared between the Birmingham licence (AL076), the Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118). Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118).
Local news Hourly at peak-time weekdays and weekends. At other times UK-wide, nations Local news Hourly at peak-time weekdays and weekends. At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature. 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: July 2010 Last amended: July 2010
Service name
FREE RADIO 80s (Birmingham)
Licence number AL076
Licensed area Birmingham area
MCA population 1,758,367
Frequency/ies 1152 kHz
Character of Service
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION, WITH LOCAL INFORMATION AND OCCASIONAL LOCAL SPORTS COVERAGE, TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA.
Service duration 24 hours
Locally-made Studio location: programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
Locally-made hours: At least 4 hours a day between 6am and midnight on weekdays.
Programme sharing: All programmes may be shared between the Birmingham licence (AL076), the Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118).
Local news Hourly at peak-time weekdays and weekends. At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.
Definitions Speech Excludes advertising, programme/promotional trails & sponsor credits Peak-time Weekday breakfast and drive-time, and weekend late breakfast Daytime 06.00 to 19.00 weekdays and weekends
Notes This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guidelines
Last amended: July 2010
Annex 2 Review of output questionnaire
Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio 80s (Coventry) Licensed area and licence Coventry. AL021 number: Licensee company: Orion Media Ltd Submitted by (name and Mike Newman – Free Radio, Brand Programme position): Director
Existing Format
Character of Service A classic pop hits station, with local information and occasional local sports coverage, targeted primarily at 35-54 year-olds in the Coventry area.
Programme sharing and/or All programmes may be shared between the co-location arrangements Birmingham licence (AL076), the Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118). Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118). Locally-made hours and/or Locally made hours - At least 4 hours a day local news bulletins between 6am and midnight on weekdays. Local news - Hourly at peak-time weekdays and 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.
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.
The Goalzone runs across Free Radio 80s each Monday and Friday evening, 6pm – 7pm. This is a (predominantly) football phone-in.
80s Party runs Friday 1900-0000 and Saturday 1800 – 0000 and is a mix of upbeat 80s tunes.
80s Chilled runs Sunday to Thursday 2200-0000 and is a mix of ‘chilled out’ songs from the 80s.
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 output for Free Radio 80s is produced from our Birmingham studios and shared across the Free Radio 80s stations for Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) and Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
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.
Regional weather bulletins are delivered hourly throughout the weekday – 7am-6pm, with regional travel bulletins delivered twice an hour during breakfast (6-10am) and drive (3-7pm).
Regional weather is also broadcast 8am-6pm on weekends, with regional travel at 10:30 and 11:30.
Our breakfast programme includes details on relevant happenings in the local area, delivered as content by the presenter in the form of content links – whilst promo slots dedicated to local what’s on information and charity events run throughout the station schedule, 24 hours a day.
Our football programming, detailed above, gives local football fans the opportunity to talk about the happenings at their club – hosted by local legends and a heritage presenter who has been broadcasting in this TSA for 35 years.
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
7am, 8am, 9am – 2 mins – stories produced by journalists based in Birmingham news hub & bulletins compiled & read by reader at Gem in Nottingham
4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins - Bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham.
Sat & Sun 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Birmingham, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire & Free Radio 80s
Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham or Free Radio in Birmingham.
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
Review of output questionnaire
Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio 80s (Wolverhampton & Shropshire) Licensed area and licence Wolverhampton & Shropshire. AL118. number: Licensee company: Orion Media Ltd Submitted by (name and Mike Newman – Free Radio, Brand Programme position): Director
Existing Format
Character of Service A classic pop hits station, with local information and occasional local sports coverage, targeted primarily at 35-54 year-olds in the Wolverhampton area.
Programme sharing and/or All programmes may be shared between the co-location arrangements Birmingham licence (AL076), the Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118). Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118). Locally-made hours and/or Locally made hours - At least 4 hours a day local news bulletins between 6am and midnight on weekdays. Local news - Hourly at peak-time weekdays and 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.
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. The Goalzone runs across Free Radio 80s each Monday and Friday evening, 6pm – 7pm. This is a (predominantly) football phone-in.
80s Party runs Friday 1900-0000 and Saturday 1800 – 0000 and is a mix of upbeat 80s tunes.
80s Chilled runs Sunday to Thursday 2200-0000 and is a mix of ‘chilled out’ songs from the 80s.
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 output for Free Radio 80s is produced from our Birmingham studios and shared across the Free Radio 80s stations for Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) and Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
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.
Regional weather bulletins are delivered hourly throughout the weekday – 7am-6pm, with regional travel bulletins delivered twice an hour during breakfast (6-10am) and drive (3-7pm).
Regional weather is also broadcast 8am-6pm on weekends, with regional travel at 10:30 and 11:30.
Our breakfast programme includes details on relevant happenings in the local area, delivered as content by the presenter in the form of content links – whilst promo slots dedicated to local what’s on information and charity events run throughout the station schedule, 24 hours a day.
Our football programming, detailed above, gives local football fans the opportunity to talk about the happenings at their club – hosted by local legends and a heritage presenter who has been broadcasting in this TSA for 35 years.
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
7am, 8am, 9am – 2 mins – stories produced by journalists based in Birmingham news hub & bulletins compiled & read by reader at Gem in Nottingham
4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins - Bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham.
Sat & Sun 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Birmingham, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire & Free Radio 80s
Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham or Free Radio in Birmingham.
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
Review of output questionnaire
Date of review: 17th May 2016 Station Name: Free Radio 80s (Birmingham) Licensed area and licence Birmingham. AL076 number: Licensee company: Orion Media Ltd Submitted by (name and Mike Newman – Free Radio, Brand Programme position): Director
Existing Format
Character of Service A classic pop hits station, with local information and occasional local sports coverage, targeted primarily at 35-54 year-olds in the Birmingham area.
