Radio Ceredigion to make way for Nation Broadcasting

Radio Ceredigion back in the mid 1990s - it has been on air since 1992

Radio Ceredigion will close following a decision by Ofcom to approve changes to its licence.

Owners Nation Broadcasting have been given permission to broadcast Nation Radio on Radio Ceredigion's frequencies instead.

Despite backing the request, Ofcom said it had seen "barely any evidence" that the change would benefit listeners.

Nation Broadcasting's boss said he was "delighted" with the changes.

Nation Radio is an English language station that already broadcasts on FM in Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire and on digital platforms.

Language campaigners have previously criticised the loss of Welsh language content.

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Radio Ceredigion - once based in Aberystwyth - had been a bilingual station, but various owners had applied to relax licence commitments

Nation Broadcasting has operated Radio Ceredigion since 2010 but argued that the area was not big enough to support two commercial stations.

Ofcom had to decide between accepting the plans to change the service, or to reject the application knowing there were no other interested parties.

The communications regulator said Nation Broadcasting's application "provided barely any evidence that its proposal to provide the Nation Radio service would cater for the tastes and interests of listeners in the Ceredigion area.

"The lack of a commitment to provide any Ceredigion-specific local content for the new licence period, and the removal of any obligation to provide content in the Welsh language in an area with a relatively high proportion of Welsh speakers, contributed to this view."

Martin Mumford said he had serious concerns about whether Ceredigion could sustain two local radio services

Nation Broadcasting managing director Martin Mumford said he was "delighted" with the decision.

Many of Radio Ceredigion's English language programmes are shared with other Nation Broadcasting stations already. Welsh language content is currently broadcast on Sunday evenings.

Its existing service will now be simulcast on Radio Ceredigion.

It currently attracts 15,000 weekly listeners.