<div dir="ltr"><p>Radio listeners in ten areas around the country will benefit from new
DAB digital stations as part of an Ofcom trial this summer.</p>
<p>Ofcom today announced that around 60 stations will begin broadcasting
on digital radio for the first time using 'small scale DAB'. This new
approach could provide a more affordable way for smaller stations to
broadcast on DAB digital radio.</p>
<p>The trials, a further step in the development of this new technology,
are designed to test how it operates and understand how smaller radio
stations could work together.</p>
<p>If the trials are successful, UK listeners could benefit from
hundreds more local and community radio stations on digital radio in the
future. </p>
<h2>Demand for digital </h2>
<p>Ofcom has awarded ten trial licences for radio 'multiplexes' –
discrete chunks of the airwaves used to broadcast several radio
services. </p>
<p>This will enable groups of community, online and local commercial
radio stations to work together and bring new stations to local areas
from Norfolk to Glasgow and Cambridge to Manchester. </p>
<p>The stations are expected to begin broadcasting on DAB digital radio
from the summer for a period of nine months. Each successful applicant
now has 12 weeks to launch their multiplex. Ofcom will then work with
Government to decide on the next steps for the new approach to radio
broadcasting. </p>
<p>Peter Davies, Ofcom Director of Content Policy, said: "There's been
huge interest in these trials, which are another step in bringing new
local services to digital radio listeners.</p>
<p>"Ofcom is helping unlock the potential of this new approach and, if
it proves successful, millions of radio listeners could benefit right
across the UK."</p>
<p>The successful applicants are: </p>
<ul><li><strong>Angel Radio</strong>, bringing Angel Xtra, Express FM, JAMM Radio, Mango Vibe, The Flash and Triple Hits to <strong>Portsmouth</strong>. </li><li><strong>BFBS Aldershot</strong>, bringing BFBS Aldershot, BFBS Radio, BFBS Gurkha, Radio Frimley Park, Radio Woking and The Breeze to <strong>Aldershot</strong>.</li><li><strong>Brighton & Hove Radio</strong>, bringing Juice 107.2, Radio Reverb, Smile Sussex, Totallyradio, Resonance and Brighton City Student Radio to <strong>Brighton & Hove</strong>.</li><li><strong>Celador Radio</strong>, bringing Hub Radio, BFBS Gurkha, Ujima Radio, BSR 103.4fm, BCfm 93.2, Somer Valley Radio, The Breeze and BFBS Radio to <strong>Bristol</strong>. </li><li><strong>Future Digital Norfolk</strong>, bringing Future Radio, Norwich 99.9, The Music Machine, Solar Radio, Jazz FM, Totallyradio and Future Plus to <strong>Norfolk</strong>.</li><li><strong>Niocast Digital</strong>, bringing Panjab Radio, Revolution
96.2, Manchester Business Radio, The Steve Penk Wind-Up Channel, Chris
Country and Gaydio to <strong>Manchester</strong>.</li><li><strong>Switch Radio</strong>, bringing Switch Radio, Scratch Radio, Gaydio, Oak FM and Touch FM to <strong>Birmingham</strong>.</li><li><strong>Scrimshaws Information Directories</strong>, bringing Your Radio, Celtic Music Radio, Pulse FM and Go Radio to <strong>Glasgow</strong>. </li><li><strong>U.DAB</strong>, bringing Resonance, London Greek Radio, Rinse FM, NuSound Radio, Reprezent, Solar Radio and Crackers Radio to <strong>London</strong>.</li><li><strong>UKRD</strong>, bringing Star Radio, Gaydio, Chris Country, Core Radio and Cambridge 105 to <strong>Cambridge</strong>.</li></ul>
<h2>Making digital broadcasting more affordable </h2>
<p>Currently, the cost of broadcasting on DAB is beyond the reach of many small radio stations. </p>
<p>But a new approach, pioneered in the UK by Ofcom engineer Rashid
Mustapha, means that small scale radio stations could start broadcasting
on DAB radio for a fraction of current costs. </p>
<p>The new approach is cheaper than current systems because it uses
software freely available from <a href="http://opendigitalradio.org">opendigitalradio.org</a> and equipment that
costs around £6,000. While stations also have to budget for running
costs - such as site rental, maintenance and electricity - small scale
DAB is a much more affordable way for smaller stations to broadcast on
digital radio.</p>
<h2>The UK's first small scale DAB experiment</h2>
<p>The UK's first experimental small scale DAB multiplex was set up in
2012. Ofcom engineer Rashid Mustapha was granted a test licence and
installed a low power digital radio transmitter on a Brighton roof-top. </p>
<p>The test successfully delivered a reliable, high quality digital
radio broadcast. The test transmission was an audio track of squawking
seagulls.</p>
<p>The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/go-digital-conference-16-december-2013-check-against-delivery">funding</a> Ofcom's work on how small stations could access DAB digital radio and the equipment available for these trials.</p>
<h2>Digital radio in the UK</h2>
<p>Almost half of UK adults (48.9%) say they now own a digital DAB radio set and 39.6% of all radio listening is digital. </p>
<p>The first national commercial DAB multiplex, operated by Digital One, now carries 14 digital radio stations, and a <a href="http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/dab-mux-apps/">second national commercial DAB multiplex</a> is expected to launch early next year. The BBC also operates its own digital multiplex, carrying the BBC digital stations.</p>
<p>As well as increasing the capacity for national digital radio, Ofcom is supporting the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-dab-network-expansion-2015-16">Local DAB Expansion Plan</a> which will bring local DAB radio services from commercial broadcasters and the BBC to even more UK homes.<br></p>Source:<a href="http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/60-dab-trials/"> http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/60-dab-trials/</a><br><br>\\<br><br><div><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 & 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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