Category: Digital Radio
Go Digital summer campaign launches
Don’t miss a thing of the amazing summer of music and sport with digital radio.
That’s the message of the summer digital radio communications campaign that is being launched on Saturday 30 June by both BBC and commercial radio.
Hadley, Kershaw & Decker join Absolute 80s
80s singers Tony Hadley, Nik Kershaw and Carol Decker have all signed up to present shows for Absolute Radio’s digital station playing music from the decade.
Former Spandau Ballet frontman Hadley will host an 80s Party on Saturday nights from 21st July, while Kershaw joins the station for a month to present an hour each Sunday evening through July.
PURE parent company profits up 53 percent
The company that owns digital radio manufacturer PURE has reported an increase in profits of more than 50 percent.
Imagination Technologies made £36.8m before tax in the year to 30 April 2012, with revenues up nearly a third to £127.5m.
Sting backs Amazing Radio DAB return
Sting has thrown his support behind a campaign to save digital radio station Amazing Radio, after it ended broadcasts on DAB last month.
The Newcastle-based station went online only in mid-May after a contractual dispute with Digital One multiplex owners Arqiva.
Planet Rock to charge for programmes
Digital station Planet Rock has announced plans to charge £5 a month for an VIP club, which will provide listeners with extra ad-free programmes and content online.
Daily shows will be offered to subscribers, as well as live session recordings and video content.
Jazz FM secures Virgin Holidays Cruises
Jazz FM has signed a three-month sponsorship deal with Virgin Holidays Cruises to sponsor its Jazz Travels show.
As part of the deal Jazz FM will also broadcast a series of ads to promote the holiday provider’s offers.
GaydarRadio goes non-stop for jubilee
Digital station GaydarRadio is running an advert-free weekend of non-stop music to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.
Branded as ‘Club Nation Diamond’, the changed programming starts at 6pm Saturday and runs for 60 hours until 6am on Tuesday 5th June.
Tony Prince joins Olympics DAB station
Former pirate radio DJ Tony Prince will be part of the schedule when International Radio Festival launches this summer.
The temporary station will broadcast on DAB in London from July 20th to August 12th, via the Switchdigital multiplex.
Sales of digital radios hit 15 million
New figures from GfK Retail and Technology show that 15 million digital radios have now been sold in the UK.
The numbers include DAB and internet-only WiFi radios, plus hybrid sets which contain a digital radio tuner.
Amazing space offered on Digital One
The capacity on the national commercial digital radio multiplex previously used by Amazing Radio is being advertised to interested parties.
Digital One is looking for expressions of interest from groups wanting to run either an audio or data service using its network of 135 transmitters across England, Scotland and Wales.
Lawson lock-in for The Hits Radio
Bauer digital station The Hits Radio has announced a 12-hour Lawson special this weekend as the group wait to find out what position their debut single enters the charts at.
The station says the band will be ‘locked in’ the studio from 7am on Sunday morning and will be on air right through to 7pm.
Volkswagen to fit DAB radio as standard
VW will be installing DAB Digital Radio as standard in all new cars from next year, with the new Beetle already equipped.
Vauxhall have also committed to the same timescale, with Ford saying the majority of new vehicles will include DAB by the end of 2013.
Digital radio named top in-car gadget
A new poll published by ‘What Car?’ shows that a digital radio is most popular must-have gadget for people getting new cars.
44% of those surveyed opted for in-car DAB as their first preference, followed by a reversing camera (38%), mobile internet hotspot (10%) and lane departure warning system (8%).
BBC radio airs water polo and taekwondo
BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra is to become the first UK radio station to broadcast commentaries on water polo and taekwondo this weekend.
The digital station is covering Olympic Test events as it gears up for covering this summer’s London 2012 games.
Union Jack set marks Pure Evoke at 10
Radio manufacturer Pure is launching a new digital radio with a Union Jack design to mark the company’s 10th birthday.
The special edition Evoke Mio Union Jack hits stores this month, a decade since the Pure brand was launched by Imagination Technologies.
Redstone FM to launch as online station
A community radio service for East Surrey is to begin online broadcasts from the end of next month ahead of plans to go full-time on DAB.
