Public File

Support Erewash Sound

Each local community radio station in the UK has requirements to deliver social gain and benefit the local community it serves.  These requirements are set out by the goverment regulator Ofcom by whom we are and will be regulated.

This public file is intended to give you an indication of our music policy, local content, and services offered.

erewashsound.com is a website operated by Erewash Sound Community Interest Company.  Erewash Sound is registered in England with Companies House and the CIC Regulator under Company No: 6658171. Our address is c/o The Media Centre, Vernon Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. DE7 8PD.

The station is now even more accountable and very much an asset of the community.  For more details on Community Interest Companies and how they are connected to the community being served - visit www.cicregulator.gov.uk.

We aim to operate within the terms and conditions of our radio licence at all times and welcome comments about output as well as the content of this website.

Contact Details

As your community radio station, listener interaction is very important to us and we'd love to hear from you.  If you'd like to contact us, you can do so by going to our Contact Us page.

Annual Report

Erewash Sound is licenced as a community radio station under the licence number CR171.  After an initial five year licence was granted from Saturday 6th March 2010, the broadcast regulator, OFCOM granted subsequent five year extensions meaning that the radio station will remain on-air until March 2025.

Previously, each year, we were required to submit an annual report to the broadcast regulator OFCOM, outlining how the radio station met its licence obligations and key commitments in the past year of operation.

The regulator has not requested a written report since 2014 hence no documents are featured here, however, OFCOM have permitted this on the understanding that the radio station remains within its Key Commitments.  These can be viewed on the OFCOM website.

Annual General Meetings / Attending the Media Centre
Erewash Sound CIC held its 2022 AGM on Monday 14th November.  A copy of documents from the meeting is available on request.. 

The 2023 Annual General Meeting of Erewash Sound CIC will be held on Monday 20th November 2023 from 7:30pm and is open to the public. It is expected to last 15-20 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes.  There will be an opportunity to ask questions within the structure of the AGM..  To book a FREE place (places are limited), please send an e-mail to info @ erewashsound.com or call 0115 888 0968 and provide relevant details.  We reserve the right to refuse entry, particularly if there is no space available.  This is in the interests of the health and safety of everyone.

As a members-only meeting will be held after the AGM has concluded, members of the public will be politely asked to leave at that point.

For those attending the Media Centre for any reason, please note that limited floodlit and CCTV monitored car parking is available with a small number of 'blue badge' spaces on site and outside the perimeter gates off Vernon Street for those with limited mobility.  The Media Centre is DDA compliant and is sited on ground floor level, however the car parking area is on a gradual downward slope from Vernon Street to Bennerley Avenue.  Erewash Sound CIC is NOT responsible for any or loss or damage caused whilst members of the public and other organisations and their property are on site.

Format (Output)

Music: To cater for the whole family, Erewash Sound proudly airs a popular mix comprising of the best of latest new music blended with the best tracks from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 20s.

Erewash Sound differs from most other radio stations due to our willingness to embrace the needs of its listeners, irrespective of the era or genre of music.

Content: Our full time licence remit includes elements to provide an information service to and for the community.  To this extent, all mainstream shows are required to include items of local content which refer to community issues, initiatives, what's on, news, travel and general conversation about issues which affect the people of the borough - our presenters included.  The presentation of this material also gives valuable and often welcome opportunities for local organisations to receive much deserved publicity, which is not available to the same unrestricted extent anywhere.

News Output

Erewash Sound broadcasts hourly international / national news bulletins from SKY Radio News.  However,  Erewash Sound takes pride in ensuring local stories receive equal if not greater prominence.  As a result, SKY Radio News bulletins may be followed by a short bulletin of local stories produced and read by Erewash Sound News readers.

Sport

Erewash Sound is dedicated to providing comprehensive coverage of local sport from grass roots to senior level.  We provide regular coverage of Ilkeston Town FC, Long Eaton United, Borrowash Victoria and Sandiacre Town - our four main footballing sides - and we also provide information, scores and reports on Ilkeston and Long Eaton rugby plus cricket matches featuring local sides - these types of coverage are not available from any other radio station.

Our website also has a series of dedicated sports page containing a breadth and depth of sports news and results from across the borough.

News bulletins may include fixtures and headline stories from across the borough, whilst there is a full summary of Saturday results on Sunday morning at around 11:10am.

Our Facebook page dedicated to 'as it happens' local and regional sport keeps followers up to date during both midweek and weekend games.  Addtionally, you can also follow the Sports Team @erewashsport on Twitter.

General Programming

An outline of all Erewash Sound programming can be found by clicking on the schedule from the home page of this website with more details about the build of the service on the 'About Us' link from the main website menu.

The 'Shows' link can be viewed from the main menu on this website.  Erewash Sound also offers specialist programming during our schedule.

It is the aim of Erewash Sound to enhance listener choice by providing a wide range of informative, entertaining and innovative programmes to the Erewash area.  This style of programming is unique to Erewash Sound. This standard is achieved by producing professional programmes, using highly-trained individuals with a passion for providing an alternative for the Erewash area.  We believe that both our listeners and advertisers alike want the highest quality product possible, and will be treated as such.

We genuinely believe that the above policy gives the group credibility among the community, ensuring that Erewash Sound will improve the performance of local radio in the borough of Erewash.  It is the responsibility of all the team to ensure that this policy is adhered to robustly.

