Black Cat Radio and HCR104fm in joint bid

Black Cat Radio, based in St Neots, and Huntingdon Community Radio, in Huntingdon, have submitted a joint application to Ofcom, the regulating authority for broadcasting, seeking a DAB licence for the whole area.

If the application is granted, a greater number of listeners will be able to tune in to both of the stations. Both stations would be available to people in Bedfordshire, the Northamptonshire border, and further towards Cambridge. Radio listeners in areas including Bury, near Ramsey, Northstowe, Sandy and Keyston will be able to tune in to both Black Cat Radio and Huntingdon Community Radio.

A DAB licence also means that people will be able to pick up the stations in their car.

Bill Hensley at Huntingdon Community Radio said: “I am looking forward to the joint application between HCR104fm and Black Cat Radio being approved by Ofcom for a digital (DAB) service for the Huntingdon area. There is DAB in Peterborough, Bedford and Cambridge, leaving a hole where we are.”

Ste Greenall, from Black Cat Radio, added: “The nice thing about this is that we’ve got together and we’re working on it together. We aren’t rivals – it’s a joint application from two community stations, and being able to bring our stations on DAB to our area is something that both sets of listeners have been crying out for. I’m extremely excited.”

The joint Ofcom application is not the first collaboration between the two radio stations this year. During the General Election in July, both Black Cat Radio and HCR104fm exchanged clips from the Huntingdon count and the St Neots count.