<div dir="ltr"><p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        Ofcom has today confirmed <a href="http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/small-scale-dab/statement/Small_scale_DAB_trials_statement.pdf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(43,166,203)" target="_blank">plans</a> for
 trials of a new technology that could provide small radio stations 
across the UK with an affordable way to broadcast on DAB digital radio.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        Known as ‘small scale DAB’, the new approach is best suited for 
broadcasting to small geographic areas, ideal for community and local 
radio stations.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        Small scale DAB is cheaper than current systems because it is uses software freely available from <a href="http://opendigitalradio.org" target="_blank">opendigitalradio.org</a>, rather than relying on often expensive hardware equipment.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        Ofcom is planning up to ten UK trials which will help inform Ofcom’s 
work on identifying suitable frequencies for broadcasting smaller 
digital stations and help understand how these services could be 
licensed.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is funding Ofcom’s work on how small stations could access DAB digital radio.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        Ofcom is today inviting <a href="http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/radio/digital/small-scale-trial-multiplex-licensing/Application_form.rtf" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(43,166,203)" target="_blank">applications</a> to take part in the trials, which are expected to run for nine months. The deadline for applications is <b>3pm on 7 April 2015</b>.</p>
<p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">
        A <a href="http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/small-scale-dabradio/" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(43,166,203)" target="_blank">news release</a> is available on Ofcom’s website.</p><p style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:normal;font-size:12px">\\<br></p><div><div class="gmail_signature">Community Media Association<br>-- <br><a href="http://www.commedia.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.commedia.org.uk/</a><br><a href="http://twitter.com/community_media" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/community_media</a><br><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation</a><br><br>Canstream Internet Radio &amp; Video<br><a href="http://www.canstream.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.canstream.co.uk/</a><br><a href="https://twitter.com/canstream" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/canstream</a></div></div>
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