“The DAB extension is only a box ticking exercise by Global, owners of Heart, to keep the commercial licence to broadcast into North Devon from their countywide base in Exeter. This saved them going head to head with the Voice for the rights to broadcast commercially in North Devon.
What does it actually mean for the consumer, the listener? More choice – yes. Now we have about a dozen new radio stations via digital radio. Whilst that is good for consumer choice and competition – is it any real benefit to North Devon and the economies of North Devon?
On FM when a radio station broadcasts it is on a frequency. A digital radio station broadcasts on a multiplex. This new multiplex is called a “Local” multiplex. Look at the line up of stations : 2 stations belong to Absolute Radio – these are national ; Kiss and XFM are national ; Capital – the shows that we receive are broadcast from Southampton or London ; Gold Devon – is nothing more than another national service broadcast from London which may have advertisers from Devon on it ; Heart Devon (which at the time of writing only broadcasts the advertisers from Exeter on the DAB multiplex – so will we hear North Devon advertisers on this service) and BBC Radio Devon.
As for the Voice – yes we are looking at the practicalities to broadcast digitally – but as yet – similar to the request for a community licence – neither OFCOM nor its engineering partners have supplied with the necessary documentation and information for us to make any final decision.”
IAN STARLING
Joint MD – The Voice North Devon Ltd
