Month: June 2007

  • Boo.

    Big sighs at MuxCo HQ as we’ve just found out that we’ve sadly not been awarded the licence for Herts, Beds and Bucks. It’s  instead been awarded to GCap subsidiary NOWdigital. Congratulations to Matt and Nicky at NOWdigital for putting together a winning application.

    Succesful or not however, we believe strongly in our model for local multiplexes and that for digital radio to grow and develop that there needs to be a solid opportunity for all broadcasters large and small to take part. We’re very happy with our recent applications for Northeast Wales and West Cheshire and Herefordshire and Worcestershire and we’re working hard to put together great bids for more areas that are being advertised.

    Right, time for a beer.

  • At the Digital Radio Show

    Today I am at the third Digital Radio Show in London.  The show, which is on for two days, has focused on making a business from digital radio this morning, with a European perspective this afternoon. Day 2 looks at developments such as DAB+ and Mobile TV.

    Highlights, apart from a very good shepherds pie (but with salad not peas), were a review of the national multiplex bids by C4’s Nathalie Schwarz and Tony Moretta of NGW, updates from GCap on making a return on investment and the success to date of theJazz as well as how RTL aggregates content and distributes through different networks.

    More later (and tomorrow) although will not be here all day tomorrow as we find out the result for Herts Beds Bucks at 5pm!

  • Hereford & Worcester

    Its the 6th June and the sun is shining, so hopefully this now marks the start of summer. For us it mark’s the closing date for applications for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire multiplex, something MuxCo Hereford & Worcester Ltd has submitted its application for.

    Behind the bid, alongside us, are Town & Country and local radio man (and the theme tune writer for Gladiators no-less), Muff Murfin. It was an interesting licence area to plan, covering a number of urban areas and also a lot of green space, so it was a little more complex getting the transmitter network right.

    We have included an interesting selection of new radio formats to complement the existing local services of Wyvern FM, Sunshine and the BBC, ranging from an interactive youth service, Shuffle, to a classic rock station called Smithy Rock, and a new local speech station too – Local Live. I won’t bore you here with all the detail but you will find a copy of the application online here. In the meantime, its off to the pub for a well earned drink and to think about the next project. As always, please send us your views and comments to [email protected].