[cma-l] Fwd: Ofcom to invite small scale DAB testers

[Martin Steers]

Very Interesting!

http://radiotoday.co.uk/2014/10/ofcom-to-invite-small-scale-dab-testers/

*Small-scale DAB is to get a boost as Ofcom prepares to licence a number of
smaller multiplexes.*

The regulator will launch a consultation next week inviting stations to be
part of the test, which will give existing stations a chance to go on DAB
for a nine month period.

Peter Davies, Director of Content Policy at Ofcom, speaking at the Tech Con
event in Salford today, said: “There are around 150 small scale radio and
200 or more community radio stations and for them the existing multiplex
structure just doesn’t work.

“We want to give those stations a chance to go digital, and we’d like to
see community and commercial stations working together,” he said.

Peter started off his session by admitting that DAB has not been a good
platform for small scale radio so far and this new consultation will take a
look at the licence conditions and awards process.

Trials will be for nine months and ofcom will provide equipment but not
operating and installation costs. Once a station has been awarded a trial,
they will be expected to be on-air within 12 months.

More details will be released by Ofcom next week, when we’ll update this
story.
*Posted on Monday, October 13th, 2014 at 3:02 pm by Radio Today UK
<http://radiotoday.co.uk/author/radiotoday/>. *
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