A new alliance has been formed to bid for regional digital radio multiplex licences as they are rolled out across the UK. GWR Group, the Wireless Group and Scottish Radio Holdings are to team up as the Digital Radio Group.
The Digital Radio Group is set to bid for licences for the North East, advertised in June this year, the Severn Estuary, advertised in July, West Midlands, to be advertised in August, the North West, to be advertised in September and Yorkshire, which is to be advertised in November 2001.
Scottish Radio Holdings chief executive Richard Findlay said, “The partners in the Digital Radio Group are individually committed to ensuring a successful future for digital radio.”
Wireless Group chairman Kelvin McKenzie concurred, “The Wireless Group is totally committed to digital. It’s the future of radio.”
“Through this alliance, we will be able to offer a better choice for new content using the latest technology.” added Ralph Bernard, GWR group chief executive.
GWR owns Now Digital, which has just added the Coventry digital multiplex licence to the two it already holds- Bath and Bristol (see Now Digital Wins Third Local Digital Radio Multiplex Licence). Proposed programming for both licences include digital-only stations. GWR also holds a 67% interest in Digital One, the national network operator and operates three stations on that multiplex.
The Wireless Group is also part of another consortium for digital radio licences- Switchdigital. Having recently launched the second London digital radio multiplex (see Second London Digital Radio Multiplex Prepares To Switch On), the consortium is also in the running for the Central Scotland bid (see Switch Digital Prepares For Scottish Bid). Switchdigital’s London multiplex broadcasts a total of six digital-only stations.
Scottish Radio Holdings joined forces with GWR, among others, to form the Score Now consortium, which put in an unsuccessful bid for the second London multiplex licence (see GWR And Scottish Radio Unite In London Licence Bid). Its own digital radio concern, Score Digital, has won the licences for both the Glasgow and the Edinburgh digital radio multiplexes and will bid for the Northern Ireland licence later this month.
GWR Group: 020 7284 3000 Scottish Radio Holdings: 0141 306 2242 The Wireless Group: 020 7959 7800
