​Bristol’s SWU.FM at risk of fine for “breaching license conditions”

Bristol radio station SWU.FM could be subject to a fine for breaching its license conditions, broadcast regulator Ofcom has said (via BBC).

Ofcom has ruled that the community station – which was acquired by Rinse FM in 2023 – failed to “provide information” about its ownership and finances.

In a new report, Ofcom ruled SWU in breach of Section 7 of the Community Radio Order 2004, which restricts a company or organisation from holding more than one analogue community radio licence.

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It also claimed that the station has failed to provide its annual community radio finance report by the deadline for the past three years, and did not disclose its “apparent close connections” to Rinse FM.

“We have been reviewing the ownership of SWU.FM LTD due to concerns that the director of Rinse FM may have de-facto control over SWU.FM,” reads the report. "To date, the licensee has failed to respond to the request for information.”

It notes concerns that SWU’s online presence is just a page on Rinse FM’s website, and also found joint email accounts and “potential links between the sole director of Rinse FM and the sole director of SWU”.

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According to Ofcom, SWU is in “serious and fundamental breach of a community radio licence”, writing: "It is of fundamental importance that Ofcom can verify that a licensee is complying with its licence requirements relating to funding."

In an email sent to Ofcom, SWU claimed that it had received just one email from the broadcast regulator, with all others going to its junk folder.

In April 2023, Rinse FM announced that it had acquired SWU.FM just six months after the Bristol station ceased broadcast. SWU was previously shuttered citing financial issues, including large energy bills, difficulty during COVID, and rising costs.

Rinse FM founder Geeneus has issued a statement to Mixmag. Read it in full below.

Saying we have apparent close connections is true. We have close connections with most community radio stations, does this mean they are all under scrutiny?

For clarity, Ollie Watton is the sole director of SWU FM Ltd that holds the FM licence, and as we understand, this is completely in line with Ofcom’s rules as per our conversations with Ofcom.

Small stations like SWU are struggling to survive, meanwhile multi conglomerate companies worth hundreds of millions of pounds are able to own multiple FM licences across the country with no issues.

SWU is an important part of the Bristol music scene and should be protected, not pressured. Community radio needs more support and less restrictions. We will continue to help wherever we can.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter