Nova FM

What Nova FM does

Nova FM is a private, volunteer-run online community radio station headquartered in Newport, United Kingdom, broadcasting local news, music, weather reports, podcasts, community events, and sports information to Newport and the surrounding Telford and Wrekin area. The station's programming is anchored on a Non-Stop Music block (10:00-08:00) and The Nova FM Breakfast Show (08:00-10:00), fronted by a named presenter roster including Al Tucker, Dale Talbot, Dave Jones, Jack Vaughan, Joe Chetwood, Nick Gee, Pat Taylor, Pete Cole, and Richard Law. All broadcast infrastructure is supplied by Broadcast Labs, a third-party platform that delivers the web player (novafm.co.uk/player), scheduling system, presenter management tools, and AccuWeather-powered local weather data; the station additionally integrates Apple Music / iTunes imagery for recently-played tracks. No proprietary technology, mobile application, or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

The business operates two revenue streams. The first is direct local advertising sales, marketed to SMBs in Newport and the Telford and Wrekin area on the basis of a claimed 320,000-listener local audience reach and an 89% UK radio listenership benchmark, with rates undisclosed and inbound leads handled through a /contact form. The second is recurring fundraising via the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery, where Nova FM is a registered beneficiary cause: weekly £1 lottery tickets are administered by External Lottery Manager Gatherwell Limited under a Gambling Commission licence tied to Telford & Wrekin Council, with 50p per ticket directed to Nova FM and 80% of ticket revenue flowing to good causes and prizes including a £25,000 jackpot. As of the most recent disclosure, the lottery has raised £676 from 26 tickets against a £2,600 target.

The company is treated as a for-profit private entity in firmographic data but reports no formal ownership structure, investors, subsidiaries, or parent entity; control is described as residing with its volunteer presenters and community leadership. It employs between 11 and 50 people on a volunteer basis, has no disclosed funding rounds, patents, trademarks, regulatory actions, or M&A activity, and operates exclusively in the UK market with no global expansion claim.

Name

Nova FM

Website

https://novafm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nova FM is a volunteer-run online community radio station based in Newport, UK, broadcasting local news, music, and events to the Telford and Wrekin area. It generates revenue from local SMB advertising and its role as a beneficiary cause of the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Independent Local Radio Stations (MPABACAD)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Local radio station
• Online radio streaming
• Radio advertising sales
• Community lottery fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Local businesses can advertise to reach the station's 320,000 local listeners. The station offers opportunities for businesses to turn the audience into new customers.
2. Community Lottery: Nova FM is a beneficiary of the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery. 80% of each £1 ticket goes to good causes and prizes, with 50p of that directed specifically to Nova FM.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Nova FM is Newport's community radio station, operated entirely by volunteers, that broadcasts a music mix and local programming including The Nova FM Breakfast Show and Non-Stop Music blocks via an online streaming player. The station monetizes its local audience of approximately 320,000 listeners by selling advertising opportunities to local businesses and raising funds through the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery.

Product overview

Nova FM is Newport's community radio station operated entirely by volunteers. The core product is radio broadcasting, featuring Non-Stop Music programming and scheduled shows including The Nova FM Breakfast Show. Additional services include advertising opportunities reaching 320,000 local people. The station also participates in the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery as a beneficiary cause, where supporters can purchase £1 weekly tickets with a chance to win £25,000 while supporting the radio station's operations and volunteer training facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nova FM Radio Broadcasting Community radio broadcasting service operated by volunteers, streaming Newport's Best Music Mix along with local news, weather, events coverage, and scheduled programming such as The Nova FM Breakfast Show (08:00-10:00) and Non-Stop Music blocks, delivered 24/7 via an online streaming player. Targeted at local Newport and Telford and Wrekin listeners.
• Nova FM Advertising Advertising service that enables local businesses to reach approximately 320,000 local people in the Newport and surrounding Telford and Wrekin area, leveraging the station's radio audience. Rates are not publicly disclosed and are offered via direct contact with the station.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Broadcast LabscoreTechnology or IntegrationBroadcast Labs provides the radio station platform infrastructure including online player, scheduling system, and presenter management tools for Nova FM.
• Telford and Wrekin Community LotterycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNova FM is a beneficiary good cause of the community lottery. The lottery raises funds for Nova FM with 50p per £1 ticket directed to the station, and 80% of ticket revenue going to good causes and prizes.
• Gatherwell LimitedminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal Lottery Manager (ELM) that administers the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery platform on behalf of Telford & Wrekin Council.
• Telford & Wrekin CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal authority that promotes and oversees the Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery as a Local Authority Lottery licensed by the Gambling Commission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Bauer Media UK (Absolute Radio, Magic, Kiss): Bauer Media operates large UK commercial radio brands including Absolute Radio and Magic. Comparable as a UK radio broadcaster competing for the same listener and advertising spend, but at vastly greater scale and with national terrestrial/DAB reach versus Nova FM's online-only community focus.
• BBC Radio (local and network): BBC Radio operates national and local stations (e.g., BBC Radio Shropshire covering the Telford & Wrekin area). Directly competes with Nova FM for local listeners and advertisers in the same geography but offers free, professionally produced, publicly funded programming at massive scale.
• Global (Heart, Capital, Classic FM, LBC): Global is one of the UK's largest commercial radio groups operating Heart, Capital, LBC, and Classic FM. Comparable as a UK commercial radio competitor for ad budgets and listener attention, but with national reach, paid talent, and DAB/FM transmission — a scale Nova FM cannot match.

Direct peers

• Radio Sangam: Radio Sangam is a UK community radio station serving South Asian communities with multilingual programming. Comparable to Nova FM as a small, volunteer-led online community station targeting a defined demographic/geography.
• Radio Reverb: Radio Reverb is a Brighton community radio station broadcasting local music, news, and events. Directly comparable to Nova FM as a UK volunteer-run community station with online player and local advertising model.
• Resonance FM: Resonance FM is a London-based community radio station broadcasting arts, music, and local culture. Comparable to Nova FM as a small, volunteer-driven UK community station with online streaming and hyper-local audience focus.
• Angel Radio: Angel Radio is a Hampshire-based community radio station serving older listeners with music and nostalgia programming. Comparable to Nova FM as a small UK community broadcaster with volunteer-driven operations and localised audience.
• Ujima 98FM: Ujima 98FM is a Bristol-based community radio station broadcasting music, news, and local programming. It is directly comparable to Nova FM as a UK community-led, volunteer-supported online/local station serving a defined urban catchment.
• BCB Radio (Bradford Community Broadcasting): BCB Radio is a Bradford-based community radio station. Directly comparable to Nova FM as a UK community broadcaster with volunteer involvement, local programming, and online streaming distribution.
• Sheffield Live!: Sheffield Live! is a Sheffield community radio and TV station broadcasting local news, music, and events. Comparable to Nova FM as a UK volunteer-supported community broadcaster targeting a single city/region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thisisnovafm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nova FM