Riverside Radio

What Riverside Radio does

Riverside Radio, legally registered as Riverside Broadcasting C.I.C., is a community interest company operating a hyperlocal radio station serving four South West London boroughs (Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton and Lambeth). Founded in 2013 by radio presenter Jason Rosam and launched on-air on 12 January 2015, the station broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week via an Ofcom-licensed DAB slot on the London Trial SSDAB service (live since 1 August 2020) and via online streaming at play.riversideradio.com. Estimated weekly listenership stands at approximately 82,000, with an additional ~22,000 social-media followers across X, Facebook and Instagram. The station is underpinned by more than 200 volunteer presenters, newsreaders, producers and technical crew working from a two-studio Broadcast Centre in Battersea.

The product surface includes live news, music, sport and arts programming; the youth-focused Riversiders radio club (ages 11–16, with NCFE accreditation, delivered with Sound Vision CIO and St John Bosco College); the Riverside Reads monthly book club (partnered with Book Clubs in Schools and Battersea Power Station); The Wandsworth Way community radio drama (with Theatre503 and Wandsworth Council for London Borough of Culture 2025); and a live roadshow/outside-broadcast format (next iteration: Springfield Park, August 2026, with SWL St George's Mental Health NHS Trust). The broadcaster pursues DAB, online streaming, SoundCloud/Mixcloud archive, social and live-event channels concurrently.

Monetisation combines on-air advertising and bespoke show- or segment-sponsorship packages sold to local businesses through a dedicated Head of Revenue and Relationship Management, plus modest recurring contributions (reportedly £10/month via Direct Debit) from volunteer supporters and occasional grant funding. Two enterprise sponsors are publicly named — Uber Boat by Thames Clippers (Riverside Breakfast show) and Battersea Power Station (Riverside Breakfast co-presenter and book club partner). The C.I.C. legal structure constrains the station to a community-benefit mandate and precludes equity capital; no institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

Riverside Radio

Legal name

Riverside Broadcasting C.I.C.

Website

https://riversideradio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Riverside Radio is a community interest company operating a hyperlocal DAB and online radio station for South West London (Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth), funded by volunteer contributions, advertising and sponsorship, and supported by more than 200 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Radio Broadcasting (DAB/DAB+, HD Radio) (MPAIAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio) (MPABADAE), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Community radio station
• Local radio broadcasting
• Digital audio broadcasting
• Radio advertising
• Community media

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorship: On-air commercial advertising spots featured every hour, 7 days a week. Show sponsorship packages with company name and slogan mentions by presenters and heard 4 times per hour in jingles. Weather, Traffic and Travel news, Sport or Arts News segments available for sponsorship.
2. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers contribute £10 per month via Direct Debit to help keep the station running

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Riverside Radio is a community radio station broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to South West London via Ofcom-licensed DAB Digital Radio and online streaming, featuring local news, music, sports, arts, and culture programming. The station produces original hyperlocal content with 200+ volunteer presenters, newsreaders, producers and technical crew, supplemented by branded programming such as Riverside Reads book club, Riversiders youth radio training, and The Wandsworth Way radio drama. Revenue is generated through on-air advertising, show sponsorship, and recurring volunteer contributions of £10 per month.

Product overview

Riverside Radio is a community radio station serving South West London (Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton, and Lambeth boroughs) with a unified broadcast service delivered via DAB Digital Radio and online streaming at play.riversideradio.com. The core offering includes live radio programming 24/7 with news, music, sports, and arts content. Additional offerings include Riverside Reads book club, Riversiders youth training program, The Wandsworth Way radio drama, and live community roadshow events. Revenue is generated through on-air advertising and show sponsorship packages targeting local businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Wandsworth Way: Weekly radio drama serial set in Wandsworth celebrating the borough's diversity and culture as part of London Borough of Culture 2025
• Riversiders
• Riverside Reads

Products and services

• Riverside Radio Broadcast Service Community radio station broadcasting 24/7 to South West London (Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth) via DAB Digital Radio and online streaming, featuring live news, music, sports, arts and culture content for local residents.
• Online Live Streaming

Quantifiable outcome

• 82,000 weekly listeners
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sound Vision CIO (Charity 1172980)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational charity partnership offering training opportunities for local young people to develop radio skills and confidence, helping them progress into employment. Sound Vision helps ensure skills infrastructure for the Riversiders youth program.
• St John Bosco CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched Radio Club for young people aged 11-16 to build skills in broadcasting and media while gaining NCFE qualification. Many Riversiders students attend this school.
• Book Clubs in SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Riverside Reads - monthly book club celebrating local literature and children's storytelling. Local children's authors featured for National Year of Reading celebrations.
• South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Riverside Radio Roadshow event at Springfield Park, supporting mental health community engagement initiatives.
• TOAST StoresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Riverside Radio Roadshow at Springfield Park, hosting event outside their café location.
• Theatre503coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre partnership for 'The Wandsworth Way' radio drama project celebrating Wandsworth London Borough of Culture 2025. Community cast of non-professional volunteer actors.
• Wandsworth CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Wandsworth London Borough of Culture 2025 celebrations. 'The Wandsworth Way' radio serial drama project with local community at its heart.
• Uber Boat by Thames ClippersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Riverside Breakfast show, providing advertising and sponsorship revenue with brand exposure to local audience.
• Battersea Power StationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter partner for Riverside Breakfast show and Riverside Reads book club, providing brand association and community engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BBC Radio London: BBC's local radio service for Greater London, broadcasting on FM, DAB and online. Comparable as a London-licensed radio broadcaster competing for the same local advertising and audience attention, but with vastly greater scale, funding, and production resources.
• Global Radio (LBC London / Capital): Global Radio operates major London stations including LBC and Capital via FM and DAB. Comparable as a London DAB broadcaster competing for advertising spend, but at vastly greater scale with national sales infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Phonic FM: Community radio station broadcasting on DAB in Exeter, Devon, with a volunteer presenter base and local advertising revenue. Comparable as a UK community DAB broadcaster operating on a similar scale with local-event-driven engagement.
• Brixton Radio: London community/online radio station with hyperlocal programming. Comparable as a London community broadcaster with a volunteer presenter model and local audience focus, though predominantly online rather than DAB.
• Resonance FM: London community/art radio station broadcasting on DAB and online with a community-led, volunteer-presenter model. Comparable as a London DAB-licensed community station with arts, music and culturally-focused programming and grant/sponsorship revenue.
• Kane FM: Community radio station broadcasting on DAB across Surrey and parts of South West London. Directly comparable as a UK community DAB broadcaster with a hyperlocal listener base, volunteer content model and local advertising/sponsorship revenue mix.
• Reprezent Radio: London-based community radio station broadcasting on DAB and online, focused on youth training and local programming. Directly comparable to Riverside Radio as another licensed community DAB station in London serving a defined geographic audience with a volunteer-driven content model.
• Radio Caroline: UK community radio station broadcasting on DAB and online with a strong volunteer base. Directly comparable as a community-licensed DAB broadcaster reliant on listener contributions, sponsorship and volunteer presenters.
• London Greek Radio: London community radio station broadcasting on DAB serving a specific demographic/linguistic community. Comparable as a London DAB-licensed community station with volunteer-driven programming and local advertising/sponsorship.

Regional players

• Sound Radio Wales: Welsh community DAB radio station serving North Wales with volunteer-driven content. Comparable as a UK community DAB broadcaster with a similar volunteer-led model, but operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thisisriverside
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThisisRiversideRadio
• Instagraminstagram.com/riversideradio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wandsworth-radio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Riverside Radio