Category: news

  • More Radio Choice for Listeners in Cumbria as Local Digital Radio Launches

    More Radio Choice for Listeners in Cumbria as Local Digital Radio Launches

    Listeners in Cumbria and Morecambe Bay are waking up to a digital radio revolution this morning thanks to the launch of two new local DAB networks bringing local digital radio to the region for the first time and a huge expansion of radio listening choice. 

    The new networks collectively carry 28 digital radio services including local FM favourites BBC Radio Cumbria, CFM, Heart North Lancashire & Cumbria and Smooth Radio Lake District broadcasting in DAB or DAB+ for the first time alongside a host of new and additional services.

    The new DAB digital transmitters went live this morning from nine sites across the two networks, with one network, operated by Bauer Digital Radio Ltd, covering North and West Cumbria including Carlisle, Penrith, Workington, Whitehaven and Keswick; and a second network, operated by MuxCo Cumbria Ltd, covering South Cumbria and Morecambe Bay including Morecambe, Lancaster, Ulverston, Kendal and Windermere. 

    Each network carries different services, apart from BBC Radio Cumbria which is available on both. Listeners are advised to confirm which stations are available where they live by checking their postcode at www.getdigitalradio.com and may need to retune their digital radio to receive the stations for the first time.

    Some services will be broadcast in DAB+, an upgraded and more efficient version of DAB that enables a greater number of stations to be broadcast. To listen to these services listeners will need a DAB+ enabled digital radio.

    Bauer’s Digital Radio Cumbria network has launched with five transmitters in North and West Cumbria carrying twenty services, including BBC Radio Cumbria and CFM, plus a number of national commercial stations previously unavailable in the area – Absolute Radio 80s, Absolute Radio 90s, Greatest Hits Radio, Planet Rock, Scala Radio and Jazz FM. Additionally, the network features further stations dedicated to a huge variety of musical genres, including Magic at the Musicals, KISS Dance, Absolute Classic Rock, Magic Chilled and Hits Radio Pride. 

    MuxCo Cumbria has launched with four transmitters in South Cumbria and Morecambe Bay carrying eight services, including BBC Radio Cumbria, Heart North Lancashire and Cumbria, Smooth Radio Lake District, and Nation 80s, plus additional local services CandoFM a community radio station in Barrow; Bay Trust Radio, the hospital radio station for Lancaster, Morecambe and Kendal hospitals; Beyond Radio, a local station for North Lancashire; and Fun Kids, a station specially for children. 

    The launch of the two new digital networks will be celebrated this morning at a special switch on event at Robert Ferguson School in Carlisle with the school’s children helping popular local presenters BBC Radio Cumbria’s Mike Zeller and CFM’s Robbie Dee countdown the moment of launch live on air.

    Mark Elliott, Executive Editor of BBC Radio Cumbria said: “It’s great that BBC Radio Cumbria is coming to DAB digital radio. We know from audience research that many people choose to tune in via DAB and now they can hear our broadcasts in digital quality. We will broadcast in DAB+ which means listeners will need to check they have a DAB+ enabled radio but this will mean in poorer reception areas our signal will be more robust.”

    Ben Cooper, Chief Content and Music Officer, Bauer Media Audio UK, said: “Today brings a new fantastic choice of radio stations from classical music to classic rock. You can now get better accessibility to your local station CFM, as well as now being able to hear Simon Mayo’s Drivetime show on Greatest Hits Radio or Lemar on Magic Soul.”

    Ford Ennals, CEO, Digital Radio UK, said: “The launch of local digital radio across Cumbria and the Lake District is an important milestone and enables listeners to receive their favourite local stations such as BBC Radio Cumbria and CFM on DAB for the first time. This launch also brings a wealth of choice to listeners in Cumbria with a range of much-loved commercial stations alongside new digital stations available on DAB for the first time anywhere in the UK. Stations in different areas do vary, so to check which stations are available in any particular area listeners should check the postcode checker at getdigitalradio.com and make sure they retune their digital radio.”

