The boss of local radio company UKRD has had another dig at media regulator OfCom, who he says are failing to help the struggling radio industry, and especially smaller players in that industry, by adapting radio regulations in line with changes in the market. As you may remember, UKRD became the first commercial broadcaster ever to give OfCom back an FM licence when it closed down Star 107.9 in Stroud, claiming OfCom rules were stopping it from making a success of the station.
Speaking at the Westminster Media Forum, UKRD CEO William Rogers said this week: "It's like the lights are on at Ofcom but no-one is home. Acknowledging the difficulties, recognising the issues and delivering some interesting options and suggestions is only of any use if there is a will, a cultural desire, to act".
Others at the Forum said they reckoned OfCom's recent 'The Future of Radio' report did offer some good ideas as to how the regulator should change to cope with changing market pressures, but they agreed with Rogers that they regulator seemed to have "no sense of urgency" in implementing those changes.