Ofcom has turned down a request from Global Radio to change the ‘format’ of its local radio station Heart Cornwall.
Global wanted to make a key change to its existing ‘character of service’ document, notably affecting the core requirement of Heart Cornwall being a “full service local station specifically for Cornwall, with speech an important part of the content”.
It wanted to change this wording to “a locally-oriented music and information station for Cornwall”.
Detailing the reasons for its decision, Ofcom noted that the requirements contained in the format of Pirate FM, Cornwall’s other existing local commercial radio station, were quite general – “a locally-oriented, broad music and information station for Cornwall”.
It said that Global’s request would “remove, or significantly dilute, most, if not all, of the format requirements which make Heart Cornwall’s format distinctive from that of Pirate FM”.
And this, said Ofcom, would “narrow the range of programmes available to listeners in Cornwall by way of independent radio services”.
