Cross Rhythms City Radio's licence is extended

THE ACCESS radio licence for Cross Rhythms City Radio, the groundbreaking FM station broadcasting contemporary Christian music across Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme, has been extended. The licence, originally for a one-year period, was due to run out on 28th February. However, due to the existing Broadcasting Authority being absorbed into a newly formed, Government-run Office of Communications (OFCOM) organisation, the decision was taken to offer extensions for all the existing Access radio community licences subject to an investigation that certain conditions have been met. The Radio Authority's Access Radio sub-committee met on 9th January to consider the first batch of requests for licence extensions from Access Radio groups and approved Cross Rhythms City Radio's request. They are now asking the Radiocommunications Agency to extend the clearance of 101.8 MHz @ 62 Watts erp up to 31 December 2003.

Said Cross Rhythms general manager Jonathan Bellamy, "This decision is hugely encouraging, both for the hard working Cross Rhythms team and for all those Christians who have continued to pray for us."

In a separate development, the trustees of the Cross Rhythms ministry have decided to continue, for the time being, their popular broadcasts via the Astra Satellite. Commented Bellamy, "Although we still haven't raised all the funding to pay for this service, there has been a clear demonstration from a growing band of supporters that our satellite broadcasts are a significant part of our ministry. So we have decided, despite the very real expense involved, to continue for the time being offering quality Christian radio via satellite."