Palm FM - Q & A's - Ofcom Licensing

Torbay regional independent local radio licence applications
Questions and responses: Palm FM
These are the responses received from Palm FM to the non-confidential questions
asked by Ofcom regarding the group’s application for the Torbay licence.
1. Please clarify the executive role which Jo Corben Richards would hold at Palm FM
(p.105A 3). Could you also enlarge upon her previous experience in the radio
industry? In particular, it would be helpful if you could confirm when she last worked
within local commercial radio?
Jo Corben Richards (CJ) will be Programme Controller for Palm FM. Within this role she will
also present a daily show. Her local knowledge of the Torbay area is a great asset and will
provide complimentary skills to the station’s manager.
CJ has had a long and distinguished career in both BBC and Commercial Radio. Her long
experience in working with presenters and developing their broadcasting skills will ensure a
professional and consistent sound for the station from its launch. She last worked in
Commercial Radio in the UK in 2000 at Radio Victory, but has remained active in the radio
business both here and abroad since then. She has been central to the development of Palm
Radio Ltd and the operation of its three RSL’s.
Having originally trained as an electronics engineer, CJ moved into the entertainment industry
and developed one of the largest entertainment businesses in Northern Ireland where she ran
cabaret clubs and discos. Later she set up and managed the Mood Indigo Entertainment
Agency. Developing her career, she then spent two years as a presenter at the fledgling
Radio Victory in Portsmouth before returning to Northern Ireland as a producer / presenter for
BBC Radio Ulster and as a Newscaster for BBC TV Northern Ireland. She went on to copresent
BBC Radio Two's 'Two Way Family Favourites' and was an occasional presenter on
other BBC radio shows.
After a spell at 2CR as Deputy Programme Controller she joined DevonAir Radio in Exeter
and Torbay as the breakfast show’s senior presenter where she remained for over a decade.
By 1994 she had launched the new Radio Victory's first Restricted Licence (RSL) as Victory
FM. In total, three 28 day RSL's were broadcast as Victory FM before CJ formed Radio
Victory Limited and became its Managing Director. The company became the largest cable
radio service in the country. Three further RSL's were run alongside the cable service
including the first ever dedicated radio service for the International Disabled Olympics.
Alongside these endeavours in Portsmouth, CJ teamed up with Roger Richards and others to
lobby for a local licence for Torquay. Palm FM operated its first Torquay RSL in 1998.
CJ was part of the group that won the ‘sally’ licence covering Portsmouth (now Quay 107) but,
as a minority shareholder (12.7%), was unable to prevent its sale to the then highly
acquisitive TLRC shortly after its launch – she left the station early in 2000. Following her
return home to Torquay, she co-ordinated Palm FM’s last RSL in May 2000. Since then she
has continued lobbying for a Torbay licence while sharing the remainder of her time between
consultancy projects and short term contracts at stations in Spain and Cyprus.
2. It is not clear from the financial projections spreadsheet, how many programming
staff Palm FM intends to employ. Could you please clarify whether it would be 4, 6 or
8?
Palm FM will employ 6 full-time programming staff. Two full-time staff presenters will operate
a 6 shift week and there will be 4 full-time staff in the newsroom. In addition we have made
budget provision in our financial forecasts for freelance staff to cover (an average of) 53 hours

per week of live broadcasting and voice tracked shows which includes cover for sickness and
leave.
The role of Jo Corben Richards is set out above (Q4). The second staff presenter will, in
addition to their presentation role, also have responsibilities for promoting the station through
presence at events throughout the area. Some of this will include providing live feeds into the
station’s output from events. This is a working method that we use at other LMC stations and
provides cost effective visibility for the stations which supplements the marketing spend and
delivers real PR benefits.
The budget cover for freelance staff is sufficient to cover all other live and voice-tracked
programming that is provided in the application. The hourly rate assumed is an average rate.
The use of freelance staff is necessary to ensure the level of flexibility necessary to run a
station of this size. It also ensures that the sound of the station fits with that envisaged with
the application.
It is not part of our application planning, but our longer term target would be to reduce the
amount of freelance cover by adding an additional full-time presenter. This would be on the
same basis as the presenter position already planned (ie with additional PR and marketing
responsibilities).
3. Please provide a clear definition, in hours or days, whichever is most appropriate, of
the Format commitment to “relatively low [track] repetition”.
Our current play-list songs will be rotated regularly around 3 times a day. Our selection of
recurrent songs from the past 18 months will rotate approximately once every 2 to 3 days.
Our extensive library of older songs from the last 45 years will rotate much more slowly. The
fastest rotating (Level 1) songs from the library will be scheduled to repeat in no more than
three days; they will be carefully rotated through different day-parts and, as a result, it will be
well over a week before a song would be repeated in any particular part of the day. Our other
library songs will play even less often, with repetition measured in weeks and months, not
days. Indeed, we expect “wow factor” selections, drawing on the deepest part of our library,
may only get aired two or three times a year.
4. Please clarify how the term 'current' would be defined in the context of the music
policy described in the Format.
In the context of our Format, ‘Current’ is construed as a shorthand reference to the Music
Variety paragraph in our Application (p105B 5). This includes current playlist which would be
songs from the last 3 months, recurrent songs picked from the most popular examples from
the past 3 to 18 months and other songs from the Noughties. Current and recurrent will form
the backbone of this category. As a whole, this definition will account for no more than a
maximum of 25% of output and will, on average, account for approximately 20%. Palm FM
would be happy to clarify this definition in the Format, if required.
5. In addition to the Format quota of up to 6 hours a day of non-live or locally produced
programming Palm FM has indicated that it would wish to have the leeway to
broadcast “occasional externally-sourced programmes”. Could you indicate how
frequently and for what duration Palm FM would intend to make use of this provision?
Palm FM’s use of externally sourced programming will be infrequent and driven by
exceptional circumstances. Our expectation is that the Palm FM format would allow us to
take advantage of opportunities to utilise any highly polished and professional programmes
that may be of specific interest to our Torquay listeners such as live concerts etc.

