WINNIPEG – CanWest Global today was awarded a radio licence to launch a third FM radio station in the United Kingdom.
The new station, Original FM, will be located in Aberdeen, a major coastal commercial centre in north east Scotland. Aberdeen is the centre of the UK North Sea petroleum industry and provides the new station with a potential audience of approximately 300,000 adults, many in the sought after high income demographic that is targeted by the Original FM format, says the CanWest release.
Original FM will provide Adult Alternative format, targeting a 35-59 age demographic and playing an eclectic mix of music from a wide range of artists, steering away from the narrow Top 20 format. As well, it will be the only station in the region offering 24 hour news coverage. No launch date has been announced.
"CanWest is excited about this further expansion of our radio operations in the UK," said Tom Strike, president of CanWest MediaWorks International. "This licence will extend CanWest’s radio presence in the UK, which began with Original FM in Southampton, which launched on October 1, 2006 and a soon to be launched Original 106FM in Bristol, England."
CanWest’s expanding radio presence will now include Scotland, alongside England, New Zealand and Turkey. In New Zealand, CanWest RadioWorks broadcasts to the entire country in a variety of formats under six different national radio brands. In Turkey CanWest recently acquired four radio stations, two of which have national coverage while the other two serve Istanbul, Turkey’s largest and most affluent urban market.
"We will continue to apply for additional radio licences in the UK, which will hopefully further expand our presence in that market," added Leonard Asper, CanWest’s president and CEO.
