BOLTON Radio has gone off air again after its third successful broadcasting run.

But efforts to make the radio station a permanent feature of Bolton life are continuing.

During the past two years, Radio Bolton FM has had three 28-day trial runs as part of its bid to secure the one permanent licence that the Radio Authority will grant next year.

There are at least four stations bidding for the local airwaves - but Bolton Radio believes it will be regarded as the front-runner.

Station chairman Simon Young remains confident. "We are working on the assumption that we are going to win the bid. You can't just sit back and wait for the Radio Authority's decision.

"It's very busy here despite the fact we are off air. We are now hard at work preparing for the bid and training members in radio techniques."

The Radio Authority is due to meet up in three weeks time to discuss advertising the licences. Simon believes the advertisements will be published in Spring next year and has asked the Radio Authority for permission to broadcast for 28 days next March.

"They've not given any commitment but have told me to submit the bid. If we can't broadcast in March it means the licence has been advertised."

A decision on who has won the bid should be announced towards the end of 1997. If Radio Bolton wins it will take at least another six months of preparation before the radio station is on air.

Radio Bolton would broadcast to Bolton and the surrounding areas of Farnworth, Blackrod, Horwich, Westhoughton, Radcliffe, part of Bury and north Swinton - a potential audience of 300,000 people.

An application has been made for National Lottery money to fund the licence bid.

"The bid will need an awful lot of work. We need to do research on the audience, sponsorship and advertising," said Simon.

The planned output from the station, which is based in the former Royal Mail headquarters in Tennyson Street, Halliwell, will be similar to the format broadcast this autumn.

"We want a 50/50 mix of music and speech. It will be easy listening during the day with two or three minute interviews, articles of interest and recipes. Basically a mix of music and soundbites throughout the day.

"The early part of the evening will be given over to speech based programmes focusing on local business, travel, community news. After 9.30pm will focus on specialist music programmes such as jazz, folk and rock."

If you would like to become a member of Radio Bolton it costs £10 a year or £2.50 a year if you are unwaged. Organisations and companies can also join for a corporate fee. Contact Radio Bolton at PO Box 1062, BL1 8HZ or ring on 01204 363304.

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