UK

More bidders emerge for Bournemouth small-scale DAB multiplex

Two more bidders have announced their intensions to bid for the upcoming small-scale DAB multiplex for Bournemouth.
Locally-based Bournemouth Digital Radio is backed by radio professionals with decades of experience, who have already been successful in other areas of the UK.
BDR’s Chief Executive, James Ross says: “Having been brought up in Bournemouth, it has always been my ambition to see more local radio choices here, and to bring additional radio services to the area, and I hope that this will be our chance. We are putting together a very strong application so we can offer the best possible service to listeners in Bournemouth”.
Chairman of Hospital Radio Bedside, Gary Plummer who is a director of BDR says “Hospital Radio Bedside will be excited to join with Bournemouth Digital Radio, should they be successful in the bid, as HRB evolves into becoming a health and wellbeing radio station. This new DAB radio venture will allow HRB to broadcast to the wider community of Bournemouth & Boscombe”.
Additionally, Bournemouth-based broadcaster Tim Butcher is a director of BDR. Tim hosted the 2CRFM Breakfast Show for many years and later presented for Original 106 and BBC Radio Solent. He is now a broadcast consultant, advising radio stations on expanding operations and launching new ventures.
Tim is an advocate of more radio choice and says: “Bournemouth has sadly seen a reduction in local stations over recent years. Bournemouth Digital Radio offers the opportunity for more local and community stations to launch and to reflect life in this amazing area of the South, that we call home.”
Bournemouth Digital Radio is also receiving support from other radio stations who will bring a range of diverse services to the Multiplex including Forest FM, Radio Wimborne, Gaydio, London Music Radio, and many more.
The company says any existing Ofcom-licenced community FM radio stations will be entitled to free carriage on BDR’s multiplex, in return for their support for the application. Email james@bournemouthdigital.radio for more details.
In addition, BH Community DAB is also applying for the Bournemouth licence, made up of Hospital Radio Bedside and Hope FM in Bournemouth, along with Hot Radio and broadcast engineering company Wide FM in Poole.
Kevin Scott, CEO of the Hot Radio Family, and Director of BH Community DAB says: “I believe it is imperative that this new community asset stays in the hands of the community, enabling us to offer an accessible and affordable DAB platform for community radio stations, as well as current radio broadcast providers from all sectors.”
Operations Manager at Hope FM, and fellow BH Community DAB Director, Dan Withey says: “It’s exciting that community interest radio stations throughout BCP and Dorset will finally get an affordable route into local DAB broadcasting – this has simply not been an option for many of us until now.”
Hospital Radio Bedside Chairman, Gary Plummer commented: “HRB is excited to be part of this new venture. Part of our strategy is to develop ourselves as a community-based health and wellbeing-based radio station, and offers HRB an amazing opportunity for us to connect with our wider community.”
More details via info@bhcommunitydab.co.uk. […]

UK

Bauer plans rebrands for Scala Radio and Magic Chilled

The Scala Radio brand will be no more later this year as Bauer makes plans to change the station name to Magic Classical.

At the same time, Magic Chilled will also change its name to Hits Radio Chilled, playing laid back hits and throwbacks.
Programming and presenters will stay the same on both stations, which broadcast across the UK on SDL.
Scala Radio launched in 2019 and peaked at 400,000 listeners in 2021, before dropping to its currently weekly reach under 200,000.
Gary Stein, Director of Audio said: “As Magic Classical, Scala Radio will continue to bring its loyal listeners a playlist of familiar masters alongside contemporary classical music, whilst introducing the fantastic talent on the station to a whole new family of listeners.”
There will be no team changes and current Scala Radio Content Director Nick Pitts will become Content Director for Magic Classical alongside his same role at Jazz FM. […]

UK

Radioplayer releases app for Apple Vision Pro devices

Radioplayer’s new app specifically designed for Apple Vision Pro debuts today across several European countries and Canada.