  • More choice for listeners as local digital radio launches in the Channel Islands

    Listeners in the Channel Islands are waking up to a digital radio revolution as local DAB digital radio is switched on for the very first time across Jersey and Guernsey.

    The Islands’ DAB digital transmitters went live this weekend from Les Platons in Jersey and Les Touillets in Guernsey, broadcasting alongside the BBC’s existing national DAB transmitters, and bringing a huge expansion in radio listening choice.

    Over 20 additional stations are now available across the Channel Islands, on what is now the busiest local multiplex in the British Isles. These include Heart, Capital, Smooth and Virgin, bringing famous voices such as Jamie Theakston & Amanda Holden, Roman Kemp and Chris Evans to the Islands via a free-to-air terrestrial broadcast platform; existing FM favourites BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey, Channel 103 and Island FM; and additional new services from multiplex owner Nation Broadcasting, including the Islands’ only dedicated decades stations, Nation 70s, Nation 80s and Nation 90s.

    The new DAB network will broadcast all services in DAB+, an upgraded and more efficient version of DAB that enables a greater number of stations to be broadcast, and is the first of its kind to launch fully in DAB+, delivering a greater range of choice with more services than any of the UK’s equivalent local multiplexes. To listen to the services via the new DAB+ network, Islanders will need a DAB+ enabled digital radio or for those services previously available on the Channel Islands, they can continue to listen by their existing means.

    Listeners in Jersey, Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney will receive the new network thanks to three new transmitters located in Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney covering 82% of the population and 93% of roads. Whilst the transmitters in Jersey and Guernsey have launched today, the Alderney transmitter will launch later in the year. Islanders can confirm that they are in coverage of the new network by checking their postcode at www.getdigitalradio.com and may need to retune their digital radios to receive the stations on DAB+ for the first time

    Islanders will be able to enjoy new local services Soleil Radio, Bailiwick 1 and Bailiwick 2, in addition to their existing local favourites like BBC Radio Jersey, BBC Radio Guernsey, Channel 103 and Island FM, alongside some of the UK’s most popular commercial radio stations, including Heart, Capital, Nation Radio, Virgin Radio, Times Radio and talkSPORT.

    Jason Bryant, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Channel Islands multiplex parent company, Nation Broadcasting, said: “Digital radio has always meant more choice and we’re delighted to be offering such a great line up of famous radio brands, existing local favourites and innovative new local services to the Channel Islands.”

    Chris Burns, Head of Local BBC Radio, said: “For more than ten years the BBC has been broadcasting its national services on DAB to Channel Islands audiences, and we are delighted to be finally bringing BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey in digital broadcast quality as well. We know how fantastically popular these services are and no doubt audiences will be delighted to have the choice of digital alongside FM.”

    James Keen, Station Director, Tindle Radio, said: “We’re excited to bring the Channel Islands’ most popular stations Channel 103 and Island FM to digital radio. We know listeners love our music and the local news both services provide and now they can listen in digital quality. Plus we’re thrilled to be launching our new station Soleil Radio, the Channel Islands best place to relax. Favourite stations and new choices – it’s an exciting time for radio here in the Channel Islands!”

    Capital Breakfast’s Roman Kemp, said: “We’re so excited to bring Capital to a new audience in the Channel Islands and welcome our new listeners on DAB! Listeners can expect shows jam packed with their favourite hits and exclusive interviews with the world’s biggest artists.”

    Ford Ennals, CEO, Digital Radio UK, said: “The launch of the Channel Islands digital radio network is great news for listeners as it brings over 20 further stations to the Channel Islands on DAB+ for the first time. Radio station brands such as Virgin Radio, Heart, Smooth, Capital and Nation are among the very best broadcasting in the UK, while local stations BBC Radio Jersey, BBC Radio Guernsey, Channel 103 and Island FM have their finger on the pulse of life on the Islands today. This is a great time for Islanders to buy a new digital radio or smart speaker to make sure they don’t miss a thing from the great new line up of stations now on air on digital radio in the Channel Islands.”

