Digital radio venture hopes to win Ofcom support

A Cheshire business is looking to trial six new digital radio channels for Manchester.

Chester-based Niocast Digital which is led by experienced broadcast media professionals David Duffy and John Evington has submitted an application to operate a DAB multiplex in Manchester as part of broadcast regulator Ofcom’s nine-month trial of small-scale digital radio.

Each of 10 trials happening across the country will allow new digital radio services to broadcast to a local area and will help explore how groups of radio stations can work together.

Niocast Digital’s David Duffy,  said: “Digital is the future of radio in the UK and all the major political parties are firmly committed to an on-going expansion of the existing infrastructure.

“The national BBC and Commercial stations and many regional favourites  can already be found on DAB here in Manchester. But we still fall a long way short of London where listeners have a choice of 65 digital stations.”

Niocast’s head of programming and content, John Evington, former station director at Manchester-based Revolution, said: “Niocast Digital’s proposal brings together partners from commercial, community and online radio. Our six great new digital services will cater for ethnic, lifestyle, specialist and general audiences across the city for the duration of the nine-month trial. If successful, we aim to get things up and running this summer.”

Its planned line-up includes Manchester stations Revolution96.2 and Gaydio; Country Music brand, Chris Country; and Asian station Panjab Radio. There would also be the return of teve Penk with his unique Wind-Up Channel and a new station for the business community, Manchester Business Radio.