Radio Authority Awards Local Digital Multiplex Licence for Plymouth/Cornwall

116/03

6 November 2003

Radio Authority awards local digital multiplex licence for Plymouth/Cornwall

The Radio Authority announced today (6 November) that it has decided, after considering the proposals submitted by the sole applicant for the local digital multiplex licence to serve the city of Plymouth and covering most parts of Cornwall, to award the licence to:

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%).

This is the 46^th local digital multiplex licence to be awarded by the Radio Authority, and the last during the initial phase of digital radio development. The Authority's Chief Operating Officer, David Vick, said:

"We are extremely pleased to have completed the programme of local digital radio licensing which we embarked upon back in 1998, on schedule and with no loss of momentum. This has been due to the enthusiastic support given by the commercial radio industry, as multiplex operators and digital programme service providers, to this technology, which will transform radio listening in the years ahead. The UK is acknowledged to be the world-leader in the development of Digital Audio Broadcasting, and I am proud of the role which the Authority has been able to play in facilitating this."

South West Digital Radio Ltd. 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 the 'access' channel. South West Digital Radio proposes to commence its service by October 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 South West Digital Radio's application for the Plymouth/Cornwall licence.

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 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.
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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