Editing Independent Local Radio (section)

==History==
{{For timeline|Timeline of independent radio in the United Kingdom}}

===Development of ILR===
Until the early 1970s, the BBC had a legal [[monopoly]] on radio broadcasting in the UK. Despite competition from the commercial [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] and, for a period in the mid-1960s, the off-shore "[[Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967|pirate]]" broadcasters, it had remained the policy of both major political parties that radio was to remain under the BBC.

This policy changed after the election of [[Edward Heath]]'s government in [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970]]. It is possible that Heath's victory was partly due to younger voters upset by [[Harold Wilson]]'s government closing down the popular pirate radio stations.<ref name="hth">{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/#history/history.html|title=Radio Caroline|website=www.radiocaroline.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="hti">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3668186/The-day-we-woke-up-to-pop-music-on-Radio-1.html|title=The day we woke up to pop music on Radio 1|last=Reynolds|first=Gillian|author-link=Gillian Reynolds|date=27 September 2007|work=The Daily Telegraph|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The new Minister of Post and Telecommunications and former [[ITN]] newscaster, [[Christopher Chataway]], announced a bill to allow for the introduction of commercial radio in the United Kingdom. This service would be planned and regulated similarly to the existing [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] service and would compete with the recently developed [[BBC Local Radio]] services (rather than the four national BBC services).

The [[Sound Broadcasting Act 1972]]<ref name="sba">[https://web.archive.org/web/20051215075512/http://www.bfi.org.uk/filmtvinfo/researchers/legislation/history.html BFI researchers' guide - legislation]. Retrieved 4 January 2006</ref> received [[royal assent]] on 12 July 1972 and the [[Independent Television Authority]] (ITA) accordingly changed its name to the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority]] (IBA) that same day.<ref name="bta">{{cite book |editor-last=Henry |editor-first=Brian |title=British Television Advertising - The First Thirty Years |publisher=Century Benham |location=London |date=1986 |page=145}}</ref>

The IBA immediately began to plan the new service, placing advertisements encouraging interested groups to apply for medium-term contracts to provide programmes in given areas. The first major areas to be advertised were [[London]] and [[Glasgow]], with two contracts available in London, one for "news and information", one for "general and entertainment".<ref name="tr85">Croston, Eric (Ed.) ''Television and Radio 1985 - Guide to Independent Broadcasting'' Independent Broadcasting Authority, London 1984.</ref> Contracts were for three years, extendable for one year each year; thus, they were indefinite if the IBA was satisfied with the contractor's performance.<ref name="iba1976">{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Television-&-Radio-ITV/IBA-Yearbook-1976.pdf |title=TV & Radio 1976: Guide to Independent Television & Independent Local Radio |date=January 1976 |publisher=Independent Broadcasting Authority |isbn=0900485213  |editor-last=Croston |editor-first=Eric |location=London |pages=8-9 |access-date=2025-02-19}}</ref>

The London news contract was awarded to [[LBC|London Broadcasting Company]] (LBC) and they began broadcasting on 8 October 1973. The London general contract went to [[Capital London|Capital Radio]], who began broadcasting on 16 October 1973.  In total, 19 contracts were awarded between 1973 and 1976. Due to government limits on capital expenditure and turbulence in the broadcasting field (mainly due to the [[Annan Report]]), no further contracts were awarded until 1980, when a second tranche of contracts were awarded. All stations were awarded an [[AM broadcasting|AM]] and an [[FM broadcasting|FM]] frequency, on which they broadcast the same service.

