Media UK

Restricted Service Licence

(1) A Restricted Service Licence, or RSL, is a short-term licence allowing a radio station a temporary frequency for a short period.

RSLs are used for football radio stations, allowing broadcasts on the days of home games one; for music festivals, religious feasts and cultural events.

Student Radio uses RSLs to make their stations more generally available during important parts of the academic year.

External Links

• Upcoming RSL Licences (http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/rsls/future_rsls.htm) - A list of RSL broadcasters who have been allocated with a broadcast frequency, provided by OFCOM.

(2) In television the term Restricted Service Licence, or RSL, refers to a specially licensed service from Ofcom that allows a channel to broadcast on analogue terrestrial television to cover a restricted coverage area. Most licensing was done by the legacy ITC who would advertise a specific locality, usually a city, and would evaluate applications to award a four year license. Before the end of the four years it would then be reawarded. The first such RSL TV service to go on-air was TV12 on the Isle of Wight in 1998.

The regulator also has the power to award special event RSLs for a period up to 56 days.