126/00
8 September 2000
RADIO AUTHORITY AWARDS LOCAL DIGITAL MULTIPLEX LICENCE FOR CENTRAL LANCASHIRE
The Radio Authority announced today (8 September) that it has decided, after considering the proposals submitted for the local digital multiplex service licence for the Central Lancashire area, to award the licence to the sole applicant:
EMAP DIGITAL RADIO LTD. – Emap Performance Ltd., Mappin House, 4 Winsley Street, London W1N 7AR (contact: Tim Schoonmaker, 020 7312 8225; or Shaun Gregory, 0114 285 3333).
The licence is designed potentially to deliver digital radio programming and data services to an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of up to around 1.3 million.
Emap Digital Radio Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emap Performance Ltd. It is proposing to broadcast a total of eight programme services in the Central Lancashire area, each provided initially on a round-the-clock basis:
|
Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) |
97.4 Rock FM (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.) |
|
Dance |
Kiss (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.) |
|
Easy Listening |
Magic 999 (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.) |
|
Full Service (Blackpool & Fylde area) |
96.5 The Wave (provider: The Wireless Group) |
|
Gold |
Classic Gold (provider: GWR Digital Ltd.) |
|
Modern Rock |
Xfm (provider: Capital Radio plc) |
|
Adult Contemporary |
Provider: to be decided |
In addition to these commercial services, the BBC local radio service, BBC Radio Lancashire, will be broadcast using the digital capacity reserved for it.
Emap Digital Radio Ltd. proposes to commence its service in September 2001, using two transmission sites, at Winter Hill and Pendle Forest, which it estimates will provide 'outdoor coverage' of around 82% of the adult population of the Central Lancashire 'primary protected area' (PPA). It proposes to extend coverage subsequently by the addition of transmissions from Blackpool Tower, increasing ‘outdoor coverage’ to an estimated 89% of the PPA population.
The licence will run initially for a period of twelve years from the commencement of broadcasting.
The Authority will shortly be publishing its assessment of Emap Digital Radio’s application for the Central Lancashire licence.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The services will be transmitted on the VHF band III frequency block 12A (centre-frequency 223.936 MHz).
2. The application for the licence was considered according to factors specified in section 51 of the Broadcasting Act 1996, which are: the extent of coverage proposed, within the permitted maximum; the timetable by which this will be achieved; the ability of the applicant to establish the proposed service and maintain it throughout the licence period; the extent to which the proposed programme services will cater for the tastes and interests of listeners in the area; the broadening of local digital radio choice; local support for the applicant's proposals; and whether the applicant has been fair in contracting with the prospective providers of programme and data services on the multiplex.
3. Digital radio is a new transmission system which provides the listener with bundles (called multiplexes) of audio services to new portable and vehicle receivers, and personal computers, with unprecedentedly clear reception. Being digital, it can also broadcast data services which may or may not be related to the radio programmes; e.g. traffic information, electronic publishing, and internet-type information.
4. The Authority has already awarded a national digital radio multiplex licence, to Digital One Ltd., whose services are also available in the Central Lancashire area.
5. The Radio Authority is responsible for licensing and regulating Independent Radio in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. It plans frequencies, awards licences, regulates programming and advertising, and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation of policies which affect the Independent Radio industry and its listeners.
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