Section 355 Review of Output: Q100.5FM (Newry)
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Section 355 Review of Output: Q100.5FM (Newry)
When a local commercial radio licence undergoes a change of control (this includes licence
transfer), Ofcom is required, under section 355 of the Communications Act 2003 (the Act), to
undertake a review of the effects or likely effects of the change of control in relation to:
• the quality and range of programmes included in the service;
• the character of the service, and;
• the extent to which Ofcom’s duty under section 314 of the Act is performed in relation
to the service. Ofcom’s duty under section 314 of the Act relates to securing the
inclusion of an appropriate amount of local material, and a suitable proportion of
locally-made programmes in the service.
Under section 356 of the Act, where it appears to Ofcom from its review that the change of
control would be prejudicial to any of the three matters listed above, then it must vary the
licence, by including such conditions as it considers appropriate, with a view to ensuring that
the relevant change of control is not so prejudicial. In doing so, any new or varied conditions
must be such that the licence holder would have satisfied them throughout the three months
immediately before the change of control. Ofcom is required to publish a report of its review,
setting out its conclusions and any steps it proposes to take under section 356. Where
Ofcom proposes to vary the licence, it is required to give the licence holder a reasonable
opportunity to make representations about the variation.
On 4 December 2014, a change of control took place at Northern Media Group Limited
(NMGL) which held the local commercial FM licence for the Newry area (AL316). NMGL
itself was 95% ultimately owned by Allied Irish Banks plc through AIB Joint Venture Limited.
NMGL is now owned by Q Local Media Limited a company which is 100% owned by
Dominic Fitzpatrick.
Ofcom has now carried out its review under section 355 in relation to the Newry licence,
Q100.5FM. In doing so, it has reviewed the output of Q100.5FM in the three months prior to
the change of control taking place 1. It has also considered information provided to it with
regard to the future programming on the station.
1
At Ofcom’s request, Q Local Media Limited supplied Ofcom with recordings of the station’s output on 28 & 29
October and 6,7 & 8 November 2014.Ofcom’s assessment of Q100.5 FM’s output (prior to the change of control) The Character of Service of the station is: A FULL SERVICE BROAD MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION AIMED AT ALL ADULTS IN THE NEWRY AND MOURNE AREA WITH SIGNIFICANT EMPHASIS ON LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION The station’s Format is shown in Annex 1. Annex 2 is the licensee’s completed Review of Output which summarises the output of this service. In reviewing the station’s output prior to the change of control, it was noted that Q100.5FM had permission to, and did, share all of its required hours of locally-made programming (seven hours on weekdays, which must include the breakfast show, and four hours on each of Saturday and Sunday) with the co-owned services in each of Coleraine (AL254), Ballymena (AL301), Londonderry (AL155), Omagh and Enniskillen (AL270) and Cookstown/Mid Ulster (AL275) licences which also broadcast as Q. The Format also allowed for this locally-made programming to be made in either Ballymena or Londonderry as well as in Newry itself. News bulletins containing local news (one minute) and sport (one minute) were broadcast hourly on weekdays and weekends commencing at 07:00 and concluding at 18:00. These were followed by additional news and sports bulletins (three minutes) focused on Northern Ireland. All local news was produced and presented from a news hub serving all of the Q stations, and comprising eight full-time journalists and one freelance journalist. Traffic and travel, weather, and local information including what’s on information featured across the daytime schedule. Tailored for the area traffic and travel reports were broadcast twice an hour between 07:00 and 09:00 and 17:00 and 18:00 hours, and once an hour at other ‘peak‘ times. Weather updates for the whole of Northern Ireland were broadcast once an hour every day between 07:00 and 19:00, and local information (e.g. about local events) was broadcast periodically but was a significant feature during the mid morning programme. This mid-morning programme, which was broadcast between the hours of 10:00 and 13:00 on weekdays from Newry, was a talk and music programme specific to and focused upon the Newry area. It contained listener interaction, what’s on information, current affairs, guest interviews and music. Q100.5FM’s Format requires it to broadcast “broad music”, which means it can play a wide variety of music but cannot focus on a single specialist genre such as rock or dance, that would appeal to those living in the locality. The songs that were being played by the station prior to the change of control, listed below, would satisfactorily meet these terms. Artist Title JLS Beat Again Paloma Faith New York Pink Try Lenny Kravitz It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over Shania Twain You’re Still The One Elton John Are You Ready For Love Amy Winehouse Tears Dry On Their Own Jane Wiedlin Rush Hour (Being With You Remix) Whitney Houston So Emotional
The station provided local sports coverage/commentary of significant sporting events. In
addition, two specialist or themed programmes were broadcast by the station each week. On
Saturday’s between 9:30 and 10:00 a weekly business programme The Profit Margin was
broadcast. On Sundays between 07:00 and 08:00 a traditional music programme Celtic
Bridge was broadcast.
