Oxfordshire County Council: Banbury FM's licence bid backed

Banbury FM wants to secure what is known as an on-air licence, one that enables it to be heard on radios in homes and vehicles rather than just online, and had already gained political support from Banbury Town and Cherwell District councils.

That backing was bolstered by this week with the unanimous support of all members of Oxfordshire County Council for a motion brought by Cllr Kieron Mallon (Con, Bloxham & Easington) asking that the leader of the authority write to Ofcom, the organisation candidates for licences must apply to, and the government.

And Cllr Mallon argued adding clout to the bid was about much more than making a political gesture.

“I think a local radio station is a truly important part of the social fabric of any conurbation,” he said.

“It serves an important purpose, not only to keep us entertained as we travel around but keeping us up to date with genuine local news and reporting back on genuine local issues to the people it purports to represent… local businesses and events, working with schools, local hospitals as well.

“Market towns are underserved by current broadcasters, it is far, far too centralised. A radio station dedicated to a market town and its rural catchment area is much needed and this became even more evident during the pandemic.

“In Banbury we wanted to know the local picture, where the vaccination stations were, what the rates were in our area almost street by street, what was open, what was closed, not regional figures in a meaningless context.

“We did a survey of so-called local news broadcasts in the catchment area of where I live and represent and found that in a 24-hour period, the best of those radio stations put out just over two minutes of local news. Quite often that was about the Southam Road being closed or ‘oh dear, there is trouble at the junction of the M40’.

“If it is an FM or DAB licence it can reach out to those who do not have the internet or computers, a local message can reach as many people as possible, be truly accessible and truly local.”

Cllr Mallon also revealed how the awarding of such a licence could aid smaller, bespoke broadcasters in the area too.

“Under the new regime, a mast can have up to a dozen or more licences applied to it, not like the old days when those who had the mast had the licence and that was it,” he said.

“They are trying to bring together all parts of the area.”