Croydon FM has been granted an official community radio station licence by Ofcom.
The shutters might be down, but Croydon FM is taking off
In announcing six licences yesterday, including Select Radio which also operates in and around Croydon, the regulator said that these would be “the last round of community radio licensing… for the foreseeable future”. There are more than 300 community radio stations on air around the country.
Since June 2018 Croydon FM has been operating out of studios in St George’s Walk, offering a varied mix of music presented by more than 40 volunteer DJs, presenters and producers. Its programming, until now, has only been available on the internet.
According to Ofcom, “Croydon FM will serve the culturally and ethnically diverse community of Croydon and surrounding areas. It will provide a platform for local music talent as well as taking part in community outreach and fundraising.”
Established as a not-for-profit, Community Interest Company by former recording artist local resident Clive Campbell, Croydon FM has already won recognition for its outreach work and training opportunities.
More than 40 volunteers have come together to produce Croydon FM’s programmes
Pre-lockdown it ran The Youth Project, a series of radio production workshops which helped it to win a Mayor of Croydon “Business in the Community” Award.
In a statement on the radio station’s website, Croydon FM’s management said that they would like “to thank the entire Croydon FM family, followers on social media and members across the community who have supported Croydon FM endlessly along the way – Stay tuned as the journey continues!”
In the past two years, Croydon FM has recorded more than 1,000 live shows, which they say “is set to grow exponentially with the new FM service providing opportunities for local people”.
Also among the stations awarded licences yesterday were Rainbow Radio in Forest Hill and Select Radio, which Ofcom described as being aimed at “younger people who live, work or study in the London boroughs of Croydon, Southwark, Bromley, Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley”.
The licences are awarded for five years.
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