Decision to block BBC Radio 2 spin-off confirmed by Ofcom

The decision to block a new Radio 2 spin-off station due to concerns over the impact on competition has been confirmed by Ofcom, the media regulator, in a statement published today (2 July).

This confirmation follows a provisional determination earlier this year, where Ofcom identified a negative impact on direct competitors like Boom Radio and found that the proposed new Radio 2 station, playing music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, did not appear sufficiently distinctive.

Radiocentre has welcomed this final decision on the Radio 2 service as the only sensible conclusion following an assessment of the evidence. However, three other spin-off services (Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 3 Unwind) have been formally approved by Ofcom and can now launch on DAB+ across the UK. This is despite their lack of distinctiveness and the absence public service content such as news, which Ofcom acknowledges is a missed opportunity.

Matt Payton, Radiocentre CEO said:

It is good to get final confirmation that the Radio 2 spin-off service has been blocked by Ofcom. The BBC’s plans to launch this new service should always have been a non-starter, due to the similarity to existing commercial stations and the negative impact on competition.

The fact that the other spin-offs will now go ahead is disappointing, especially given their lack of distinctiveness or news output. We expect Ofcom to monitor these new BBC services closely and hope it will reconsider the case for insisting on enhanced public value on these stations in future.