58/01

11 May 2001

The Radio Authority announced today (11 May) that it has decided, after considering the proposals submitted for the local digital multiplex service licence for the Southend & Chelmsford area, to award the licence to the sole applicant:

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 1.2 million.

Now Digital Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of the GWR Group plc. It is proposing to broadcast a total of eight programme services in the Southend & Chelmsford area, each provided initially on a round-the-clock basis:

In addition to these commercial services, the existing BBC local radio service, BBC Essex, will be broadcast using the digital capacity reserved for it.

Now Digital Ltd. proposes to commence its service in January 2002, initially using four transmission sites, at Southend-on-Sea, Benfleet, Bakers Wood and Colchester, and implementing another two, at Sudbury and Harlow (Rye Hill) during the first 24 months. It estimates that these six transmitters will provide 'outdoor coverage' of 87.1% of the adult population of the Southend & Chelmsford 'primary protected area' (PPA) on a 'noise limited' basis, which may be reduced to 78.8% by incoming interference.

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 Now Digital's application for the Southend & Chelmsford licence.

1. The services will be transmitted on the VHF band III frequency block 12D (centre-frequency 229.072 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 will also be available in the Southend & Chelmsford 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.