===Original contracts===

====First tranche====
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Airdate<ref name="airdate">{{cite web |last=Graham |first=Russ J. |url=https://transdiffusion.org/2006/12/19/ilrdates/ |title=Original ILR Airdates |work=Radiomusications from Transdiffusion |access-date=4 January 2006}}</ref>
! City
! Station name
! Current<br />Station name
! Owner
|-
| [[1973 in British radio#October|8 October 1973]]
| [[London]]
| [[LBC|London Broadcasting Company]]
| [[LBC]]
| [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]]
|-
| [[1973 in British radio#October|16 October 1973]]
| London
| [[Capital London|Capital Radio]]
| [[Capital London]]
| Global
|-
| [[1973 in British radio#December|31 December 1973]]
| [[Glasgow]]
| [[Radio Clyde]]
| [[Clyde 1]]
| [[Bauer Media Audio UK|Bauer]]
|-
| 19 February 1974
| [[Birmingham]]
| [[Hits Radio Birmingham|BRMB]]
| [[Hits Radio Birmingham]]
| Bauer
|-
| 2 April 1974
| [[Manchester]]
| [[Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West|Piccadilly Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio Manchester]]
| Bauer
|-
| 15 July 1974
| [[Newcastle-upon-Tyne]]
| [[Hits Radio North East|Metro Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio North East]]
| Bauer
|-
| 30 September 1974
| [[Swansea]]
| [[Greatest Hits Radio South Wales|Swansea Sound]]
| [[The Wave 96.4 FM|Hits Radio South West Wales]]
| Bauer
|-
| 1 October 1974
| [[Sheffield]]
| [[Hits Radio South Yorkshire|Radio Hallam]]
| [[Hits Radio South Yorkshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 21 October 1974
| [[Liverpool]]
| [[Hits Radio Liverpool|Radio City]]
| [[Hits Radio Liverpool]]
| Bauer
|-
| 22 January 1975
| [[Edinburgh]]
| [[Radio Forth]]
| [[Forth 1]]
| Bauer
|-
| 19 May 1975
| [[Plymouth]]
| [[Heart Plymouth|Plymouth Sound]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 24 June 1975
| [[Stockton-on-Tees]]
| [[TFM (radio station)|Radio Tees]]
| [[TFM (radio station)|Hits Radio Teesside]]
| Bauer
|-
| 3 July 1975
| [[Nottingham]]
| [[Trent FM|Radio Trent]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Capital Midlands]]
| Global
|-
| 16 September 1975
| [[Bradford]]
| [[Pennine Radio (radio station)|Pennine Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio West Yorkshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 14 October 1975
| [[Portsmouth]]
| [[Radio Victory]]
| colspan=2|Defunct
|-
| 28 October 1975
| [[Ipswich]]
| [[Heart Ipswich|Radio Orwell]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 8 March 1976
| [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]]
| [[Heart Berkshire|Radio 210]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global
|-
| 16 March 1976
| [[Belfast]]
| colspan=2|[[Downtown Radio]]
| Bauer
|-
| 12 April 1976
| [[Wolverhampton]]
| [[Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire|Beacon Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire]]
| Bauer
|-
|}

