Sound Digital, a joint venture between Arqiva, Bauer and UTV, has applied for the national digital radio licence offered by Ofcom last year, under the promise that it will deliver access to 15 “distinctive” national digital radio stations.
The application, subject to approval, will see UTV launch three original speech stations – talkRADIO, talkSPORT 2 and talkBusiness – while Bauer will offer a range of music stations, including Magic Mellow, KISSTORY, heat radio, Absolute 80s and Planet Rock.
Virgin Radio would also be set to return to UK airwaves under a partnership between the Virgin Group and UTV, which will see Sound Digital offer a non-mainstream music station which Jazz FM has signed an agreement to provide.
Stations will also cater to specific areas of interest – from Premier Christian Radio, to British Muslim Radio – while Sound Digital has said that it will “lay the foundation” of a future migration to DAB+ with a DAB+ channel, the content of which will be revealed upon launch.
In July last year Ofcom advertised a licence to run a second national digital radio multiplex, which will expand the number of digital radio stations and provide more choice for listeners.
The new multiplex – the airwaves needed to broadcast digital radio stations – will allow around 10 new national Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) radio services to broadcast to UK listeners.
If awarded the UK’s second national DAB multiplex licence, Sound Digital has said that it will launch its network within 12 months.
“Sound Digital’s goal is to play a leading role in the development of digital radio,” said Steve Holebrook, managing director of Arqiva Terrestrial Broadcast.
“Our application pools our collective experience, expertise and financial backing to provide certainty that Sound Digital will deliver on its commitment to build and launch a new national digital radio network within 12 months of Ofcom’s decision, and to maintain the network for the full 12 year licence term.”
Bauer Media’s group managing director of radio, Dee Ford, added: “As well as providing expansion opportunities for existing successful digital broadcasters like Bauer, our network’s cost-effectiveness and open and accessible approach ensure that Sound Digital caters to the full range of digital radio content providers.”
