The Radio Authority (RA) has said that it is to attempt to increase the reach of digital radio licence areas within London following concerns by broadcasters such as Capital Radio that there would be a shortfall in the number of listeners it would reach (see Capital Radio Wants A Safer Digital Deal).
Capital had expressed concern that digital radio licence areas might not reach audiences as far out from the transmitters as the current analogue broadcasts. The loss of the outer suburbs for Capital could reduce its listenership by 800,000.
There is a discrepancy between the area which a licence officially covers (measured covered area – MCA) and that which the stations actually reach and use for marketing (total surveyed area – TSA). The MCA is the area in which the broadcast will produce a perfect signal without any distortion or overlap. In reality, broadcasts are carried much further – over the TSA.
The Authority has told broadcasters that, where possible, it will try to ensure that digital broadcasts reach the same total audiences as current analogue transmissions. It has said, however, that due to the complexities of broadcasting digital signals, this will not be possible for every area.
Emap Radio’s London stations are also likely to be affected by some losses. Capital and Emap recently announced that they were to work together in bidding for local digital radio licences, after having opted out from bidding for the only national digital multiplex licence (see Emap Radio’s Local Licence Masterplan).
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