News story about the award by UK media regulator Ofcom of a new local commercial FM radio licence in the Oxford Market to Absolute Radio Limited, owner of Oxford local radio station 'Passion FM', written by Grant Goddard in October 2006 for The Radio Magazine.

1. NEWS: OFCOM AWARDS NEW
OXFORD LOCAL COMMERCIAL
FM RADIO LICENCE TO
ABSOLUTE RADIO, OWNER OF
OXFORD STATION 'PASSION FM'
by
GRANT GODDARD
www.grantgoddard.co.uk
October 2006

2. News: Ofcom Awards New Oxford Local Commercial FM Radio Licence To Absolute Radio, Owner Of Oxford Station
'Passion FM' page 2
©2006 Grant Goddard
Absolute Radio Limited has been awarded the new local commercial FM radio
licence in Oxford, a market in which it already owns 'Passion FM', which it had
acquired from Milestone Group plc in June.
Absolute's application for 'Jack FM' had argued to Ofcom that “a traditionally
formatted, stand-alone local commercial radio service will not be able to extend
choice, sustain audience and remain commercially viable in this upmarket
region all at the same time.”
The regulator accepted Absolute’s argument that the local situation required “a
single radio company which offers Oxfordshire two distinctly local, but very
different radio services on an economically viable basis”.
The application promised that “through its integration with sister station
Passion 107.9, Jack FM will benefit from a significantly reduced cost base
through sharing resources” and that “Jack FM will form one half of a highly
effective Oxford advertising sell which encompasses both brands, offering local
and national advertisers more audience and value for money.”
[First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'Oxford Award On An "Economically Viable Basis"', #758, 18 October
2006]
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