Orion Media and Babcock International Team up for DAB2 Bid
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Orion Media and Babcock International team up for DAB2 bid Listen2Digital submit application for second national digital radio multiplex 29th January 2015 Radio Group, Orion Media, and the UK’s leading engineering support services organisation, Babcock International Group PLC, have today announced that they, along with a number of other partners, have teamed up to submit an application for the second national digital radio multiplex, advertised by Ofcom in July 2014. The bid, Listen2Digital, which will be chaired by Orion founder Phil Riley, is proposing 18 new services, significantly broadening radio choice for listeners across the UK. The multiplex is planned to launch in Spring 2016, aiming to cover over 80% of the UK population, with a broad mix of innovative services including a station for food lovers; a kids station; a station aimed at older listeners; two speech stations offering financial advice and sports news/commentary; Christian and Asian services; a service for the LGBT community; along with both mainstream music services and specialist music channels for fans of modern rock, jazz and country. A number of the services will be available on the new, upgraded DAB+ platform, which Listen2Digital is pledging to trial as part of its bid. Listen2Digital will also be giving independent programme producers a unique opportunity to get their material (including one-offs, seasons and events) distributed to a national audience via ‘Upload Radio’. The transmission of the multiplex will be managed for Listen2Digital by Babcock International Group PLC. They have proven experience of this type of project, having worked extensively on UK digital TV switchover, together with their long-standing heritage working with international broadcasters. Alongside providing transmission services, Babcock will also be a major shareholder in the consortium. Commenting on the bid, Riley said “I have long thought that the UK Radio industry needed more choice, and more competition, in the provision of DAB, and I think our bid delivers that. A new transmission provider for the industry, and over a dozen new services, many of them exclusively on our bid, is a great outcome for the consortium and we are thrilled to be submitting this application today. Conscious of the importance of this multiplex to the future of the radio industry, I have also today moved into the new role of Chairman of Orion Media Ltd, the group’s main trading company, in order to allow me greater time to commit to this new venture, if successful. “ Listen2Digital Limited 9 Brindley Place, 4 Oozells Square, Birmingham B1 2DJ Registered in England 09357345 www.listen2digital.co.uk twitter.com/listen2digital Speaking on behalf of Babcock, Leah Holding, Director, Media Services said “We are delighted to be working alongside Orion Media in this application for the UK’s second national digital radio multiplex. Babcock’s Media Services business is trusted to deliver radio and television content to audiences around the world; we are excited at this opportunity to apply our proven experience of transmission service management to the UK’s commercial radio industry.”It is expected that Ofcom will announce their decision on the winning bid for D2 in Spring 2015. A full list of the channels being offered is as follows • A food channel • A national children’s station, Fun Kids, where children can learn and be entertained • Wireless, a station aimed at older listeners, from Age UK • A national station for financial and money news, Share Radio • RTE Radio 1, a simulcast of the principal channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann • Gem, a national version of Orion’s adult contemporary music station, featuring ‘Sam & Amy’ • Nation, a soft rock station • Top 40, a contemporary hits station • A modern rock, indie/alternative station for a trend-setting audience • A specialist jazz, blues and soul station • A new sports talk station • A country music service, embracing the new energy surrounding the genre in the UK • Gaydio, targeting the LGBT community • Two Asian stations: Sabras Sound and Panjab Radio • Two Christian stations from Premier Christian Radio • Upload radio, an innovative channel for independent radio producers Other shareholders in the bid include digital media company and Fun Kids owner Folder Media and heritage Asian broadcaster Sabras Sound. A number of the executives who have worked to bring the bid to fruition are also joining as minority shareholders. Notes for Editors Orion Media • Orion Media was formed in 2009 to purchase a number of Midlands Radio stations. • Led by founder Phil Riley, the company brought together a number of senior, experienced radio executives alongside LDC, the UK's largest mid-market Private Equity house, in order to create a new player in the UK radio market. • In the 5 years since then, the company has transformed the stations under its control, creating new brands on FM, AM and DAB and developing new, innovative programming, marketing and commercial strategies to exploit its local Midlands strength, and challenge the larger national groups. 2 Babcock International Group plc • Babcock is the UK's leading engineering support services company with revenue of over £3.5 billion in 2014 and an order book of circa £18.5 billion*. • Operating in both the UK and overseas, Babcock delivers critical asset, infrastructure and training support to many sectors, including transport, defence, energy, telecommunications and education. • We take great pride in the considerable depth and breadth of our people's expertise. Our c. 28,000 skilled staff design, build, manage, operate and maintain assets that are vital to both our public and private sector customers. • Our market-leading reputation is based on one key fact: Babcock is a partner that can be trusted to deliver. • Babcock’s Media Services business is the trusted managed services partner to the world’s leading broadcasters and content companies. Working in partnership with renowned industry specialists we supply end-to-end, fully-managed solutions. • Babcock’s Media Services include: terrestrial radio delivery, satellite delivery, live and on- demand video streaming solutions, video playout, content acquisition, encoding, distribution and broadcast projects. *September 2014 DAB2 • The first national digital multiplex, Digital One, was launched in November 1999. It is now owned by Arqiva limited, and carries a range of services, including the UKs INR stations TalkSPORT, Absolute Radio and Classic FM • The intention to advertise and award a 2nd national digital licence was made by Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries Ed Vaizey early in 2014 • The licence was advertised by OFCOM on 1st July 2014 • Bids are due in on 29th January 2015 • OFCOM is expected to make its award decision in Q2 2015 3 .