Radio Teesdale grabs a slice of £250,000 Ofcom cash (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Radio Teesdale grabs a slice of £250,000 Ofcom cash

2:52pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By Stuart Laundy, Reporter (Barnard Castle & Teesdale)

A COMMUNITY radio station has received a slice of £250,000 from Ofcom.

Radio Teesdale has received just under £14,000 from the second round of grants this year from the Community Radio Fund.

The money will be used to help cover the costs of the station manager's post.

In all, grants were made to 16 community radio stations around the country, while applications from a further 29 were turned down.

An Ofcom spokesman said: “In the current financial climate, the panel felt strongly that grants from the fund should help further a station's financial stability and future sustainability.

“Therefore, proposals for posts to promote long-term financial security and which could become self-sustaining were favoured.”

It costs about £60,000 a year to keep Radio Teesdale on the air.

However, due to the conditions of its broadcasting licence, the station can only raise a maximum of 50 per cent through advertising and sponsorship.

The remainder must be found from other sources, such as grants.