Incremental Radio (IBA)

Incremental Radio was a new type of radio licence given out by the IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authority) in the United Kingdom between 1989 and 1990. In essence, these were additional radio services introduced into areas already served by an ILR (Independent Local Radio) station.

The new stations had to offer output not already available on ILR, such as specialist music or unique programmes for a specific section of the community, which meant radio stations covering a niche interest (e.g. Jazz music) could legally get on AM/FM. Pirates could apply as long as they closed by the end of the year. Long established pirate stations, such as Kiss FM, had closed down by 1 January 1989 in the hope of winning a licence.

An initial announcement of the scheme was made in September 1988, and was followed the next month by an invitation for interested parties to contact the IBA. Just before Christmas 1988, the IBA published details of the geographical locations of the licences. On 10 January 1989, the IBA advertised the first five of the twenty licences it planned to offer in Manchester, Hounslow (West London) who wanted to serve local ethnic groups, and from bidders in Bristol, Rutland and Stirling who could propose any format. The closing batch for this first batch of applications was 13 March 1989, the winners to be announced in April.

The IBA had advertised a second batch of five licences on 6 February 1989, consisting of ethnic services in Coventry and Haringey, and any format for the Isle of Wight, Sunderland and Tendring. Applications for these had to be submitted by 10 April 1989, with the winners announced in May.

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