Forest FM

What Forest FM does

Forest FM, legally Forest Community Radio (Company No. 04937308), is a not-for-profit community radio station headquartered in Verwood, Dorset, England. Originally launched as a trial broadcast (Verwood FM) during the 199wood Carnival in 1999, the station won its full-time Ofcom licence in 2006 and has been on air continuously since 9 July 2006. It is operated entirely by approximately 12 volunteer presenters and staff under a community-led go-to-market model, with no venture backing or parent company. Forest FM serves the residents of East Dorset and the New Forest, allocating significant daily airtime to local clubs, societies, organisations, and individual contributors under an open-door programming policy.

The core technology stack consists of two FM transmitters (92.3 MHz Verwood and 98.9 MHz Ferndown), DAB+ coverage across Poole, Bournemouth, Wimborne, and Swanage, online streaming via the Radioplayer and TuneIn platforms, an Amazon Alexa voice skill, and QR-code-linked listening pages. The station operates the FOREST Small Scale DAB (SSDAB) Multiplex covering Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, providing broadcast capacity to other Ofcom-licensed radio stations including Bournemouth One, HOT Radio, HOT Gold Radio, Salisbury Radio, and NRUK. Distribution is multi-channel: FM/DAB broadcast, web streaming, smart speakers, and social media (Facebook, X/Twitter, Twitch, YouTube for specialist shows such as the Babblefish technology programme).

Forest FM's revenue model is diversified across four streams: spot radio advertising (£1 floor for a 30-second ad, broadcast 7am-7pm), limited website and on-air sponsorship packages, low-volume merchandise sales (mugs at £4.99, sweatshirts at £15), and passive Utility Warehouse affiliate referrals. Recurring contracted revenue comes from DAB multiplex tenancies priced at £150-£400 per month per tenant on 12-month contracts. Advertising is sold to local SMBs (e.g., roofing, windows, garden rooms, hospice support) on a pay-as-you-go basis. The station's primary customers are local community listeners, local musicians seeking exposure, and small local businesses seeking affordable, geographically-targeted advertising. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

Forest FM

Legal name

Forest Community Radio

Website

https://forestfm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forest FM is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community radio station broadcasting from Verwood, Dorset on FM, DAB+, online, and smart speakers, serving East Dorset and the New Forest with local programming and affordable advertising for small local businesses.

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

Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio) (MPABADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG), Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Digital audio broadcasting
• Local radio advertising
• DAB multiplex services
• Online radio streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Verwood

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Spot Advertising: Radio spot advertising broadcast between 7am and 7pm. Rates are cost-effective compared to newspapers and magazines. A 30-second ad costs as little as £1.
2. Website Sponsorship: Sponsoring links on the Forest FM website to help keep the station on air.
3. On-Air Sponsorship: Limited sponsorship deals enabling companies to be promoted every hour through weather bulletins and community items.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Forest FM branded merchandise including mugs (£4.99) and sweatshirts (£15).
5. Affiliate Referral: Partnership with Utility Warehouse where Forest FM receives donations when listeners sign up for utility services — at no additional cost to the customer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forest FM operates a volunteer-run community radio station broadcasting on FM (92.3 Verwood, 98.9 Ferndown), DAB+ (Poole, Bournemouth, Wimborne, Swanage), online streaming, and smart speakers. It also runs the FOREST SSDAB Multiplex providing broadcast infrastructure to other OFCOM-licensed radio stations, sells affordable local advertising to small businesses, and offers branded merchandise (mugs at £4.99, sweatshirts at £15).

Product overview

Forest FM is a community radio station operated by volunteers, broadcasting as East Dorset's first community radio station since 2006. The core offering consists of FM broadcasting on 92.3 FM (Verwood) and 98.9 FM (Ferndown), DAB+ coverage across Poole, Bournemouth, Wimborne and Swanage, and online streaming. The station runs the FOREST SSDAB Multiplex providing broadcast infrastructure for other radio stations. Additional products include the Listen Again archive service, Alexa voice skill, specialist shows like Babblefish (technology/gaming) and Gardening Guru, and local advertising services. Revenue is generated through local advertising and merchandise sales (mugs, sweatshirts).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest FM Community Radio Broadcasting

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 75,000 people able to listen in East Dorset and the New Forest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bournemouth OnecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2026Signed up to broadcast on the Forest SSDAB Multiplex for Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, launching July 2026.
• HOT RadiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2026Signed up to broadcast on the Forest SSDAB Multiplex for Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, launching July 2026.
• HOT Gold RadiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2026Signed up to broadcast on the Forest SSDAB Multiplex for Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, launching July 2026.
• Salisbury RadiocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2026Signed up to broadcast on the Forest SSDAB Multiplex for Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, launching July 2026.
• NRUKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2026Signed up to broadcast on the Forest SSDAB Multiplex for Ringwood, Verwood, and Fordingbridge, launching July 2026.
• Utility WarehouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUtility Warehouse partnership generates donations for Forest FM when listeners sign up for utility services through a referral link. It costs customers nothing extra on their bills and helps support the station's operating costs.
• Lewis-Manning HospiceminorOthersForest FM supports Lewis-Manning Hospice as a charitable cause, featuring the hospice on its programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Angel Radio: Not-for-profit community radio station based in Havant, Hampshire, broadcasting on FM and online across the south coast. Comparable as a community/non-profit radio operator in a neighbouring South England geography.
• HOT Radio: Small commercial radio broadcaster based on the South Coast of England that has signed up as a tenant on Forest FM's FOREST SSDAB Multiplex. Operates in a similar geographic market with a comparable local DAB distribution model.

Direct peers

• BCFM (Bristol Community FM): Long-established Bristol community radio station broadcasting on FM and online, run largely by volunteers and supported by local advertising and sponsorships — structurally very similar to Forest FM's operating model.
• Forest of Dean Radio: Volunteer-run community radio station serving the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire — a directly comparable community-radio model in a similarly rural geographic footprint in the South West of England.
• Penistone FM: Community radio station serving Penistone and the surrounding South Yorkshire area, run largely by volunteers with local advertising as a key revenue stream — directly comparable community-radio operating model.
• Phoenix FM: Volunteer-driven community radio station in Brentwood, Essex, operating on FM and online with local advertising and sponsorship — directly comparable operating model and revenue mix to Forest FM.
• Frome FM: Community radio station serving Frome and surrounding areas in Somerset, run by volunteers with a similar mix of local advertising, sponsorship, and community programming.
• ALL FM: Manchester-based community radio station licensed by Ofcom and run by volunteers, providing local programming and accepting local advertising — comparable in structure, governance, and funding model to Forest FM.

Broad incumbents

• Wessex FM: Long-established commercial local radio station serving Dorset from Dorchester, broadcasting on FM across the same regional footprint as Forest FM and competing for the same local advertiser pool.
• BBC Radio Solent: BBC's regional radio service for Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with significantly greater production resources and audience reach — the dominant incumbent Forest FM competes with for local listeners and share-of-mind.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzkE-LEkQIJhcXF8-b3v35g
• Facebookfacebook.com/flyingllamastudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-fm

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 Forest FM