The new owner’s plans
The new owner says it will continue to broadcast coverage including commentary of
significant sporting events - see Annex 3. The Saturday morning 30-minute programme The
Profit Margin will also continue to be broadcast, along with the Celtic Bridge music
programme (Sundays).
The hourly local news and sports bulletins and traffic and travel specific to the Q100.5FM
area will remain.
A weekday 10:00 to 13:00 music, talk and information programme specific to the Q100.5FM
area as described above would still be broadcast.
All programmes would continue to include Northern Ireland material including what’s ons,
traffic and travel, weather updates, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews and local
music.
Recommended variations to the licence
Based on our assessment of the station’s output in the three months prior to the change of
control, we do not believe that Q100.5FM was broadcasting any programming not already
reflected in the existing requirements of the station’s Format which would, in our view, have
a significant impact upon:
• the quality and range of programmes included in the service;
• the character of the service; and,
• the extent to which local material and locally-made programmes are included in the
service.
Therefore, we are not proposing any variations to the licence.
July 2015Annex 1
ANALOGUE COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION FORMAT
Service name
Q100.5 FM (Newry)
Licence number AL316
Licensed area Newry area
MCA population 51,702
Frequency/ies 100.5 MHz
Character of Service
A FULL SERVICE BROAD MUSIC AND INFORMATION STATION AIMED AT ALL
ADULTS IN THE NEWRY AND MOURNE AREA WITH SIGNIFICANT EMPHASIS ON
LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION.
Service duration 24 hours
Locally-made Studio location:
programming Locally-made programming must be produced within the licensed areas of Newry
(AL316), Londonderry (AL155) or Ballymena (AL301).
Locally-made hours:
At least 7 hours a day during daytime weekdays (must include breakfast).
At least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and Sundays.
Programme sharing:
All programmes may be shared between the Ballymena licence (AL301), the
Londonderry licence (AL155), the Omagh & Enniskillen licence (AL270), the
Coleraine licence (AL254), the Cookstown licence (AL275) and the Newry licence
(AL316), subject to satisfying the character of service requirements above.
Local news At least hourly during daytime weekdays and peak-time weekends.
At other times UK-wide, nations and international news should feature.
Definitions
Speech Excludes advertising, programme/promotional trails & sponsor credits
Peak-time Weekday breakfast and drive-time, and weekend late breakfast
Daytime 06.00 to 19.00 weekdays and weekends
Notes
This Format should be read in conjunction with Ofcom’s published Localness Guideline
Last amended: November 2011Annex 2
Review of output questionnaire
Date of review: April 2015
Station Name: Q100.5FM
Licensed area and licence AL316 Newry area
number:
Licensee company: Northern Media Group Ltd
Submitted by (name and Robert Walshe Managing Director
position):
Existing Format
Character of Service
A full service broad music and information
station aimed at all adults in the Newry and
Mourne area with significant emphasis on local
news and information.
Programme sharing and/or All programmimg may be shared between
co-location arrangements Coleraine, Ballymena, Londonderry, Omagh
and Enniskillen, Cookstown and Newry
licences.
Locally made programming must be produced
within the licenced areas of Newry, Ballymena
or Londonderry.
Locally-made hours and/or At least 7 hours a day during daytime
local news bulletins weekdays (must include breakfast). At
least 4 hours daytime Saturdays and
Sundays.
Local news bulletins at least hourly during
daytime weekdays and peak time
weekends.
Station output questions
Please answer, as fully as possible, the following questions regarding the station’s broadcast
output (the ‘station’s output’ being defined as that being broadcast regularly prior to any
change of control taking place at the licence-holding company).
Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding the station’s output that
may be specific to the particular licence.
1. Please provide details of the content, scheduling and duration of any specialist or themed
programming (music-based or speech-based, and including sports shows) broadcast
regularly by the station in the three months prior to the change of control.
Celtic Bridge: A weekly traditional music programme on Sunday from 7am to 8am.
Sports: Significant coverage of local sports including commentary on significant sporting
events.The Profit Margin: A weekly business programme on Saturday from 9.30am to 10 am 2. Please confirm, in the three months prior to the change of control, the hours and scheduling of all locally-made programming on the station, and where this is broadcast from. Where applicable, please list any other stations the locally-made hours are shared with. All programming was locally made. Breakfast (6am to 10am) shared across network. Mid-morning (10am to 1pm) focused solely on Q100.5FM. Rest of day: (1pm to 5am) shared across network. 3. Please list, as fully as possible, the amount and type of local material (excluding local news bulletins) broadcast by the station in the three months prior to the change of control. Examples could include what’s on information, travel news, local weather, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews, local music programmes etc. Daily traffic and travel, weather, sports information, local information including events. 4. Please confirm, in the three months prior to the change of control, the scheduling and approximate duration of all local news bulletins. Please state whether these bulletins were ‘unique’ to this licence or shared with any other stations. Please also describe the arrangements in place for the compilation, production and presentation of local news (for example, the number of journalists employed, and any sharing of resources with other radio stations, local newspapers, news agencies or other sources). Hourly bulletins during weekdays and weekends comprising 1 minute news and 1 minute sport focused on Q100.5FM licenced area followed by 3 minutes news and sport focused on Northern Ireland. Q Radio Network newsroom employs 8 full time and 1 freelance journalist. 5. Please attach to this document a copy of the station’s programme schedule (prior to the change of control taking place).
