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DAB local radio gaps

Whilst most of the country does have operating local radio digital services, there is now a dispute about who is expected to provide them for the 2015 radio switchover target.

Whilst most of the country does have operating local radio digi
published on UK Free TV

There are some areas with no operating local DAB multiplex - this means that there are no local commercial radio stations on DAB, and also no BBC services.

The provision of these multiplexes was intended to be provided by commercial operators, but there has been a recent DAB promotion dispute due to some radio stations wanting the BBC to operate the multiplexes.

It should be noted that the commercial operators may wish the BBC to do this, but the BBC would require approval of the BBC Trust and Ofcom, and of course the money would need to come from somewhere.

Here is a list of the areas concerned:

England

BBC Radio Cumbria

No plans for DAB service exist, currently on 95.6 FM, 96.1 FM and 104.1 FM.

BBC Radio York

Planed to be on the not-yet-operating North Yorkshire (North West) commercial radio multiplex, currently on 103.7 FM and 95.5 FM.

BBC Radio Lincolnshire

Planned to be on the not-yet-operating Lincolnshire commercial radio multiplex, currently on 94.9 FM and 104.7 FM.

BBC Radio Derby

Planned to be carried on the Derbyshire commercial radio multiplex, currently on 104.5 FM, 95.3 FM and 96 FM.

BBC Hereford & Worcester

To be carried on the Hereford and Worcester commercial radio multiplex, when operational. Analogue services on 104 FM and 94.7 FM.

BBC Radio Northampton

Will be carried on the Northamptonshire multiplex when operational, currently on 104.2 FM and 103.6 FM.

Places without BBC local radio on DAB

BBC Three Counties Radio

To be carried on the Herts, Beds+Bucks commercial multiplex when operational, current services on 95.5 FM, 103.8 FM and 104.5 FM.

BBC Radio Suffolk

No plans for DAB service to replace 95.5 FM and 104.6 FM

BBC Radio Surrey

To be carried on two commercial multiplexes, Guildford and Surrey+North Sussex, when operational, currently analogue on 104 FM and 104.6 FM.

BBC Radio Oxford

Planned for carriage on the Oxfordshire commercial multiplex, when operational, on 95.2 FM currently.

BBC Radio Gloucestershire

Planned to be carried on the Gloucestershire commercial multiplex, when operating. Currently broadcast on 104.7 FM and 1413 AM.

BBC Radio Somerset

No plans to supplement 95.5 FM and1566 AM currently.

Channel Islands

BBC Guernsey

No plans to add digital services to 93.2 FM and 1116 AM.

BBC Jersey

No plans to add digital services to 88.8 FM and 1026 MW.

Wales

BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru

Operating on Cardiff+Newport and Swansea multiplexes, but both radio stations awaiting three commercial multiplexes to be operating: Mid+West Wales, NE Wales+Chester and North Wales to complete coverage.

Northern Ireland

Radio Foyle

Running six month DAB test service in addition to 93.1 FM and 792 MW.

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Comments
Sunday, 13 October 2013
M
Mark
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

8:47 AM

Stephen Lee:

The Derbyshire multiplex should start broadcasting by the end of 2013.

The remaining 2013 expected launch dates are:

Gloucestershire 18 Oct 13
Hereford & Worcester Nov 13
Surrey Dec 13
Derbyshire Dec 13

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Mark's 181 posts GB flag
Thursday, 13 November 2014
N
Nedbod
sentiment_satisfiedGold

7:17 PM

I think you will now find the 2015 SWITCHOVER won't be happening until 2020 (AT THE EARLIEST). Quite rightly so with DAB / DAB + in such a mess and FM offering superior sound quality on some national stations in the evening and overnight

link to this comment
Nedbod's 619 posts GB flag
N
Nedbod
sentiment_satisfiedGold

7:19 PM

Brian what is this number ****764044 which is now appearing at the end of my messages ?

link to this comment
Nedbod's 619 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
N
Nedbod
7:13 PM

Not quite as the BBC World Service overnight broadcast on BBC Radio 4 DAB & FM and on BBC Radio Wales DAB & FM can vary slightly from mainstream BBC World Service on its own DAB multiplex. Also the former are all now in (((STEREO))) whereas BBC World Service DAB is not able to broadcast in (((STEREO))) at just 64kbps. Similarly BBC Radio 5 LIVE has always been in MONO on DAB and MW/M (which does not do stereo) . but IS in (((STEREO))) overnight on BBC Local Radio and BBC Radio Cymru on FM & DAB. Crazy !!

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Nedbod's 6 posts GB flag
N
Nedbod
7:31 PM

I notice that since last autumn many transmitters broadcasting BBC Radio 3 FM in Wales have replaced BBC Radio 3 FM with BBC Radio Wales FM. This means that listeners in adjoining areas in England, such as Cheshire (on 91.1 MHz), west Lancashire, Shropshire, Hereford & Worcester, Gloucester & Somerset, as well as Wales itself) can hear Janice Long (on Mon-Thu 8pm until 10pm, except when there is live sport on air), following the axing of her After Midnight Show on BBC Radio 2, on the grounds that the BBC could no longer afford to do LIVE broadcasting at that time. Odd that, as a few months later they resumed live broadcasting with O J Borg ? Alex Lester who also got the chop from the same slot on Fri, Sat & Sun mornings (12:02am till 3am) now only broadcasts on "BBC Across the West Midlands" (on West Midlands BBC Local Radio stations, from Sat at 10pm until Sunday at 1am. But BBC Radio Stoke can also be received from the North West Winter Hill; transmitter on Freeview Channel 726, so if you live in the North-West you can either listen live to Alex or record him on your box if it has that facility. These shows are also on BBC SOUNDS across the world, both live and for 30 days.

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Nedbod's 6 posts GB flag
N
Nedbod
7:46 PM

Not sure why the BBC have launched a brand new radio station in Wales, BBC RADIO CYMRU 2, when its programmes are exactly the same as BBC RADIO CYMRU apart from two hours in the mornings ? I thought the BBC were hard up and they are slashing Radio 4's budget left right and centre according to Feedback on BBC Radio 4 (Fridays 4:30pm and Sundays 8:00pm) . Similarly Scotland now have two extra TV channels (BBC Scotland and Alba), both in HD and have their National 6:30pm programmes in HD, whereas the English regions have fewer channels (have lost BBC iii on TV) and have their local news in SD only, even though the population of NW England is actually more than the whole of Wales or Scotland (ditto London). THere is much duplication of services in other areas too. BBC ONE is broadcasting BBC NEWS Channel's programmes overnight and BBC TWO and the BBC NEWS CHANNEL are identical from 9am until 11:30am most weekdays . BBC SCOTLAND broadcasts BBC TWO most days between 12:15pm and 7pm. What a total waste of money, power and HD ?

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Nedbod's 6 posts GB flag
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