====Second tranche====
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Airdate<ref name="airdate"/>
! City
! Station name
! Current<br />Station name
! Owner
|-
| 11 April 1980
| [[Cardiff]]
| [[Capital South Wales|Cardiff Broadcasting Company]]
| [[Capital South Wales]]
| Global
|-
| 23 May 1980
| [[Coventry]]
| [[Hits Radio Coventry & Warwickshire|Mercia Sound]]
| [[Hits Radio Coventry & Warwickshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 10 July 1980
| [[Peterborough]]
| [[Heart Peterborough|Hereward Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 15 September 1980
| [[Bournemouth]]
| [[Heart Dorset & New Forest|2CR (Two Counties Radio)]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global
|-
| 17 October 1980
| [[Dundee]]
| [[Greatest Hits Radio Tayside & Fife|Radio Tay]]
| [[Tay FM]]
| Bauer
|-
| 23 October 1980
| [[Gloucester]]
| [[Heart Gloucestershire|Severn Sound]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 7 November 1980
| [[Exeter]]
| [[DevonAir|DevonAir Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 14 November 1980
| [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]]
| [[Radio Tay]]
| [[Tay FM]]
| Bauer
|-
| 12 December 1980
| [[Torbay]]
| [[DevonAir|DevonAir Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 27 July 1981
| [[Aberdeen]]
| [[Greatest Hits Radio North East Scotland|Northsound Radio]]
| [[Northsound 1]]
| Bauer
|-
| 1 September 1981
| [[Leeds]]
| [[Radio Aire]]
| [[Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 7 September 1981
| [[Leicester]]
| [[Centre Radio]]
| colspan=2|Defunct
|-
| 12 September 1981
| [[Southend-on-Sea]]
| [[Heart Essex (Chelmsford & Southend)|Essex Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 15 October 1981
| [[Luton]]
| [[Heart Dunstable|Chiltern Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 27 October 1981
| [[Bristol]]
| [[Heart Bristol|Radio West]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 4 December 1981
| [[Ayr]] and [[Girvan]]
| [[West Sound (Ayrshire)|West Sound Radio]]
| Greatest Hits Radio Ayrshire
| Bauer
|-
| 10 December 1981
| [[Chelmsford]]
| [[Heart Essex (Chelmsford & Southend)|Essex Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 23 February 1982
| [[Inverness]]
| [[MFR (radio station)|Moray Firth Radio]]
| [[MFR (radio station)|MFR]]
| Bauer
|-
| 1 March 1982
| [[Bedford]]
| [[Heart Dunstable|Chiltern Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 4 October 1982
| [[Worcester, England|Worcester]]
| [[Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire|Radio Wyvern]]
| [[Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 5 October 1982
| [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]
| [[Red Rose Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio Lancashire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 12 October 1982
| [[Swindon]]
| [[Heart Wiltshire|Wiltshire Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
| 6 November 1982
| [[Bury St Edmunds]]
| [[Heart Ipswich|Saxon Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 4 April 1983
| [[Guildford]]
| [[County Sound Radio (1566 AM)|County Sound]] 
|Defunct, now a relay of [[Greatest Hits Radio South]]
| Bauer
|-
| 13 June 1983
| [[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
| [[Gwent Broadcasting]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Capital South Wales]]
| Global
|-
| 29 August 1983
| [[Brighton]]
| [[Heart Sussex|Southern Sound Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global
|-
| 5 September 1983
| [[Stoke-on-Trent]]
| [[Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire|Signal Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 5 September 1983
| [[Wrexham]]
| [[Heart Cheshire and North East Wales|Marcher Sound]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Capital North West & Wales]]
| Global
|-
| 17 April 1984
| [[Kingston-upon-Hull]]
| [[Hits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire|Viking Radio]]
| [[Hits Radio East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire]]
| Bauer
|-
| 5 September 1984
| [[Leicester]]
| [[Leicester Sound]]{{efn|Launched after failed [[Centre Radio]] went into receivership.}}
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Capital Midlands]]
| Global
|-
| 1 October 1984
| [[Norwich]]
| [[Heart Norwich|Radio Broadland]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 1 October 1984
| [[Northampton]]
| [[Heart Peterborough|Hereward Radio]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 1 October 1984
| [[East Kent]]
| [[Heart Kent|Invicta Sound]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global
|-
| 20 October 1984
| [[Crawley]]
| [[Mercury FM|Radio Mercury]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global 
|-
| 12 October 1986
| [[Southampton]] and [[Portsmouth]]
| [[Heart Hampshire|Ocean Sound]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart South]]
| Global
|-
| 30 November 1986
| [[Northampton]] and [[Northamptonshire]]
| [[Heart Northants|Northants 96]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart East]]
| Global
|-
| 3 March 1987
| [[Derby]]
| [[Ram FM|Radio Trent]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Capital Midlands]]
| Global
|-
| 22 May 1987
| [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]
| [[Heart Bath|GWR Radio Bath]]
| Defunct, now a relay of [[Heart West]]
| Global
|-
|}

{{notelist}}

In July 1981, the Home Secretary approved proposals for the creation of Independent Local Radio services in 25 more areas.<ref>{{cite web|title=''Extension of Independent Local Radio''
|url=https://transdiffusion.org/2023/01/23/extension-of-independent-local-radio/|website=transdiffusion.org|accessdate=11 February 2023}}</ref> However some of these areas were not licensed during the IBA's time as the regulator and did not receive a commercial station until after its successor, The Radio Authority, came into being in 1991.
<!-- Do not add stations founded after the IBA was abolished: they're not "second tranche" franchises, they're Radio Authority contracts. Do not add FM/AM split stations: they were under the original stations' franchises. Do not add the break-up of  Ocean Sound into Power/Light/Gold - they were under Ocean's franchise. -->

