Radio Authority awards local digital multiplex licence for Nottingham

64/03

9 May 2003

Radio Authority awards local digital multiplex licence for Nottingham

The Radio Authority announced today (9May) that it has decided, after considering the proposals submitted by the sole applicant for the local digital multiplex licence to serve the city of Nottingham and the surrounding area, to award the licence to:

NOW DIGITAL (EAST MIDLANDS) LTD. - 7 Swallow Place, London, W1R 7AA (contact: Gregory Watson, 020 7518 2678).

The shareholders in Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd. are:

Now Digital Ltd. (GWR Group plc) 52.5%

Sabras Sound Ltd. 20.0%

Capital Radio plc 20.0%

Chrysalis Radio Ltd. 7.5%

This applicant is proposing to broadcast eight programme services, in addition to BBC Radio Nottingham, all of them on a round-the-clock basis:

Contemporary hit radio	96 Trent FM (provider: Radio Trent Ltd.)
Gold	Classic Gold GEM (provider: Classic Gold Digital Ltd.)
Talk and predominantly AC music	106 Century FM (provider: Capital Radio plc)
Easy listening	Saga 106.6 FM (provider: Saga Group Ltd.)
Dance	Galaxy (provider: Chysalis Radio Ltd.)
Music for today's teenagers and pre-teens	Capital Disney (provider: Capital Radio plc)
Modern rock	The Storm (provider: GWR Group plc)
Young Asian and community	A Plus (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.)

Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd. proposes to commence its service by April 2004. This 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 Nottingham licence.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The services will be transmitted on the VHF band III frequency block 12C (centre-frequency 227.360 MHz).
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.
The Authority has already awarded a national digital radio multiplex licence, to Digital One Ltd., whose services are available in this area.
If an existing local radio station successfully secures a place on a local digital multiplex covering at least 25% of its area's population, it can apply to have its analogue licence renewed for a further eight years.
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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