Ashford Local Radio - Ofcom Licensing

Putting Local Information First
Although being a musically led radio station, ALR’s biggest appeal to its audience is its speech policy of priority –
1. local
2. regional
3. national
4. international.
If possible, all information is presented from a local perspective or with local reaction. ALR’s audience demands relevant
local information presented succinctly and clearly and a policy of three-minute speech blocks will be observed in the
majority of cases. ALR listeners demand a dynamic radio station that entertains and informs.
“I think someone that can get the right balance between wit and seriousness.You can’t have someone who is just joking around
all the time and I don’t like people who are too serious.”
ALR also adopts the policy of having regular on-air contributions from key local people and stringers in local services and
organisations. An inclusive policy ensures no local item is deemed too small or insignificant and given a reasonable
amount of airtime based on editorial merit.
Music Policy
www.ashfordlocalradio.com
“If you go from Canterbury to Medway and then from
Medway to Tunbridge Wells, you will hear the same playlist,
the same jingles, and very often the same presenter on all
of those stations, whereas this one [ALR] was very individual
and very fresh listening to it.”
Musically, ALR plays proven and readily identifiable tracks
building its core of popular hit music from the past 35
years. This policy arises from research indicating this is
the favourite music of our average listener (45-year-old).
This policy is non-exclusive, as ALR will play music of any
genre providing it is suitable in style to our listeners
demands. ALR endeavours to regularly take feedback
from listeners on what we play, after all music never stays
still. But ALR envisages no more than 25% of daytime
music will be from the current chart – the exact opposite
of what is presently on offer – again widening choice.
ALR hopes to programme demographic sequences like
an ‘Eighties show’ and some genre based output. But, this
is not an ‘Old Gold’ format as the range and quantity of
music will be wider and greater than the AM service. An
active core of over a thousand carefully selected tracks
will again enhance the choice offered to ALR’s listeners.
This will provide the much-needed variety to fill the
demand for a wider range of music than is presently on
offer in Ashford.
“There were about 10 or 12 songs that brought back memories…..It was the music that caught my eye.”
ALR also encourages the development and exposure of local musicians by dedicating a regular ‘ALR Music Room’
programme and, if suitable, a place on the play list.
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