  • MuxCo Awarded Morecambe Bay Multiplex Licence

    We’re pleased that Ofcom have today, 18th December, announced that MuxCo Cumbria Ltd has been awarded the local digital radio multiplex licence for Morecambe Bay.

    In the application we talk about launching the multiplex within twelve months of a successful award. We would hope to launch sooner, if possible, but this multiplex requires some new builds for our transmission partner, so we may have to use the full time.

    Capacity has been allocated to accommodate existing local analogue services from launch – BBC Radio Cumbria, Heart and Smooth. Six other services were also part of our application: Bay Radio, CandoFM and Bay Trust Radio alongside Fun Kids Junior, Chris Country Radio and Capital.

    Managing Director of MuxCo, Gregory Watson says: “We’re excited to bring local digital radio to the Morecambe Bay area and especially happy that the multiplex will combine local stations, community stations, popular digital services and new stations too”.

    If you’re interested in joining the multiplex, please do get in touch.

  • MuxCo Bids for Morecambe Bay and South Cumbria Licence

    MuxCo Cumbria Ltd, a joint application between MuxCo Ltd and Nation Broadcasting Ltd, has submitted an application to Ofcom to establish and operate a local DAB digital radio multiplex for Morecambe Bay and South Cumbria.

    MuxCo Cumbria’s proposal is to launch a multiplex within twelve months of a successful award, offering a minimum of nine services, which includes a mix of established local and national services, as well as new local stations.

    Capacity has been allocated to accommodate existing local analogue services from launch – BBC Radio Cumbria, Heart and Smooth. These services collectively account for 15.2% of total radio listening in Morecambe Bay.

    Capacity has also been allocated to bring a range of digital services that will broaden choice and expand the number of providers in the market.

    Individually and collectively, they cater for a wide range of tastes and interests. 6 new services are confirmed:

    MuxCo Cumbria will launch using four transmitters initially, which will cover 78% of the population.

    Gregory Watson, MuxCo’s Managing Director, said

    We are pleased to submit our application to bring local DAB to Morecambe Bay. Our proposals will bring a range of new services to the area – including a number of local community services as well as existing and new commercial services, helping broaden choice. We have capacity to enable further local services to broadcast and hope that if successful, we will launch with a wider range of stations.

    Jason Bryant, Executive Chairman Nation Broadcasting, said

    The Morecambe Bay multiplex will build on Muxco’s existing presence in the north west, extending choice for listeners across the patch. In particular, we look forward to introducing Bay Radio to Morecambe Bay, a brand new radio local service focussed on the needs of local people and led by Bill Johnston, one of the region’s most experienced radio professionals.

  • New multiplex for the Channel Islands

    Ofcom has today, 17th April, advertised a digital radio multiplex to broadcast to the Channel Islands – Jersey and Guernsey.

    MuxCo, working with the operators of Channel 103 and Island FM, will be applying for the licence in due course.

    As such, we are interested in hearing from potential radio stations who would like to broadcast on the multiplex. Please fill in this form to register your interest.

  • Festive Additions

    Our multiplex manager Nicky has been MuxCo’s very own Santa, busily adding a raft of festive stations to our multiplexes.

    On Surrey and South London we’ve added Christmas FM and Radio Marsden Christmas. We’ve also added Christmas FM to our Wrexham, Chester and Liverpool multiplex too.

    Over in North Yorkshire, Minster FM have launched a christmassy offspring in the form of Mince Pie Non-Stop supported by York Bid.

    We think one of the key of benefits of digital radio is flexibility. So as well as regular full-time stations, we have a short-term ‘RSL’ opportunity and then through Upload Radio (on Wrexham, Surrey and North Yorkshire) there’s the ability for people to even buy a single hour on digital radio.

  • Ipswich FM Licence

    In regards to Ofcom’s advertisement of an FM licence in Ipswich:

    MuxCo Suffolk‘s a big believer in local radio – whether that’s analogue or digital. With the recent changes to Town 102, there’s now no local commercial radio based in Ipswich, so we think there’s a great opportunity to create a brilliant station for the area that will be broadcast on FM and DAB Digital Radio.

