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UK Asian commercial radio stations urge government for support

British Asian radio stations have urged the government for help during the coronavirus crisis, which are operating without financial support or significant cost reduction.

RadioCentre, which is the industry body for commercial radio, has come together with Asian radio members after expressing a number of concerns. Drops in advertising revenue across the industry have been substantial and higher than initial estimates, with small local stations seeing even greater declines due to a reliance on local SMEs that have ceased trading and cancelled advertising at short notice.

Some of the other areas that the stations have urged the government to look at are transmission costs and a request to increase paid coronavirus messages specifically targeting the South Asian communities.

Furthermore, in more alarming news, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Commercial Radio believes a number of commercial radio stations are at immediate risk that could go off air in the next two months. Maintaining media plurality and choice for listeners is essential to keeping the UK at the forefront of broadcasting around the world, which is why the group is asking the Government for more targeted support.

Stations that have contacted the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport include Sunrise Radio (London), Lyca Radio, Sabras Radio, Sunrise Radio Yorkshire, Panjab Radio, Radio XL and Asian Sound Radio.