Hello!
We’re Cowdenbeath’s new community radio station.
A new service run for the community, by the community with a great music mix, the best local presenters, engaging local shows and all towards our aim of championing our great wee toon.
Established in 2022, the station has been developing its technical capabilities, with broadcasts available online through streaming platforms. With changes in technology and broadcast licensing announced by the radio regulator, Ofcom, we hope one day to be broadcasting on DAB across the area.
Governance
We are established as a Community Interest Company, meaning a business run by the community. As a non-profit business, any surplus at the end of our financial year must be reinvested into the organisation. Our Companies House registration number is SC731535.
We have Directors who oversee the day-to-day management of the business and a Management Group of volunteers who drive the station forward, delivering many of our plans and projects.
Our financial year runs from 1st April to 31st March and our annual accounts are published below within 9 months of the end of our financial year.
Membership is open to anyone who is resident in Cowdenbeath – just email info@radiocowdenbeath.scot for details on joining our management team or as a volunteer.
Annual Accounts & CIC34 for the year ended 31st March 2025
Annual accounts & CIC34 for the year ended 31st March 2024
Annual accounts & CIC34 for the year ended 31st March 2023
Financial
We aim to raise funds through community fundraising initiatives and events, through grants and donations towards our work and through specific projects, such as training and supporting volunteers.
Our station will also carry advertising from local organisations keen to be heard in a new cost-effective way. If you’re interested in hearing your ad on Radio Cowdenbeath, just get in touch by emailing info@radiocowdenbeath.scot today!
We want to express our gratitude and thanks to these awesome organisations for their support in our journey so far:
Broadcasting
Ofcom regulate radio broadcasting in the UK and have a number of options for community radio stations to reach their audiences.
Traditional AM and FM transmission is probably best-known amongst older audiences, tuning-in via a radio at home, in the car or workplace to stations like Forth FM or Capital for example. This technology uses a transmitter to broadcast a signal across a wide area on a specific frequency and is usually best for national or regional radio stations, although signal strength can vary with many factors like weather and buildings.
In recent years, the introduction of digital technology has meant crystal clear digital radio is available through DAB. This method of broadcasting has evolved over the years and uses the same large-scale transmitters across a wide area, but with superior sound quality. This technology also allows more regional stations to transmit to a smaller area.
An important modern development has been Small-Scale DAB (or SSDAB) which many community radio stations can now use. This is designed for ultra-local radio, broadcasting in digital quality over a smaller transmission area. Ofcom have been awarding contracts to licence the spectrum of frequencies for SSDAB and Cowdenbeath sits within an overlapping area between 2 main licenced areas – Dunfermline & Dollar and Kirkcaldy & Glenrothes.
Ofcourse, digital technology also allows stations to broadcast solely over the internet, with no FM or DAB transmission. This limits the audience reach, but does provide a cost-effective solution to new stations hoping to gradually evolve and grow towards a SSDAB station.
Radio Cowdenbeath is starting as an online-only station, with options to stream us via your mobile phone wherever your are in the world!
Radio Cowdenbeath 