The purchase of two East Kent radio stations by Kent Messenger GroupNewspapers has been cleared by the Radio Authority.

Kent Messenger Group’s acquisition of CTFM, Canterbury, and Neptune Radio, serving Folkestone and Dover, in September, triggered a public interest test under media ownership government guidelines.

Radio Authority approval has been granted and this paves the way for the KMG to press on with plans to develop the stations along with Thanet Local Radio, which it already owns.

KMG managing director David Lewis said: “The potential for a new East Kent radio service covering each of the contiguous areas is exciting.

“Our format will be built on the same model as our local newspapers – verylocal, very relevant and a cracking good news service. The music will begood too.”

The combined potential listenership of the three stations is 383,200,providing KMG with a substantial extra audience at a time when the group’s weekly newspapers are enjoying record circulations.

The newspapers’ own news-gathering network is to service the radiostations and new studios and editorial staff are to be moved into the group’s Canterbury office.

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