Channel 4 Consortium Wins Radio Multiplex Licence
4 Digital Group, a consortium led by Channel 4 Radio, has been awarded the new DAB national multiplex licence by Ofcom.
Other members of the consortium include Emap, UTV, Chrysalis/Sky, Carphone Warehouse and UBC Media Group.
The new 12-year licence will see the launch of 10 stations by the start of next year.
Channel 4 Radio will launch three national digital stations – one aimed at 15 to 29-year-olds, one on current affairs and a music station.
Other stations to be launched by the consortium include Talk Radio, from UTV; Radio Disney; Sunrise Radio; Closer, a music station aimed at women over 30, Virgin Radio Viva; and Sky News Radio, from BSkyB and Chrysalis.
The consortium has committed to spend £4.5 million on general marketing of DAB in the first three years of the licence, together with “over £25 million marketing spend to support the launch of the individual new radio services”.
4 Digital Group has also committed to working with the BBC, retailers and manufacturers to help promote DAB.
Only two applications for the national multiplex licence were received, from 4 Digital Group and National Grid Wireless, by the closing date of 28 March 2007.
The National Grid Wireless Bid would have seen 12 new stations launched by the end of February next year, with partners including the BBC, GCap and Digital One (see National Grid Wireless Bids On Multiplex).
Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, said: “Today’s licence award is an important development for radio listeners who will benefit from a greater variety of commercial national radio services.
“The award will give a real boost to the DAB platform, which we believe will form the cornerstone of radio provision in the future.”
In June, the Digital Radio Development Bureau revealed that more than five million DAB digital radios have been sold in the UK, equating to almost 10 million listeners tuning in to DAB around Britain (see DAB Radio Sales Reach Record Five Million).
The latest RAJAR figures, for Q1 2007, show that all commercial radio enjoyed a year on year increase in its weekly reach, of 2.5%, giving it a total reach of around 31,200 (see BBC Overall Extends Share Of Listening And Reach).
4 Digital Group: www.channel4.com/radio/4digital