A local radio station which is heard in Burnham-On-Sea has had its licence cut by a year for illegally boosting its transmitter levels, the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom ruled on Friday.
Total Star FM boosted its transmitter levels 10 times higher than it was allowed for a period of two months, which meant the station was heard outside its broadcast area of West Somerset and Bridgwater – and into Burnham-On-Sea, Weston and Taunton.
The regulator highlighted “the overall failure of the licensee to maintain control of its service” and said the increased transmitter levels could have posed a public safety risk.
Because of this and the station’s “unsatisfactory record of compliance” the licence will be re-advertised.
Ofcom’s ruling means the station’s licence will expire on 3rd July 2012. The full re-advertisement will be made on 2nd August with a deadline of 1st December 2011.
