ESTUARY FM DISAPPOINTED BY AWARD OF COMMERCIAL RADIO LICENCE

Estuary FM, the Southend based group which successfully campaigned for the Southend area to have its own radio station, says it is very disappointed not to have been awarded the licence issued last week by regulator Ofcom.

“Had it not been for Estuary FM and the thousands of local people who’ve supported us it’s doubtful whether our area would now be getting its very own station,” said Alan Johnson, who had the idea for a local station in 1997 and has campaigned consistently since then. “It would be foolish to pretend that we’re not immensely disappointed by the regulator’s decision.

“There aren’t any prizes for having been around a long time – and rightly so – but the reason we’re so shocked is simply because we, like many industry insiders, believe our application to have been the best for the Southend area. That’s not to knock the other applications, but you simply can’t put together proposals with our level of depth and integrity without spending the thousands of hours getting to know your local area intimately in the way that only Estuary FM has done.”

Estuary FM was backed in its bid by existing radio operator London Media Company together with Estuary Media, the company which Alan formed with his brother Clive to campaign for the licence. “LMC recognised the strength and commitment of Estuary Media, and our shared ethos, vision and passion helped us develop an excellent partnership which would have enabled Estuary FM to deliver a local radio station of the highest quality for all the people of south east Essex,” said Alan. “As an example, Estuary FM’s was the only application making a format commitment to provision of local travel news – which we would have broadcast right up to 9pm weekday evenings – something which, time and time again, people have told us would be so important from a new local station.”

Alan Johnson said the group take comfort from the knowledge that hundreds of people share their disappointment at Ofcom’s award decision. “We’re particularly grateful to the many professionals working in the industry locally who’ve given us not only encouragement but more importantly had the faith that Estuary FM would put the soul back into local commercial radio, many of whom have already privately told us of their dismay at Ofcom’s decision.”

Despite the group’s devastation, however, Estuary Media director John Hawthorn said that they wish the winners well. “Even though their programme format and target audience are very different to our proposals, we congratulate Southend Radio,” said John, “and will always be proud of the part we’ve played in getting this area its own station!”

Estuary FM’s chairman, Teddy Taylor, said that he is proud to have been associated with the group. “Estuary FM have always shown such commitment to the town I love,” remarked the former MP, “and I believe that this radio station would have really captured the hearts and minds of a lot of people.”

Alan Johnson paid tribute to the local people and organisations who either supported Estuary FM’s campaign or helped the group understand what south east Essex wanted from its own radio station. “We want to thank the thousands of people who helped Estuary FM reach the stage where we could put together such a first class application - those who wrote letters of support, listened to or took part in one of our RSL trials, hundreds of organisations who took the time to meet with us or made us so welcome at one of our many regular roadshows – and all we can say is we did our very best!”

Estuary FM’s application can be seen at www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/car/ifmapps/southend/.