The original purpose of the regulation was to ensure stations did not apply for a licence with a particular format, knowing that they then could instantly apply to change it.
As Ofcom no longer intends to advertise any further analogue commercial licences, the main reason for this rule was considered to no longer exist.
Last year, Ofcom simplified all the formats of local commercial stations that were more than two years old, leaving the remaining 16 local stations with the detailed formats they submitted in their licence applications.
This latest move by Ofcom means those stations will have their formats simplified in line with all other local commercial stations.
Ofcom will write to each of the affected stations with the proposed new simplified formats. Beyond this, any of the 16 stations are eligible to submit requests for changes to their formats beyond simplification.
Any request that would lead to a substantial change would be subject to public to public consultation before a decision by Ofcom's Radio Licensing Committee.
The 16 local commercial stations affected are: Original 106 (Bristol), Minster Northallerton, KCFM (Hull), Jack FM (Oxford), Original (Aberdeen), Sunshine FM (Hereford and Monmouth), Nation Radio (South Wales), City Talk (Liverpool), Smooth FM (North-East England), Exeter FM, Southend FM, Touch FM (Warwick), Andover Sound, Rock Radio (Manchester), Central FM (Preston) and Perth FM.
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