We do not envisage that such occasions would number more than a dozen a year or would
be greater in duration than 4 hours and generally only two and any such programmes would
most likely be scheduled in non-peaktime.
6. Please provide a breakdown of the responses to the “propensity to listen” question
(p.105D 5) for all 30 to 54 year olds and separately for all 30 to 54 year old males.
Our research was conducted in RAJAR demographic style of 10 year age breaks, so it is not
possible for us to break this down further. However, we are able to respond to your request
with the nearest available demographics as below:
PALM FM - PROPENSITY TO LISTEN
All No Reply 25-54 (All) 25-54 (Male) 35-54 (All) 35-54 (Male)
Sample 606 341 265 121 183 85
100.0% 56.3% 43.7% 20.0% 30.2% 14.0%
Definitely 57 27 30 14 19 8
9.4% 47.4% 52.6% 24.6% 33.3% 14.0%
7.9% 11.3% 11.6% 10.4% 9.4%
Very Likely 170 93 77 26 57 19
28.1% 54.7% 45.3% 15.3% 33.5% 11.2%
27.3% 29.1% 21.5% 31.1% 22.4%
Fairly Likely 279 160 119 56 81 40
46.0% 57.3% 42.7% 20.1% 29.0% 14.3%
46.9% 44.9% 46.3% 44.3% 47.1%
Fairly Unlikely 36 23 13 9 8 6
5.9% 63.9% 36.1% 25.0% 22.2% 16.7%
6.7% 4.9% 7.4% 4.4% 7.1%
Very Unlikely 19 13 6 4 3 3
3.1% 68.4% 31.6% 21.1% 15.8% 15.8%
3.8% 2.3% 3.3% 1.6% 3.5%
Definitely Not 33 15 18 11 13 8
5.4% 45.5% 54.5% 33.3% 39.4% 24.2%
4.4% 6.8% 9.1% 7.1% 9.4%
Don't Know 12 10 2 1 2 1
2.0% 83.3% 16.7% 8.3% 16.7% 8.3%
2.9% 0.8% 0.8% 1.1% 1.2%
This data together with the more comprehensive table provided in our Application (p.105D 5)
led us to the stated conclusions:
• 83% of respondents stated they will ‘definitely’ or are ‘very likely’ or ‘fairly likely’ to try
a new station for Torbay.

• There is a very large propensity to listen to a new station for Torbay when Definitely,
Very Likely and Fairly Likely are combined.
• This propensity to try a new station is relatively consistent across all ages and both
males and females, with younger listeners slightly more enthusiastic than older
listeners to trial the station.
The slight skew in female propensity to listen is not as marked as the current skew in listening
habits attracted by the two most popular stations BBC Radio Devon (across the board) and
Gemini FM (amongst 15-34s and 55+s). We also noted (p.105B 9) the marked male skew of
listening to BBC Radio’s 1, 2 & 5 within Palm FM’s key intended demographic which is further
highlighted in our RAJAR Analysis (submitted as an Appendix) and tabled in our Application
(p.105C 17).
7. Please define the term “mid-aged” in relation to the music preferences of the
potential audience (p.105B 4) and provide a breakdown of the responses for all
respondents, including the ‘mid-aged’ group.
The term “mid-aged” was based on the RAJAR 35-54 demographic and our detailed workings
are provided below:
MUSIC BLOCK A (60s) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 28.7% 5.2% 12.8% 16.0% 30.4% 44.2% 50.8% 23.7%
APPEALS SECOND 8.4% 5.2% 9.0% 7.4% 10.9% 11.7% 7.1% 9.2%
COMBO 37.1% 10.4% 21.8% 23.5% 41.3% 55.8% 57.9% 32.9%
MUSIC BLOCK B (70s) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 11.8% 2.6% 7.7% 9.9% 21.7% 14.3% 13.5% 16.2%
APPEALS SECOND 17.1% 1.3% 6.4% 9.9% 15.2% 35.1% 29.4% 12.7%
COMBO 28.9% 3.9% 14.1% 19.8% 37.0% 49.4% 42.9% 28.9%
MUSIC BLOCK C (80s) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 11.1% 9.1% 14.1% 18.5% 14.1% 13.0% 3.2% 16.2%
APPEALS SECOND 13.1% 5.2% 14.1% 8.6% 18.5% 19.5% 11.9% 13.9%
COMBO 24.2% 14.3% 28.2% 27.2% 32.6% 32.5% 15.1% 30.1%
MUSIC BLOCK D (90s) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 6.2% 10.4% 9.0% 8.6% 6.5% 2.6% 3.2% 7.5%
APPEALS SECOND 9.9% 5.2% 15.4% 17.3% 15.2% 1.3% 6.3% 16.2%
COMBO 16.1% 15.6% 24.4% 25.9% 21.7% 3.9% 9.5% 23.7%
MUSIC BLOCK E (00s) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 12.9% 29.9% 24.4% 14.8% 9.8% 3.9% 2.4% 12.1%