===Extension of ILR===
In the late 1980s, the expansion of ILR continued at a similar rate. Under the Broadcasting Acts, the IBA had a duty to ensure that any area it licensed for radio could support a station with the available advertising revenue. Therefore, many areas were not included in the IBA's ILR plans as it was felt that they were not viable.<ref name="tr81">Croston, Eric (Ed.) ''Television and Radio 1981 - Focus on Independent Broadcasting'' Independent Broadcasting Authority, London 1980.</ref> This did not prevent Radio West in Bristol getting into financial trouble and having to merge with Wiltshire Radio on 1 October 1985;<ref name="gwr">Rogers, Andrew [http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/commercial/radiowest.asp RW + WR = GWR] Radiomusications from Transdiffusion, retrieved 4 January 2006</ref> nor did it prevent Centre Radio going into receivership on 6 October 1983.<ref name="centre">Parry, Simon [http://www.transdiffusion.org/rmc/commercial/centre.asp Off Centre] Radiomusications from Transdiffusion, retrieved 4 January 2006</ref>

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, in several areas where ILR stations had not previously been licensed, new local radio licenses were issued in these 'white space' locations which, whilst not part of the historic ILR tranche, operated as the defacto ILR commercial radio services for their broadcast area. As these stations launched after the move to end AM/FM simulcasting (as detailed below), these newer stations were issued with only an FM license and had no AM frequency, precluding them from following other ILR licensees in splitting into younger FM/older AM services. These stations included [[Heart Oxfordshire|Fox FM]] in [[Oxfordshire]] (15 Sept 1989), [[Hits Radio Lincolnshire|Lincs FM]] in [[Lincolnshire]] (1 March 1992), [[Hits Radio Cornwall|Pirate FM]] in [[Cornwall]] (3 April 1992), [[Minster FM]] in [[North Yorkshire]] (4 July 1992) and [[Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria & South West Scotland|CFM]] in [[Cumbria]] (14 April 1993). (With the exception of Fox FM (now owned by Global and broadcasting as Heart), these stations have now effectively been split in twain by Bauer to broadcast [[Greatest Hits Radio]] on their legacy FM frequencies, with a localised [[Hits Radio]] service offered alongside it on DAB.)

===Split services===
In 1986 the [[Home Office]] sanctioned in principle the idea that different services could be broadcast on each station's FM and AM frequency and six experiments of split programming on Independent Local Radio of up to ten hours a week took place, although the first experimental part-time split service had taken place two years earlier when [[Radio Forth]] created Festival City Radio for the duration of the [[Edinburgh International Festival|Edinburgh Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=John |title=End of radio era as transmitter that created Radio Forth legends Jay Crawford and Steve Hamilton is turned off |url=https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/end-of-radio-era-as-transmitter-that-created-radio-forth-legends-jay-crawford-and-steve-hamilton-is-turned-off-4457883 |website=FiFe Today |date=26 December 2023 |publisher=National World Publishing Ltd. |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref> The first station to permanently split their frequencies was [[Guildford|Guildford's]] [[County Sound]]<ref name="countysound">[https://web.archive.org/web/20151025003440/http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/countysnd01.html County Sound Radio] MDS975, retrieved 8 August 2007</ref> who rebranded the FM output as Premier Radio and turned the AM output into a new golden oldies station, County Sound Gold in 1988.

By 1988, the government had decided that the practice of splitting was beneficial and a quick way to increase choice for listeners. The IBA then began encouraging ILR stations to split their services and most soon complied. The usual format was to have a "gold" (oldies) service on AM and pop music on FM, although Radio City tried "City Talk" on AM before abandoning the format and replacing it with a "gold" station. By the start of the 1990s, most stations had done 'the splits' with the final stations ending waveband simulcasting by the mid-1990s.

=== Incremental Radio ===
[[Incremental Radio (IBA)|Incremental Radio]] was a new type of radio licence given out by the IBA between 1989 and 1990. These were additional radio services introduced into areas already served by an Independent Local Radio station and most had to offer output not already available on ILR, such as specialist music, programmes for a specific section of the community or for smaller areas than ILR stations cover. 22 stations went on air, most of which were eventually acquired by the large radio groups and absorbed into their networks.  As of 2024 only a few remain independently owned and operated.  The regulatory model these stations were under was a precursor to commercial radio stations licensed by the incoming Radio Authority.