Programme sharing and/or All programmes may be shared between the co-location arrangements Birmingham licence (AL076), the Coventry licence (AL021) and the Wolverhampton & Shropshire licence (AL118). Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) or Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118). Locally-made hours and/or Locally made hours - At least 4 hours a day local news bulletins between 6am and midnight on weekdays. Local news - Hourly at peak-time weekdays and 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.
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. The Goalzone runs across Free Radio 80s each Monday and Friday evening, 6pm – 7pm. This is a (predominantly) football phone-in.
80s Party runs Friday 1900-0000 and Saturday 1800 – 0000 and is a mix of upbeat 80s tunes.
80s Chilled runs Sunday to Thursday 2200-0000 and is a mix of ‘chilled out’ songs from the 80s.
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 output for Free Radio 80s is produced from our Birmingham studios and shared across the Free Radio 80s stations for Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) and Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
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.
Regional weather bulletins are delivered hourly throughout the weekday – 7am-6pm, with regional travel bulletins delivered twice an hour during breakfast (6-10am) and drive (3-7pm).
Regional weather is also broadcast 8am-6pm on weekends, with regional travel at 10:30 and 11:30.
Our breakfast programme includes details on relevant happenings in the local area, delivered as content by the presenter in the form of content links – whilst promo slots dedicated to local what’s on information and charity events run throughout the station schedule, 24 hours a day.
Our football programming, detailed above, gives local football fans the opportunity to talk about the happenings at their club – hosted by local legends and a heritage presenter who has been broadcasting in this TSA for 35 years.
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
7am, 8am, 9am – 2 mins – stories produced by journalists based in Birmingham news hub & bulletins compiled & read by reader at Gem in Nottingham
4pm, 5pm, 6pm – 2 mins - Bulletins compiled, produced & presented by Free Radio Journalists based in Birmingham.
Sat & Sun 8am, 9am, 10am – 1’40 – Free Radio Birmingham, Free Radio Coventry & Warwickshire & Free Radio 80s
Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham or Free Radio in Birmingham.
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 80s Coventry AL021 and Birmingham AL076
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.
Freekick runs across Free Radio 80s each Monday and Friday evening from 6pm and runs for up to 15 minutes per show. This is a locally produced light-hearted look at the weekend of sport ahead/just gone.
80s Party runs Friday 1900-0000 and Saturday 1800 – 0000 and is a mix of upbeat 80s tunes.
80s Chilled runs Sunday to Thursday 2200-0000 and is a mix of ‘chilled out’ songs from the 80s.
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.
All output for Free Radio 80s is produced from our Birmingham studios and shared across the Free Radio 80s stations for Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) and Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
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.
Regional weather bulletins are delivered hourly throughout the weekday – 7am-6pm, with regional travel bulletins delivered twice an hour during breakfast (6-10am) and drive (3-7pm).
Regional weather is also broadcast 8am-6pm on weekends, with regional travel at 10:30 and 11:30.
Our breakfast programme includes details on relevant happenings in the local area, delivered as content by the presenter in the form of content links – whilst promo slots dedicated to local what’s on information and charity events run throughout the station schedule, 24 hours a day.
Our football programming, detailed above, gives local football fans a flavour of what is happening across the TSA.
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 will run the following news: All top of hour bulletins 2 minutes, 24 hours per day.
Local bulletins will run 7am-9am and 4pm to 6pm weekdays and 8am-10am at weekends.
At all other times, there is news on the hour, supplied by IRN/SKY news.
Local news will continue to be compiled, produced and presented in the same way as they are currently. News will be compiled, on the whole, by a team of 11 journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham.
Section 355 Review: Future plans questionnaire
Station name and licence number: Free Radio 80s Wolverhampton & Shropshire. AL118
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.
Freekick runs across Free Radio 80s each Monday and Friday evening from 6pm and runs for up to 15 minutes per show. This is a locally produced light-hearted look at the weekend of sport ahead/just gone.
80s Party runs Friday 1900-0000 and Saturday 1800 – 0000 and is a mix of upbeat 80s tunes.
80s Chilled runs Sunday to Thursday 2200-0000 and is a mix of ‘chilled out’ songs from the 80s.
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.
All output for Free Radio 80s is produced from our Birmingham studios and shared across the Free Radio 80s stations for Birmingham (AL076), Coventry (AL021) and Wolverhampton & Shropshire (AL118).
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.
Regional weather bulletins are delivered hourly throughout the weekday – 7am-6pm, with regional travel bulletins delivered twice an hour during breakfast (6-10am) and drive (3-7pm).
Regional weather is also broadcast 8am-6pm on weekends, with regional travel at 10:30 and 11:30.
Our breakfast programme includes details on relevant happenings in the local area, delivered as content by the presenter in the form of content links – whilst promo slots dedicated to local what’s on information and charity events run throughout the station schedule, 24 hours a day.
Our football programming, detailed above, gives local football fans a flavour of what is happening across the TSA.
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 will run the following news: All top of hour bulletins 2 minutes, 24 hours per day.
Local bulletins will run 7am-9am and 4pm to 6pm weekdays and 8am-10am at weekends.
At all other times, there is news on the hour, supplied by IRN/SKY news.
Local news will continue to be compiled, produced and presented in the same way as they are currently. News will be compiled, on the whole, by a team of 11 journalists based in Birmingham. Weekend bulletins may be presented by journalists based at Gem in Nottingham.