Digital Licence Award
09 May 2003 - 6:30PM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:8672K
Radio Authority
09 May 2003
64/03
9 May 2003
Radio Authority awards local digital multiplex licence for Nottingham
The Radio Authority announced today (9 May) that it has decided, after
considering the proposals submitted by the sole applicant for the local digital
multiplex licence to serve the city of Nottingham and the surrounding area, to
award the licence to:
NOW DIGITAL (EAST MIDLANDS) LTD. - 7 Swallow Place, London, W1R 7AA
(contact: Gregory Watson, 020 7518 2678).
The shareholders in Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd. are:
Now Digital Ltd. (GWR Group plc) 52.5%
Sabras Sound Ltd. 20.0%
Capital Radio plc 20.0%
Chrysalis Radio Ltd. 7.5%
This applicant is proposing to broadcast eight programme services, in addition
to BBC Radio Nottingham, all of them on a round-the-clock basis:
Contemporary hit radio 96 Trent FM (provider: Radio Trent Ltd.)
Gold Classic Gold GEM (provider: Classic Gold Digital Ltd.)
Talk and predominantly AC music 106 Century FM (provider: Capital Radio plc)
Easy listening Saga 106.6 FM (provider: Saga Group Ltd.)
Dance Galaxy (provider: Chysalis Radio Ltd.)
Music for today's teenagers and Capital Disney (provider: Capital Radio plc)
pre-teens
Modern rock The Storm (provider: GWR Group plc)
Young Asian and community A Plus (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.)
Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd. proposes to commence its service by April 2004.
This licence will run initially for a period of twelve years from the
commencement of broadcasting.
The Authority will shortly be publishing its assessment of Now Digital's
application for the Nottingham licence.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The services will be transmitted on the VHF band III frequency block 12C
(centre-frequency 227.360 MHz).
2. Digital radio is a new transmission system which provides the listener with
bundles (called multiplexes) of audio services to new portable and vehicle
receivers, and personal computers, with unprecedentedly clear reception.
Being digital, it can also broadcast data services which may or may not be
related to the radio programmes; e.g. traffic information, electronic
publishing, and internet-type information.
3. The Authority has already awarded a national digital radio multiplex licence,
to Digital One Ltd., whose services are available in this area.
4. If an existing local radio station successfully secures a place on a local
digital multiplex covering at least 25% of its area's population, it can
apply to have its analogue licence renewed for a further eight years.
5. The Radio Authority is responsible for licensing and regulating Independent
Radio in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Broadcasting Acts
1990 and 1996. It plans frequencies, awards licences, regulates programming
and advertising, and plays an active role in the discussion and formulation
of policies which affect the Independent Radio industry and its listeners.
Contact: For press enquiries only:
Julie McCatty, Chief Press Officer: 020 7887 4292
Kerry Curtis, Press & Information Officer: 020 7887 4290
Out of hours: 07770 375283
General enquiries:
Press and Information Office: 020 7887 4294
www.radioauthority.org.uk
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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