Automation / Locally Orientated Programming

All output is locally orientated towards the borough.

All Erewash Sound output is broadcast from studios at the Media Centre on the former site of the Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy (formerly known as Bennerley Business & Enterprise College) in Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, and from no other location to any extent.  All output is produced and presented by a team of experienced volunteers.  On occasions, some of our programming may be voicetracked, although every effort is made to keep such output to a minimum.

Programming from 1:00am to 7:00am Monday to Saturday and 1:00am to 8:00am on Sunday is automated.

Roadshow

As part of our commitment to serve the community, and in exchange for a reasonable sum, the station appears at local events with its trade stand and/or by hosting the event for organisers, by acting as compere or with our roadshow vehicle 'Melody'.  We also provide event compere and DJ services for a discerning customer base.  Please contact us if you would like to find out more about hiring our PA, compere or DJ services and have the kudos of having a local radio station and presenters hosting YOUR event!

We also welcome invitations to attend local community events with our promotional display, subject to availability.

Our Website

Website content: The Erewash Sound website offers a valuable opportunity for local non-profit community organisations to get the kind of promotion they so richly deserve, but so rarely achieve elsewhere.  Our news pages contain a digest of information from across the borough.  Content is welcome via e-mail to info(at)erewashsound.com.  Correspondence of any kind is processed as quickly as possible.   Community groups, charities and non-profit making organisations can take advantage of free publicity on-air and on-line, however, content is subject to our editorial control.

Whilst we welcome all and any press releases, we reserve the right to dismiss or edit commercially driven items where there is no commercial arrangement with the radio station.  Please contact sales(at)erewashsound.com to enquire about paid-for promotional opportunties or click here.

Other pages on our website contain information about the radio station, its current structure and activities, the on-line service and a quick and easy way to both interact and listen. 

Whilst we work to remove dated content when it no longer applies, all content is posted on line (and relayed on-air) in the spirit of goodwill to provide a community service, and reliant on the prompt and efficient provision of information to the contrary.  We therefore cannot be held responsible for any inconvenience caused, and would therefore strongly recommend users check before making any associated plans.

Safe and secure: Whilst we take every opportunity to ensure the site is safe and secure for all users, and make regular checks on functionality and status, we recommend that you ensure that you have a valid, up-to-date internet security program running on your PC, MAC, laptop, phone or tablet at all times.

If you experience any issue with the website that causes some operational issue to your machine, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can take the necessary action with our site set up.  Please note that we cannot be held responsible for the effects of any internet security issues on users machines.

For competition entries, data is only stored for as long as is necessary, i.e. for the duration of the competition and until a draw has been completed from valid entries and the winner verified. Your personal data is NOT nor will be shared with any other persons and is viewed by a very small number of senior management team members at the radio station for a short period only, i.e. for the purposes of administering the competition only.  Once no longer needed, data is be deleted from our website and e-mail system used to gather entries.  This allows new entries for future competitions.

How to Complain

If you have heard something on air which is not to your liking, please tell us so we can take the appropriate action. Your comments or complaints will be investigated and a prompt reply will be issued. Please direct any issues to station director - Ian Perry via e-mail to:ian.perry(at)erewashsound.com.  (Please change the (at) for @ before sending your e-mail)   You can also write to him care of The Media Centre, 37 Vernon Street, Ilkeston. DE7 8PD.

In the unlikely event that you do not receive a satisfactory response, you should then contact the broadcast regulator - Ofcom - www.ofcom.org.uk.

Board of Directors

The operation of Erewash Sound is overseen by an experienced board of non-executive Directors, with a breadth and depth of broadcasting, community and business experience.

Listener Panel / Accountability

As part of its licence application, Erewash Sound has a Listener Panel. The panel is made up of members of the community who, from their own homes, offer independent views on all aspects of output, to ensure that the station meets the needs of the community on an ongoing basis.  If you are interested in sitting on this panel, please contact us.

FM Transmissions

FM transmissions can be heard on 103.5 and 96.8FM from studios as detailed above, using transmission levels set by the broadcast regulator - OFCOM.

The full radio service launched on 96.8FM at 9:00am on Saturday 6th March 2010 with a licence running for 5 years.  After successful applications to OFCOM in late 2014, and in 2019, the regulator subsequently granted respective five year extensions meaning that, currently, Erewash Sound will remain on-air until 2025.  The successful applications came after ongoing adherence to key commitments contained within licence documentation - these documents are available for public viewing on the OFCOM website.

In the Summer of 2018, Erewash Sound took advantage of an opportunity to apply for a second frequency with the aim to offer increased signal strengths to the south and south west of the borough.  If you have any particular difficulties in listening to Erewash Sound on FM, we're delighted to announce that, in September 2019, the regulator approved our application.   Subsequently, after a year of planning and securing finance, test transmissions began on 1st October 2020 on 103.5FM with regular output beginning at 7am on Monday 12th October 2020 - Local Radio Day.

Please send your reception reports via e-mail to info(at)erewashsound.com.  FM transmissions are also simulcast via the 'Listen Live' link on the top right of all pages on this website, and can also be heard via wifi-radios and other selected items of IT such as some TV boxes and AI devices such as Google Home and Alexa.  Output is not currently available via DAB receivers, however, we do also have a free-to-download app for tablets and mobiles available from your preferred download store - streaming charges may apply from your network operator.