APPEALS SECOND 13.9% 28.6% 23.1% 24.7% 13.0% 3.9% 0.0% 18.5%
COMBO 26.8% 58.4% 47.4% 39.5% 22.8% 7.8% 2.4% 30.6%
MUSIC BLOCK F (Current) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 15.2% 28.6% 29.5% 24.7% 10.9% 7.8% 0.8% 17.3%
APPEALS SECOND 15.6% 31.2% 29.5% 17.3% 14.1% 7.8% 3.2% 15.6%
COMBO 30.8% 59.7% 59.0% 42.0% 25.0% 15.6% 4.0% 32.9%
MUSIC BLOCK 2A (Soul) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 19.1% 20.8% 17.9% 22.2% 22.8% 10.4% 20.6% 22.5%
APPEALS SECOND 13.5% 14.3% 14.1% 13.6% 18.5% 11.7% 11.1% 16.2%
COMBO 32.6% 35.1% 32.1% 35.8% 41.3% 22.1% 31.7% 38.7%
MUSIC BLOCK 2B (Classic
Rock) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 26.8% 29.9% 29.5% 32.1% 26.1% 31.2% 18.3% 28.9%
APPEALS SECOND 17.6% 22.1% 25.6% 11.1% 18.5% 13.0% 15.9% 15.0%
COMBO 44.5% 51.9% 55.1% 43.2% 44.6% 44.2% 34.1% 43.9%
MUSIC BLOCK 2C (Easy) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 16.1% 1.3% 10.3% 13.6% 7.6% 29.9% 29.4% 10.4%
APPEALS SECOND 17.4% 13.0% 12.8% 24.7% 23.9% 23.4% 10.3% 24.3%
COMBO 33.6% 14.3% 23.1% 38.3% 31.5% 53.2% 39.7% 34.7%
MUSIC BLOCK 2D (AC) 533 77 78 81 92 77 126 173
ALL 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 35-54
APPEALS MOST 21.2% 24.7% 37.2% 22.2% 33.7% 14.3% 4.8% 28.3%
APPEALS SECOND 24.0% 18.2% 33.3% 29.6% 21.7% 29.9% 16.7% 25.4%
COMBO 45.2% 42.9% 70.5% 51.9% 55.4% 44.2% 21.4% 53.8%
8. Please supply copies of the show cards used in testing the potential audience’s
music preferences (Q.13, Quantitative Research Study)
Showcard 5
Q13 Thinking of music for this new local radio station, which of these appeals to you most?
And, second most appealing?
BLOCK
A
ARTISTS TRACKS
Aretha Franklin RESPECT
Creedence Clearwater Revival Bad Moon Risin’
Beach Boys Do It Again
Monkees Daydream Believer
Dusty Springfield You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
Roy Orbison Only The Lonely
Supremes Where Did Our Love Go
Bee Gees I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You

BLOCK
B
BLOCK
C
BLOCK
D
BLOCK
E
BLOCK
F
Freda Payne Band Of Gold
Elton John Crocodile Rock
Barry White You’re The First, My Last, My Everything
Emotions Best Of My Love
Carly Simon You’re So Vain
ELO Strange Magic
Abba Dancing Queen
Rod Stewart First Cut Is The Deepest
Blondie Tide Is High
Billy Joel It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me
Queen Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Pointer Sisters Slow Hand
Starship We Built This City
Madonna Vogue
Fine Young Cannibals She Drives Me Crazy
Belinda Carlisle Circle In The Sand
Annie Lennox Why
Charles & Eddie Would I Lie To You
Ace of Base The Sing
Del Amitri Roll To Me
Whitney Houston I’m Every Woman
R Kelly I Believe I Can Fly
Shania Twain Man I Feel Like A Woman
Santana feat. Rob Thomas Smooth
Kylie Minogue Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
Shaggy It Wasn’t Me
Christina Aguilera Beautiful
Toploader Dancing In The Moonlight
Sophie Ellis Bextor Murder On The Dance Floor
Room 5 feat Oliver Cheatham Make Luv
Justin Timberlake Rock Your Body
Anastacia Left Outside Alone
Jenifer Lopez Get Right
Destiny’s Child Soldier
U2 Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
Atomic Kitten Cradle
Daniel Bedingfield Wrap My Words Around You
Bloc Party So Here We Are
Duran Duran What Happens Tomorrow
Brian McFadden & Delta Goodrem Almost Here