Burngreave Community Radio (BCR) stopped broadcasting on 103.1FM in September, following a request from OFCOM to cease transmission over the airwaves.
Burngreave Community Radio Ltd was set up in September 2007 with support from local business adverts and was launched in May 2008, initially broadcasting from Shirecliffe Lane. The company relocated to Sorby House on Spital Hill, where it continued broadcasting from April 2009.
Burngreave Community Radio Limited was dissolved by Companies House in January 2011 for failing to submit a set of accounts. This meant that the radio license no longer existed either. When OFCOM discovered the radio was still being transmitted, it asked the station to stop broadcasting.
Matloub Husayn-Ali-Khan, one of the DJs and volunteers running the station, said,
“We did not receive any further letters so carried on, but we stopped broadcasting on FM once contacted by OFCOM. We are still broadcasting online through our website. Really the radio lacked proper management, there was too much for volunteers to do.”
One local DJ Sajid Rasul, who used to host a show on business networking, said:
“It’s really sad, we’ve lost our local radio station, which had been really good for the community. I really enjoyed doing the show, I’d get lots of requests, I interviewed some interesting people and it gave a positive image of the area. It’s a shame that mismanagement has led to this.”
Some DJs are still operating under the name Burngreave Community Radio as the radio can be broadcast legally on the internet. The station can be found at http://bcr1031fm.com.
A new community radio station in Burngreave could only be set up with a new licence from OFCOM, which will open another round of applications in early 2013.