One applicant for North Wales DAB mux

Ofcom has received one application for the North Wales local digital radio multiplex licence, that being from MuxCo North Wales Limited.

Shareholders in MuxCo North Wales Limited are Town and Country Broadcasting Limited (70%) and MuxCo Ltd (30%)

MuxCo North Wales Limited is proposing to provide six local digital sound programme services, in addition to BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, including the broadcasts of UCB UK.

They also propose to provide "a wide selection of speech and music podcasts provided by a range of companies".

MuxCo North Wales Limited proposes to commence its service with all six local digital sound programme services within two years of licence award, using a network of two transmitters which it estimates will provide total 'outdoor' coverage of 50% of the adult population of the licensed area.

The full application for this licence will be published on the Ofcom website shortly and Ofcom seeks views on the application by 6 June 2008.

UCB to extend DAB reach in England and Wales

United Christian Broadcasters Limited (UCB) has secured DAB Digital radio capacity on MXR, covering five major regions and potentially reaching another 17.6 million people with the Gospel.

UCB is to extend its DAB Digital radio broadcasting reach across England and Wales with the addition of five regions which, with its existing London and Stoke licences, will mean that many of the UK's major cities will now be able to hear Christian radio, most of them for the first time.

UCB will commence broadcasting in the new regions on October 1st 2007 taking UCB's potential audience for its Christian radio output on the DAB Digital radio network to just under 30 million adults, according to Ofcom.

MXR Limited, which operates the five DAB Digital radio networks, covering almost 18 million adults, invited UCB to apply for access to their North East, North West, Yorkshire, West Midlands and Severn Estuary regions in March.

'We are really pleased to see UCB become a content provider on our multiplexes,' says Diane Wray, MXR Limited's Managing Director.'UCB is a quality broadcaster and they are bringing something new and exciting to these regions.'

Two Radio Stations
UCB is actually launching two radio stations across the five regions: UCB UK and UCB Inspirational. UCB UK is UCB's 'flagship' station which is currently being broadcast on DAB Digital radio across London and much of Staffordshire.

UCB's 21-year vision for national Christian radio broadcasting remains a driving force for the organisation and its many supporters.

'We set our sights on providing national Christian broadcasting back in 1986 and more recently determined we needed two very different radio formats to ensure we were able to meet the needs of all our supporters, regardless of their age,' says Ian Mackie, UCB's Chief Executive.
'This breakthrough takes us a long way to achieving both objectives.'

Towns and cities able to receive UCB's DAB Digital radio broadcasts for the first time will include Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry, Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath.

Web Links

• MXR Ltd
• UCB
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