Radio Authority receives one application for Plymouth/Cornwall digital multiplex licence

102/03

16 September 2003

Radio Authority receives one application for Plymouth/Cornwall digital multiplex licence

The Radio Authority's closing date for receipt of applications for the local digital multiplex licence for a service in and around the city of Plymouth and covering most parts of Cornwall was today (16 September). This is the last application for an Independent Radio licence to be received by the Authority before its responsibilities for licensing and regulating Independent Radio pass to Ofcom at the end of this year.

This licence is designed to deliver digital radio programming and data services potentially to an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of up to around 650,000.

In addition to providing a range of commercial services, an applicant for this licence is required to reserve capacity for the broadcasting in digital form of the existing BBC local radio services: BBC Radio Devon on the Plymouth part of the multiplex, and BBC Radio Cornwall on the Cornwall part.

One application has been submitted. Details of the applicant and its proposals are as follows:

SOUTH WEST DIGITAL RADIO LTD. - 7 Swallow Place, London, W1B 2AG (contact: Gregory Watson, 020 7518 2678) and Carn Brea Studios, Wilson Way, Redruth, TR15 3XX (contact: William Rogers, 0209 310435).

The shareholders in South West Digital Radio Ltd. are Now Digital Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of GWR Group plc (67%), and UKRD Group Ltd. (33%).

The applicant is proposing to launch with the following programme services, in addition to BBC local radio:

Contemporary hit radio	Pirate FM (provider: UKRD Group Ltd.)
Contemporary hit radio	Plymouth Sound (provider: GWR Group plc)
Gold	Classic Gold (provider: Classic Gold Digital Ltd.)
Dance	Kiss (provider: EG Digital Ltd.)
Modern rock	The Storm (provider: GWR Group plc)
Access: a variety of programme strands, including: a service for students (19.00 - midnight)	SBN (provider: SBN Ltd.)

It is proposed that two additional channels will launch during the licence term, and that further programming strands will be incorporated into 'Access'.

South West Digital Radio proposes to commence its service by October 2004, using three transmitters, at Plympton, Redruth and Caradon Hill, which it estimates will initially provide noise-limited 'outdoor coverage' of 72.6% of the adult population of the 'primary protected area' (PPA).

The applicant's proposals (other than financial and technical information which has been submitted in confidence) are available for study by the public in the Local Studies Library in Plymouth and the Cornwall Reference and Information Library in Truro, and at the Authority's offices in London. The Authority invites representations from the public on the proposals put forward by the applicant and upon the requirements of listeners. These should be sent in writing to the Director of Development, The Radio Authority, Holbrook House, 14 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DG, to arrive by Monday, 27 October 2003.

The Authority hopes to announce its decision about the award of this licence in November.

The application for the licence will be 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 an applicant to establish its 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 legislation also requires the broadening of local digital radio choice to be taken in to account;
local support for an applicant's proposals;
whether an applicant has been fair in contracting with the prospective providers of programme and data services on the multiplex.

The licence has been advertised to run initially for a period of twelve years from the commencement of broadcasting.

A non-refundable application fee of £5,000 has been paid by the applicant.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The services will be transmitted on the VHF band III frequency block 12A (centre frequency: 223.936 MHz) in the Plymouth area, and frequency block 11B (centre frequency: 218.640 MHz) in Cornwall. It will be technically possible for separate programme output to be provided in the two parts of this licence area.
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 also available in this local 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.
At the end of this year, the Radio Authority will cease to exist, and its responsibilities for licensing and regulating Independent Radio will pass to Ofcom, the new converged regulator for the communications sector. See the Ofcom transitional website at www.ofcom.org.uk for more details.

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