Q Radio Programme Schedule
Mon – Thurs
5am Network Q Early Riser with Maurice Taggart (VT)
6.30am Network Q Breakfast with Ricky K & Adelle
10am Local On the QT with local presenters
North West - Q102 Mike Henry
North Coast & Mid Antrim – Q107 & Denis McNeil
Q97 Justin Maccartney
Mid Ulster – Q106 Kevin McAllister
Newry & Mourne – Q100.5 Stevie King
South West – Q101
1pm Network Q Cafe with Errol Doherty
4pm Network Q Drive with Neal McClelland
7pm Network Q Mellow Moments with Barrie Owler
11pm Network Q After Dark with Mary Lou Richmond
(VT)
2am Network Non Stop Q
Saturday
7am Network Q Breakfast with Ricky K & Adelle (VT)
9.30am Network Profit Margin with Jim Fitzpatrick
10am Q102, Q101, Q107, Q97 & Q106 Q Saturday Supplement with Errol Doherty
Q100.5 (10am-12pm) Saturday Supplement with Tom Kelly
Q100.5 (12pm – 2pm) Big O Show
2pm Network Q Breeze with Lynsey Dolan
6pm Network Q Boogie
12am Network Non Stop Q
Sunday
7am Q101, Q100.5 & Q106 Celtic Bridge with Josephine Mulvenna
8.30am Network Faith Matters with Will Scholes
10am Network Sunday Favourites with Susan McCann
12pm Q102, Q101, Q107, Q97 & Q106 George Jones Jukebox
Q100.5 (12pm-2pm) The Big O Show
3pm Network Q Breeze with Maurice Taggart
7pm Network Amazing 80’s & 90’s with Lynsey Dolan
10pm Network Q After Dark with James Anthony
2am Network Non Stop QAnnex 3 Section 355 Review: Future plans questionnaire Station name and licence number: Q100.5FM AL316 Please answer, as fully as possible, the following questions regarding the licensee’s plans for the future output of the station. Some of these may have already been implemented since the change in control took place; others may be future plans requiring a Format Change Request and would therefore be subject to Ofcom approval. This information will remain confidential to Ofcom and will not be published without the licensee’s consent. Ofcom also reserves the right to ask additional questions regarding plans for the station that may be specific to the particular licence. If no changes are planned (in comparison with the output of the station in the three months prior to the change of control), simply answer “No change from previous output” under each relevant question. 1. Please provide details of the content, scheduling and duration of any specialist or themed programming (music-based or speech-based, and including sports shows) which the station plans to broadcast regularly, following the change of control. Celtic Bridge: A weekly traditional music programme on Sunday from 7am to 8am. Sports: Significant coverage of local sports including commentary on significant sporting events. The Profit Margin: A weekly business programme on Saturday from 9.30am to 10 am 2. Please outline your plans with regard to locally-made programming arrangements and hours on the station. Where applicable, please list any other stations the locally-made hours will be shared with. 10am to 1pm: A music, talk and information programme specific to Q100.5FM. All hours outside 10am to 1pm, programming will be networked and produced at Citybeat studios in Belfast. Hourly local news and sport bulletins plus traffic and travel specific to Q100.5FM area will continue as before. 3. Please list, as fully as possible, the amount and type of local material (excluding local news bulletins) that the station plans to broadcast following the change of control. Examples could include what’s on information, travel news, local weather, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews, local music programmes etc. All shows will have some local Northern Ireland material including what’s on, traffic and travel, weather, phone-ins, sports coverage, guest interviews, local music etc. Between 10am and 1pm, Q100.5FM will focus on content that is specific to the Q100.5FM licenced area including listener interaction, whats on information, current affairs, guest interviews and music.
4. Please confirm the planned scheduling and approximate duration of all local news bulletins following the change of control. Please state whether these bulletins will be ‘unique’ to this licence or shared with any other stations. Please also describe the arrangements that will be in place for the compilation, production and presentation of local news (for example, the number of journalists employed, and any sharing of resources with other radio stations, local newspapers, news agencies or other sources). Hourly bulletins during weekdays and weekends comprising 1 minute news and 1 minute sport focused on Q100.5FM licenced area followed by 3 minutes news and sport focused on Northern Ireland. We envisage merging the Citybeat and Q Radio Network newsrooms with the objective of freeing up resources to enhance the quality and quantity of news and sport in each of the seven licence areas. This merged news room will employ eight reporters, one Head of News, one Head of Sport and at least two freelance journalists. The news room will benefit from a close relationship with editorial staff at the Irish News.
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