Redstone FM, which is run partly by people who are disabled or have visual impairments, missed out on an FM licence two years ago.
Ex-Smiths drummer starts Beatwolf Radio
Mike Joyce, the drummer with Manchester band The Smiths, is running an new online radio station which has started broadcasts from Salford Quays.
Beatwolf Radio’s line-up includes 6 Music presenter Jo Good and former 6 Music host Vic McGlynn – as well as well-know Manchester music scene figures like Dave Haslam and Phil Beckett.
2nd pop-up Olympics station for London
A Swiss pop-up digital radio station is to broadcast in the capital for this summer’s Olympic games.
International Radio Festival on the London 2 multiplex will be the second DAB station specifically for the event, joining national station BBC Radio 5 live Olympics Extra which was confirmed yesterday.
London gets extra digital radio reception
A new digital radio transmitter on top of BT Tower in London has been turned on today to improve DAB reception in the capital.
Olympic gold medal winner Dame Kelly Holmes and Colin Murray did the honours at a media gathering overlooking London.
Nation Radio expands north with MuxCo
MuxCo’s first DAB Digital Radio multiplex will launch in November, covering Liverpool, Cheshire and North Wales.
Stations going digital for the first time include South Wales regional Nation Radio, Dee 106.3 and Juice FM.
Jazz FM goes ad free for Bank Holiday
Digital station Jazz FM is to run a whole day of programmes without advert breaks, as it teams up with a sponsor for the day.
It’s partnered with tour operator Journey Latin America, whose messages will air during 16-hours of programming about Latin American music and culture.
Radio 4 runs digital radio design promotion
BBC Radio 4′s flagship Today programme has announced details of a competition to design a skin for a new digital radio.
The product will be sold in aid of Children in Need later this year and will be to commemorate the return of the breakfast programme to Broadcasting House.
Jethro Tull leader returns to Planet Rock
Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson returns to Planet Rock this Saturday to start a new series entitled The Lyricists – All Mouth & Trousers.
Last time he was at the station he got nominated for a New York Radio Award for his series called Under The Influence in 2007.
Phase 2 of digital radio ads goes live
The second phase of a major consumer campaign to promote digital radio has kicked off this morning.
Commercial radio ads and BBC trails are promoting the latest ‘If you love radio, let it live’ message voiced by John Simm, and national press advertising starts tomorrow.
Daytime schedule shuffle for The Hits Radio
Bauer Media’s digital station The Hits Radio is swapping its whole weekday daytime line-up around from next month with Graeme Smith taking over on breakfast.
Current breakfast show presenter James Everton moves to the 3-7pm slot to host a new ‘Takeover UK’ show featuring listener requests and ‘access to the biggest stars’.
Minister talks digital radio with retailers
The government minister responsible for broadcasting has met with leading retailers to talk about how they can support the move to digital radio.
Ed Vaizey has held talks with firms including John Lewis, Dixons group, Comet, Argos and Halfords – and was accompanied by BBC radio boss Tim Davie as well as Digital Radio UK CEO Ford Ennals.
GaydarRadio owner looks for investment
QSoft Consulting Limited, the parent company to the Gaydar brands is looking for significant cash investment to help drive the company’s global growth ambitions.
QSoft operates GaydarRadio which, according to the latest RAJAR figures, enjoys three quarters of a million listeners each month.
Listeners told to re-tune digital radios
Some Digital Radio listeners will need to re-tune their devices to continue receiving Capital, Heart, Choice, XFM, LBC and Kiss today.
Changes are being made to “Improve the efficiency of the network” and stations are advising listeners to re-tune.
Absolute joins Digital Radio UK board
Absolute Radio has joined the three largest commercial radio operators and the BBC by taking a seat at the board of Digital Radio UK.
The group, which has one of the three national analogue commercial radio licences, has launched six digital-only stations in the last two years.
Samsung announces mobile device with DAB
Samsung are to release a new device which has a built-in DAB+ receiver.
The Galaxy S Wifi 5.0 also has a TV receiver and will use the Android platform when it’s released in April.
