On Friday we learned that Nation Broadcasting have chosen not to renew their license for Radio Ceredigion when it expires in 2019. Radio Ceredigion has been a much-loved broadcaster in these parts for decades. Since 2010 it has been owned by Nation Broadcasting and we have steadily seen the centralisation of its content outside of the county. Even so we are surprised to hear about their decision regarding the future of Radio Ceredigion.
We haven’t had any communication with Radio Ceredigion or Nation Broadcasting as we considered the objectives of our community radio station to differ significantly from that of their commercial organisation. Community radio is a different bracket of Ofcom-regulated broadcasting that is specifically designed to be locally focussed, and is run exclusively by non-profit organisations like Radio Aber.
What matters to us is that the local area is served on a local broadcasting level. We have laid out a particular set of goals to meet within our local area that will, we hope, be of great benefit to the communities around us. We are being driven from a grassroots level towards tackling loneliness, encouraging community engagement, and championing local content.
Fans of local radio can be assured that no matter the outcome of Radio Ceredigion’s license expiry next year, Radio Aber continues to work towards creating a fantastic new bilingual service for the communities within the area. We aim to begin broadcasting in early 2019.