Radio Authority Receives Three Applications For West Midlands Digital Licence

The Radio Authority received three applications for the West Midlands regional digital multiplex licence in time for the deadline on Tuesday 12 December. The licence takes in an area including Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry, which has an adult population of up to around 3.3 million.

The requirements of the licence are that, in addition to providing a range of commercial services, the applicant must reserve capacity for digital broadcasting of the BBC Asian Network service for the West Midlands.

The three applicants are: The Digital Radio Group (see Digital Radio Group Announces Final Shareholder Line-Up), which proposes to broadcast nine services, all but one round-the-clock; MXR Ltd (see Ford To Join MXR Consortium In North East Bid) which proposes to broadcast eight services, all but one round-the-clock; and West Midlands Digital Radio, which counts Scottish Radio’s Score digital among its shareholders, which proposes to broadcast seven round-the-clock services.

Representations from the public are invited, to be received by the Authority no later than 29 January 2001. A decision should be announced early in next year, with the licence running for an initial period of 12 years.

Digital Radio Group: 020 7959 7900 (The Wireless Group) or 020 73439000 (GWR Group)

MXR: 020 7470 1077 (Chrysalis Radio) or 020 7766 6194 (Capital)

Radio Authority: 020 7430 2724

West Midlands Digital Radio: 0191 286 0000 (Forever Broadcasting) or 0141 565 2347 (SCORE Digital)

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