Emap awarded Liverpool's first all-speech station

Emap media group's first all-speech service, CityTalk, has won the FM local radio licence for the Liverpool area.

Emap's application beat off competition from nine other proposals including those from UTV, Chrysalis and GCap.

Launching in mid-2007 on the proposed 105.9 frequency, the station will offer 24-hours of news, sport, features and documentaries, phone-ins and studio discussions for the next 12 years.

CityTalk's licence covers an adult population of around 1.5 million, and is estimated to be worth £20 million in terms of revenue and commercial opportunities.

Emap runs two existing analogue stations in Liverpool: Radio City, Liverpool’s number one commercial radio service, and Magic 1548.

Terry Smith, chairman of Radio City, who founded the station in 1974, said: "The new station will be 100 per cent speech and nothing like any existing service in the UK. It will tackle real issues and real emotions through the eyes of real people."

“We knew we were being radical in our application and applaud Ofcom for recognising our vision. We are now ready to create some more great radio for the area."

CityTalk will be housed alongside Radio City and Magic in Liverpool's iconic Radio City Tower, which dominates the city's skyline.

Programme ideas already being mooted for CityTalk are Home from the House, featuring local MP answering listeners' questions, Rag Mag, a programme produced by students at Liverpool's John Moores University and Our Kid, looking at parenting issues. The station will also have a two-hour nightly sports show.

This is the second FM licence win for Emap following its successful bid for the West Midlands FM licence, won with Kerrang! Radio, in 2003.