Switchdigital Awarded Central Scotland Multiplex

The Switchdigital consortium has been awarded the Central Scotland digital multiplex by the Radio Authority. The consortium was the only applicant for the licence (see Switch Digital Is Sole Bidder For Central Scotland Digital Licence), which is the largest awarded outside of Greater London and covers Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling, offering a potential audience of around 3 million.

The consortium is made up of the Wireless Group, which backs it to the tune of 55%, Capital Radio, 20%, Clear Channel, 20% and The Carphone Warehouse, which will contribute 5% of the backing and which has recently been named as part of another consortium with the Wireless Group, the Digital Radio Group (see Digital Radio Group Announces Final Shareholder Line-Up).

Switchdigital Scotland will provide nine digital services covering speech and music programming for a wide audience. These will include:

• A jazz, soul and blues service from Jazz FM
• A new rock and dance service from Beat 106 (see Switch Digital Prepares For Scottish Bid)
• A chart hits and club dance service from the Ministry of Sound
• The Rhythm, a new classic soul service
• WSCO The Mix, a new classic hits service
• BIG Scotland, a rock and sports service
• The Lounge, an easy listening service targeting older listeners
• Scot FM, the existing Wireless Group adult contemporary music and speech based service
• Radio Nan Gaidheal, the BBC’s Gaelic service.

The Wireless Group is already the principal shareholder in the London Switchdigital consortium, which operates the second London multiplex (see Second London Digital Radio Multiplex Prepares To Switch On). In addition to its membership of the Digital Radio Group (see above) it also operates two stations on the national digital network, Digital One.

Capital is part of the CE Consortium, which won the first London digital multiplex (see Capital And EMAP Win First London Digital Licence) along with those for Manchester (see CE Digital Wins Manchester Digital Radio Licence) and Birmingham (see RA Awards First Digital Radio Multiplex To Emap/Capital Consortium). It is also part of the MXR consortium, which is set to bid for regional licences in the North of England, the West Midlands and Wales (see New Digital Radio Consortium Targets Regions) and has been operating a new service on the national digital network since January this year (see Capital Launches New Digital Station On National Network). Clear Channel International is also part of the London Switchdigital Consortium.

Switch Digital: 020 7959 7869 Radio Authority: 020 7430 2724

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