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22|04|08

Ofcom awards new local digital radio multiplex licence for Surrey and northern Sussex

Ofcom today announces the award of the new local Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio multiplex licence for Surrey and northern Sussex.

This is one 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 26 March 2008, Ofcom received one application for the Surrey and northern Sussex licence. After giving careful consideration to the application submitted, the Ofcom Radio Licensing Committee has decided to award the licence to:

MuxCo Surrey & North Sussex Limited
96a Curtain Road, London EC2A 3AA
Contact: Gregory Watson; Tel: 07917 413700; e-mail: gregory@muxco.com

The shareholders of MuxCo Surrey and North Sussex are as follows:
UKRD Group Ltd 50%
MuxCo Ltd 50%

MuxCo Surrey & North Sussex Limited is proposing to provide seven local digital sound programme services, in addition to BBC Southern Counties Radio, as follows:

Format description	Service name	Provider
Full service	96.4 Eagle Radio	UKRD Group
Classic Hits	County Sound	UKRD Group
Contemporary Hit Radio	Mercury FM	GCap Media
Easy Listening	Easy Radio	Easy Radio Ltd
Modern Rock	NME Radio	DX Media Ltd
Youth	Shuffle	Muxco S&S Ltd
Traffic and Travel	Traffic Radio	Highways Agency

MuxCo Surrey & North Sussex Limited also proposes to provide "a wide selection of speech and music podcasts provided by a range of companies".

Ofcom estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of around 1,411,000.

The licence will be issued for a twelve year period. MuxCo Surrey and North Sussex Limited is committed to launching four transmitters and all of its programme services by July 2009.

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

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/.

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