The app introduces a virtual radio device that users can place within their own reality, enhancing the immersive experience of listening to their favorite radio stations.
“At Radiodays Europe in Munich this March, we unveiled our new technology and product platform for cars and connected devices,” said OJ Torvmark, Head of Product at Radioplayer.
“Launching our app today alongside Apple’s Vision Pro demonstrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of radio technology. This integration allows us to offer a unique, spatial radio experience that transforms how users interact with audio content.”
Yann Legarson, CEO of Radioplayer, added: “By embracing Apple Vision Pro, we’re ensuring that radio remains central to the future of digital experiences.
“Our goal is to make radio accessible everywhere, enriching listener engagement and setting new standards in radio innovation.”
The app launched today in the UK, France, Germany and Canada. […]

UK

Gaydio joins small-scale DAB radio platform in Liverpool

Gaydio has been added to the small-scale DAB multiplex in Liverpool.

The station, which is based in Manchester and broadcasts up-beat dance and pop and speech from an LGBTQ+ perspective, can now be heard via DAB+ across the city.
To celebrate the launch, Gaydio is partnering with LCR Pride for this year’s celebration of the LGBTQ+ community across the Liverpool City Region.
Speaking of the launch, Kriss Herbert-Noble, Network Content Director and mid-morning presenter said: “It’s great Gaydio will be on DAB+ across Liverpool and more queer people can now tune in for the best in LGBTQ+ entertainment, news and of course music.
“We look forward to doing more with the LGBTQ+ community in Liverpool!” […]

UK

Jay Crawford takes time out following cancer diagnoses

Scottish radio executive Jay Crawford is taking time out following a prostate cancer diagnoses.
Jay, who will be celebrating his 50th anniversary in commercial radio later this year, currently runs Edge Media in Edinburgh.
He began his career at Radio Forth in 1974 and will be taking a break from the business to go into hospital for surgery and treatment.
“It looks like it’s been caught early enough but I may be off for two or three months to recuperate” Jay told RadioToday.
Edge Media Group operates edge1, a hit music station, and edge2, a classic hits station.
Jay previously also held executive roles at Global, GMG Radio and Scot FM, and is a Radio Academy Fellow. […]

UK

Poole’s Hot Radio remains in breach for insufficient local content

Ofcom has found Poole’s Hot Radio in breach of its Key Commitments for the second time in 12 months for continuing to broadcast insufficient content specifically about Poole.

The community radio station says it wants to focus on two further areas – Christchurch over 10 miles away from Poole, and the larger town of Bournemouth to the east of Poole.
But Ofcom says the station must do what it was licensed to do – provide a radio service for the people of Poole, which has a population of over 140,000 people.
After listening to recordings of the station in March 2024, Ofcom found that there was insufficient content to distinguish the service from a service targeting the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area. Though there were examples of Poole being mentioned directly regarding local events, much of the focus was on other areas, specifically Bournemouth which is outside of the coverage area.
Since 2019, Poole has been part of a new unitary authority known as BCP, bringing three towns together as one conurbation, something which the station wants Ofcom to recognise and agree to a coverage area increase.
But even though Ofcom has not agreed to change its FM coverage area, the station continues to provide content for the wider area.
The station is official partner for events outside Poole, including the Bournemouth Air Festival and the Dorset Wine Festival, based in Christchurch, and promotes other events and businesses in places which have their own local community radio stations such as Wimborne and Ferndown in east Dorset.
Since its last breach, Hot Radio says it has introduced a feature called “Positive news from Poole” however, Ofcom commented that for the week monitored it considered that the Licensee had not met its character of service to focus on Poole.
Hot Radio has managed to change part of its Key Commitments by removing the word ‘bulletin’ from its requirement to provide ‘news bulletins’, but again, Ofcom says, even with the word “bulletins” removed from the Licensee’s Key Commitments, there is still a requirement to broadcast news, including local news from Poole.
Ofcom concluded: “We are concerned that just under a year later the Licensee has failed to make all necessary changes to its content to come into compliance with its current Key Commitments, although we acknowledge that the Licensee is now meeting its music commitment and has improved its adherence to its character of service. Furthermore, with the recent approval of Hot Radio’s Key Commitment change to omit the word “bulletins” from its speech requirement we expect it to be more able to meet this requirement going forwards.
“We therefore expect the Licensee to work to rectify these issues immediately. We will monitor this service to ensure that Hot Radio is complying with the Key Commitments.” […]