News

A new joint venture between Radio Ashford, Nation Broadcasting and Kent Capacity Co Ltd will be applying for the small-scale DAB licence covering the Ashford & Dungeness area of Kent. The new company is Ashford DAB Limited and will be submitting an application to Ofcom before the closing date of the current round which is June 30th 2023. Richard Collins, Director of Radio Ashford, said: “Bringing small-scale DAB to the Ashford area is an exciting opportunity that will allow us to further develop our service and, working with our partners, enhance the choice of radio services available in the area. Radio has been an important part of local life for many years, and our bid will help ensure that radio remains a strong local friend for many years to come.”

Southdown Radio is a new DAB+ digital station for Brighton and Hove with the local community at the forefront of its output. Broadcasting local news and information plus an unbeatable choice of songs throughout the day – from the rock and roll giants to today’s biggest hits – the station is fast becoming a must listen for the whole city. The station was born out of lockdown by radio programmer and presenter Mark Walker and broadcasters Sean Bolger and Peter Quinn. The trio saw an opportunity to offer the city a sophisticated, community-focused station with a unique variety of music – a combination which isn’t available anywhere else on the dial.

Macclesfield and East Cheshire’s Silk Radio is marking its 25th anniversary with an expansion of its coverage broadcasting on DAB. The station, which launched on 25 May 1998, is now available on DAB digital on the South Cheshire and Moorlands multiplexes. Silk Radio’s CEO Chris Hurst said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating our 25th birthday with such a significant milestone for the station. DAB digital radio will allow us to reach more listeners than ever before and offer them a better sound quality and more choice.”

Three Aylesbury Vale radio stations are set to go digital, following a decision from Ofcom, which has awarded Bucks DAB Ltd a licence to operate the small-scale DAB multiplex for North Bucks. This means Bucks Radio, Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio and 3Bs Radio, which covers Buckingham, Brackley and Bicester, will be able to be heard on DAB digital radios – along with a host of other new and local radio stations. Richard Carr, managing director of Bucks Radio, said: "A DAB licence was always in our plans, but we've had to wait patiently for the broadcast area to be advertised, and then again while the application was reviewed and then approved. Bucks Radio has gone from strength to strength since its launch in February 2021, and today's news will enable us to continue to grow and increase our potential audience."

With immediate effect, the digital radio test bouquet of the operator "Regionalradio BW" on channel 12B is also in operation from the Brackenheim/Güglingen telecommunications tower near Heilbronn, in addition to the Abstatt location. This means that the pilot can now be heard on DAB+ digital radio between Heilbronn and Stuttgart. With 13 channels, Regionalradio BW is testing small scale DAB and the population warning EWF. The trial is initially limited until 30 June 2023.

A group of local broadcasters in and around Northumberland have come together to apply the area’s small-scale DAB licence. Northumberland Community Digital has been created to oversee the application and if successful will put Koast Radio, Radio Northumberland, Frisk Radio, Lionheart Radio and others on DAB for the first time. One of the main organisers is Richard Finch, who is part of the team at Tyneside Community Digital – the company which recently switched on its own DAB transmitters in Newcastle and Gateshead. Richard said: “I’m delighted to help bring this exciting new service to the people of Northumberland. Small Scale DAB will bring a diverse range of new and local radio stations, increasing listener choice and helping to build stronger communities.”

East Sussex Digital Radio Ltd has announced its intention to bid for the new DAB radio multiplex licence covering Eastbourne, Newhaven, Hailsham and Lewes. The licence is being advertised by Ofcom with any new services likely to be on-air in 2024. East Sussex Digital Radio is made up of OpenDAB Brighton & Hove, who pioneered low cost digital radio transmission in the UK - and since 2015 have run the Brighton DAB trial licence, Total Sense Media, operator of local radio stations across Sussex (More Radio/More Radio Retro) for over twenty years and well-established community stations Seahaven FM and Hailsham FM.

Licences for small-scale DAB multiplexes have been awarded in Banbury & Bicester, North Buckinghamshire, North Pembrokeshire and South Pembrokeshire. The awards this week take the total awards in Round Four to 19, with five more to go in this round – Bath, Berwickshire, Boston, Derby and East Fife.

Community radio stations are coming together around North East Essex to back an application for small-scale DAB for the Colchester and Clacton area. A new company has been set up to apply for the licence, and is managed by Martin Steers who comes from Colchester originally. He told RadioToday: “It’s great that the area has the opportunity to have it’s own local DAB transmitters, and I’m really excited to hear new and existing stations start broadcasting across the area.” Partnering on the North East Essex Digital Radio bid is local community radio station Colne Radio which currently serves Colchester, Wivenhoe, and the Tendring area on 106.6FM

A new company has been set up to apply for the recently advertised Sittingbourne & the Medway Towns small-scale DAB licence. Medway & Swale DAB Limited, a joint venture between Sittingbourne Community Radio Ltd and Kent Capacity Co Ltd, is also supported by several other community radio stations in the local area including Sheppey FM on the Isle Of Sheppey. Peter Flynn, Director of Sittingbourne Community Radio Ltd said: “Our vision for small-scale DAB is a diverse collection of radio stations, with a ‘local first’ approach which will deliver an amazing choice of locally programmed radio services, as well as services from further afield, for listeners across the area to enjoy.” Sittingbourne & the Medway Towns is one of 32 areas recently advertised in Round 5 of the small-scale DAB process.