LONDON (Brand Republic) 鈥 UK radio group GWR has agreed to give up control of 12 of its AM licences following an investigation by the Radio Authority which found it had breached the 1995 Broadcasting Act鈥檚 15% limit of commercial audience share for local radio stations.
The company breached broadcasting regulations when it took control of some of DMG Radio鈥檚 radio assets earlier this year.
GWR has also agreed to give up control of programming output at Vibe FM, owned by Eastern Counties Radio and in which GWR obtained a 49.9% stake through the DMG deal. GWR was found to be in breach of the regulation which prohibits one company from controlling four licences that overlap significantly or three licences on the same waveband.
Richard Hooper, chair of the Radio Authority, said, 鈥淎lthough we have recommended significant levels of liberalisation of the ownership rules, we will not be distracted from regulating firmly in accordance with the current rules prior to the enactment of any such new legislation.鈥