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06|07|07

4 Digital group awarded new national digital radio multiplex licence

Ofcom today announces the award of the new Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) national radio multiplex licence to 4 Digital Group Limited. The multiplex licence will allow the broadcast of a number of radio services as well as the delivery of other multimedia services such as text and data services.

Today’s licence award is part of Ofcom’s DAB licensing programme which will lead to a significant expansion in both national and local digital radio services over the next three years.

By the closing date of 28 March 2007, Ofcom received two applications for the national multiplex licence. After giving careful consideration to each of the applications submitted in accordance with the relevant statutory criteria, the Ofcom Radio Licensing Committee has decided to award the licence to:

4 Digital Group Limited
124 Horseferry Road , London SW1P 2TX
Contact: Nathalie Schwarz, Tel: 020 7396 4444, Email: nschwarz@4digitalgroup.com

The shareholders of 4 Digital Group Limited are as follows:

Channel 4 Radio Limited - 55%
Sky News Radio Limited - 10%
Emap Digital Radio Limited - 10%
UTV Radio (GB) Limited - 10%
The Carphone Warehouse Group plc -10%
UBC Media Group plc 5%

4 Digital Group Limited is proposing to provide ten linear national digital sound programme services, as follows:

Service	Provider
Youthful interactive entertainment (E4 Radio)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
Contemporary public service speech (Channel 4 Radio)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
Intelligent contemporary adult (Pure4)	Channel 4 Radio Limited
News, views and entertainment (Talk Radio)	UTV Radio (GB) Limited
Female AC, celebrity and lifestyle (Closer)	Emap Digital Radio Limited
Rolling news (Sky News Radio)	Sky News Radio Limited
Asian ( Sunrise Radio UK)	Sunrise Radio Group
Female-friendly pop with attitude (Virgin Radio Viva)	SMG plc
Adult album alternative (Original)	CanWest MediaWorks UK Limited
Children's service (Radio Disney)	Walt Disney Company International

The applicant also proposes to provide a "wide selection of podcasts provided by a range of diverse companies".

4 Digital Group Limited commits to launch eight national digital sound programme services and at least nine podcast providers within 12 months, using a network of 174 transmitters which it estimates will provide 'outdoor' coverage of 86.6% of the adult (aged 15+) population of the UK. Two further national digital sound programme services will launch "at the earliest opportunity thereafter, and in any event within the following 11 months".

4 Digital Group has committed to spend £4.5m on general marketing of DAB in the first three years of the licence period, together with "over £25m marketing spend to support the launch of the individual new radio services". 4 Digital Group also commits to working with the BBC, retailers and manufacturers to help promote DAB.

The licence will be issued for a twelve year period. 4 Digital Group is committed to launching its service within one year of the licence award (i.e. by July 2008).

The other application was submitted by National Grid Wireless Limited. Ofcom will publish a statement setting out the key determining factors for the award of this licence shortly.

Ed Richards, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: “Today’s licence award is an important development for radio listeners who will benefit from a greater variety of commercial national radio services.”

He added: “The award will give a real boost to the DAB platform, which we believe will form the cornerstone of radio provision in the future.”

Ends.

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