UK TMT regulator, Ofcom has rejected a request from Real Radio XS to change the format of XS Manchester.
A radio station’s Format describes the type of programmes it is required to provide under its licence.
Real Radio XS requested to relaunch XS Manchester – currently a rock and speech service for 35-64 year olds – as ‘Capital XTRA’, playing urban contemporary music of an Afro-Caribbean origin.
“Having carefully considered the feedback to our consultation, including the views of around 70 listeners who opposed the change, we have decided not to grant the request. We concluded, among other things, that the substantial local speech content requirements in the XS Manchester Format, which many respondents considered crucial to the Mancunian flavour of the service, make it more distinctive than the proposed new Format,” Ofcom said.
