Cornwall's 105 to 107 Itchy FM - Ofcom Licensing

Our Format commitment will be “To be the station that is passionately focussed on serving Cornwall’s
15-34”; this phrase encompasses not just the station’s musical output but the overall attitude and
personality of the station: to serve Cornwall, you have to love Cornwall.
Understanding that young musical tastes change, Itchy FM should have the flexibility to deliver against
these ever changing tastes and interest of young listeners in Cornwall. Itchy FMs format will evolve so
as to move with musical taste changes to retain its relationship with young people in Cornwall.
Specialist programming
Although access to a different daytime music service is needed by the county’s under 35s – it is
essential to examine the specialist music genres alive in the county and express them on-air.
Specialist music tracks and genres that are ‘less than mainstream’ (Hip-Hop, Skate Punk, Indie etc) will
be played, but provided within features or specific programme segments, in proportion to our NOP
research findings and ongoing audience research.
The station will build on the special relationship that the youth market holds with new, live and breaking
music. Itchy FM will deliver this credibly, and with reference to the local Cornwall community.
Itchy FM’s specialist output will offer new music of any credible genre, likely to appeal to our Under 35
audience. Alongside this, the station will carefully mix dance music, and its various sub-genres (house,
funky house, some trance), with guitar based indie music, and specialist strands including more leftfield
output (rap, R&B, rock, skate punk), as per audience indications in our research and county wide focus
groups.
Specialist music programmes will be fully produced giving not only access to the music, but also the
personalities and stories behind the tracks played. Specifically, established local promoters will be
invited to present specialist shows, such as Jelly Jazz’s show featuring classic funky tracks with high
profile musical special guests. They may give a potted history of their work, play some of their tunes
throughout the show and express their feelings about the county’s burgeoning music scene.
We have also had very productive discussions with the County’s most popular night club venues
regarding producing a sponsored radio show of appeal to our audience, and as a promotional channel
for the venues.
As outlined in our marketing section, the editor of “Stranger” magazine, Helen Gilchrist, has proposed
and will co-present a weekend specialist magazine show (“Stranger Sounds”), as a young version of
the popular Desert Island Disc feature, enabling local promoters, artists, spokespeople and especially
visitors to the county to discuss their personal musical preferences, from the more specialist output,
often alluding to the background of today’s popular tracks. In addition the Stranger Sounds Show will
include edited highlights of backstage interviews and other uniquely local programme features.
The station’s content and style of delivery of speech will differ from that provided by Pirate FM,
particularly for news and information. Not only because Itchy FM’s information output will be fervently
Cornwall as expressed in our on-air brand of “Cornwall’s 105-107 Itchy FM” – rather than “The South
West’s Pirate FM”.
Speech policy
The energy, eclecticism and dynamism of the Cornwall youth lifestyle will be reflected in the Itchy FM
editorial policy, which will provide a true community service, central to the youth lifestyle. The Itchy
Cornwall ethos is to popularise issues of interest and concern to this community, which is continuously
seeking orientation and advice. Steering away from traditional dumbed-down youth media, Itchy FM’s
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