By Maxine Clayman
Ofcom has awarded ACE FM a local commercial radio licence for Kidderminster.
The station is owned by MNA Broadcasting, a subsidiary of the
Wolverhampton-based Express & Star publisher Midlands News
Association.
The new station will provide a locally focused
music, news and information service for 25 to 54-year-olds in the
Kidderminster area.
ACE FM was one of three applicants for the
Kidderminster licence, fending off competition from Kidderminster FM
Limited and The Wyre FM.
This brings the total of new local
commercial licences granted to four, with Ashford, Blackburn and
Edinburgh also having been approved.
ACE FM director Rob Ison
said: “As one of our partners, the Express & Star will be assisting
us with our news content as we’ll have access to their resources and
may second some of their journalists to assist us with our news output.
“The
focus will be on local news for the Kidderminster area, but we will
also carry national news in our bulletins.We are planning to carry a
couple of weekly local news-based programmes, but as we’ve only just
been given the licence we haven’t finalised our content.”
ACE FM will begin broadcasting at the earliest opportunity and its licence will be issued for a twelve-year period.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog