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12|06|07

Ofcom awards new local digital radio multiplex licence for Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Ofcom today announces the award of the new local Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio multiplex licence to cover Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

This is the first award of a number of new local radio multiplex licences planned to develop DAB coverage for services in those parts of the country not already served. This licensing process will lead to a significant expansion in digital radio services throughout the UK.

By the closing date of 28 March 2007, Ofcom received two applications for the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire licence. After giving careful consideration to each of the applications submitted, the Ofcom Radio Licensing Committee has decided to award the licence to:

NOWdigital Ltd.

GCap Media plc, 30 Leicester Square, LONDON, WC2H 7LA.
Contact: Maha Jamil, Tel: 020 7054 8128.
Email: maha.jamil@gcapmedia.com

NOWdigital Ltd. is wholly-owned by GCap Media plc. NOWdigital is proposing to provide eight local digital sound programme services, in addition to BBC Three Counties Radio, as follows:

Contemporary Chart Hits	97.6 Chiltern FM	(provider: GCap Media Digital Ltd.)
Contemporary Chart Hits	96.9 Chiltern FM	(provider: GCap Media Digital Ltd.)
Contemporary Chart Hits	Horizon Radio	(provider: GCap Media Digital Ltd.)
Classic Hits	Classic Gold 792	(provider: Classic Gold Digital Ltd.)
Modern Rock	Xfm	(provider: GCap Media Digital Ltd.)
Chill out	Chill	(provider: GCap Media Digital Ltd.)
Classic Rock and Pop	Jack	(provider: Absolute Radio Int Ltd.)
Religious	UCB UK	(provider: UCB Ltd.)

Ofcom estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of around 1,829,000.

The licence will be issued for a twelve year period. NOWdigital is committed to launching its service by July 2008.

Ofcom will publish a statement setting out the key determining factors for the award of this licence shortly.

Ends.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. DAB radio multiplexes carry a number of stereo and/or mono radio channels, as well as multimedia services such as text and data.

2. Today's licence is part of a wider licensing process which will lead to a significant expansion in local and national DAB radio services over the next three years. Further details can be found within Ofcom's 'Future licensing of DAB digital radio' Statement at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/dab/statement/

3. Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.

For further details please visit http://www.ofcom.org.uk.

CONTACT

Ofcom Media Office

mediaoffice@ofcom.org.uk

(+44) (0)20 7981 3033

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