    We’ve been talking to people and businesses across Ipswich and we look forward to sharing our plans soon.

    Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

  • Digital Radio in Manchester

    We’ve put out this press release this morning about our desire for Ofcom to advertise another local multiplex for Manchester.

    DAB Digital Radio has had a great few years with both increased listening and a strong demand for capacity from existing and new operators. We’ve been supportive of the small scale DAB trial – which has also shown demand from community and other operators to broadcast to limited geographies.

    We believe that there’s also demand for additional traditionally-sized commercial multiplexes in places where there are large numbers of listeners, but a lack of space for new entrants who want robust city-wide coverage. We’re encouraging Ofcom to make more spectrum available.

    If you agree – please tell us, by emailing [email protected].

    MuxCo looks to Ofcom to advertise a second Manchester-wide multiplex

    MuxCo, one of the UK’s largest operators of local DAB digital radio multiplexes, has announced today (8th December) it is seeking to launch an additional Manchester multiplex to complement the city’s current multiplex operated by CE Digital.

    MuxCo – which runs the adjacent Wrexham, Chester and Liverpool multiplex – is talking to Ofcom, MPs and the radio industry about why a second commercial Manchester multiplex should be advertised. Its three shareholders have agreed to work together towards a new Manchester DAB multiplex. They already operate a number of analogue and digital stations in the North West and also provide services to the small scale Manchester trial multiplex. If advertised and awarded to MuxCo, a second Manchester multiplex would enjoy economies of scale to aid scale and affordability for new local services in the city.

    The MuxCo philosophy is about engaging local operators with digital radio, as both shareholders and service providers. The MuxCo Wrexham, Chester and Liverpool multiplex currently provides eight local commercial services – six of which are new to the area or extensions of community services – alongside the two Welsh services from the BBC. The multiplex is supportive of DAB+, with three services currently broadcasting in stereo using that technology.

    Gregory Watson, Managing Director of MuxCo, says “Manchester is a thriving media market and its current multiplex is full. It is inequitable that whilst London has three local multiplexes offering a fantastic array of stations, Manchester has just the one city-wide multiplex. We already have enough interested operators to comfortably make a second Manchester multiplex viable”.

    Jason Bryant, Executive Chairman of Nation Broadcasting said; “Competitive media markets such as Manchester are important to Nation Broadcasting’s future strategy. The current Manchester multiplex is full and its current operator has no ambition to upgrade to DAB+, stifling innovation. A second city wide multiplex would open up competition for local businesses and provide listeners with a fresh variety of new services”.

    Dee 106.3 Director Chris Hurst said “Manchester did have two multiplexes – with the original MXR North West multiplex and the citywide one. It is a fact that choice has actually reduced for listeners and prospective radio operators and we want to fill the market gap that clearly exists”.

  • Suffolk DAB Starts

    Our final local multiplex, in Suffolk, will start test transmissions on Friday 30th September 2016 before it’s official launch on the 7th October.

    It will broadcast six radio stations to around 400,000 people. These will include:

    • BBC Radio Suffolk
    • Heart
    • Smooth Radio
    • Chris Country
    • Fun Kids
    • Suffolk First (a new service from Lincs FM)

    All stations will broadcast in “original flavour” DAB.

    Gregory Watson, Managing Director of MuxCo says: “We’re excited to be activiating our 10th MuxCo-branded multiplex in Suffolk at the end of the month. We’re already broadcasting over 60 radio stations to millions of people across the network and we’re looking forward to bringing local DAB to another county”.

    There’s more information in our Suffolk section.

  • Further August 2016 Changes

    It continues to be a busy month in August for the network.

    This week we have updated Jack and Jack 2 on our Surrey multiplex to broadcast in the newer flavour of DAB Digital Radio – DAB+. This will mean that older radios may lose the service, or see it described as ‘Unavailable’.

    To hear DAB+ services you need a modern tick-mark enabled digital radio.

    On our North Wales multiplex we’re also pleased to have added Capital Cymru, the Welsh-language variant of Capital FM. With new transmitters launching in North Wales, there’s never been a better time for it to join the line up.