Cowes Live Radio – which broadcast live coverage of the Cowes Week Regatta – will be transmitting on Cowes Week but not on FM, after last gasp donations come just too late to obtain a license.
Last week, the station issued a plea for help after admitting they didn’t have enough funding, risking not being able to transmit a program for the 1st time in 30+ years unless they received some donations.
Over the weekend funds were secured from the likes of Cowes Week Ltd, Activate Switch, Red Funnel and Lallows – but not in time for them to obtain an FM license from regulator Ofcom.
The station, which has been running for 36 years, broadcasts to over 100,00 competitors and fans all from the Cowes Live rib on the shores of the Solent but has struggled to keep its head above water for the last few years, after the way it was funded changed.
Steve Ancsell, founder of the station, said:
“Frankly we’ve struggled ever since Cowes Week lost its proper title sponsor Skandia, the last commercial entity to fully support the Radio,
“Since those days we have had to negotiate commercial funding through sponsorship and advertising as an independent operation.”
Commentary and coverage will be broadcast as an online stream service through websites, on the Cowes Week app, smart speakers as well as the Cowes Week YouTube channel.
