Radio Multiplex Licence Variation Request Form

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This form should be used for any request to vary a local or national radio multiplex licence, e.g:

• replacing one programme or data service with another • adding a programme or data service • removing a programme or data service • changing the Format description of a programme service • changing a programme service from stereo to mono • changing a programme service's bit-rate

Please complete all relevant parts of this form. You should submit one form per multiplex licence, but you should complete as many versions of Part 3 of this form as required (one per change). Before completing this form, applicants are strongly advised to read our published guidance on radio multiplex licence variations, which can be found at: http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-broadcast- licensing/digital-radio/radio-mux-changes/

Part 1 – Details of multiplex licence

Radio multiplex licence: DM01 National Commercial

Licensee: Digital One

Contact name: Glyn Jones

Date of request: 15 January 2016

Part 2 – Summary of multiplex line-up before and after proposed change(s)

Existing line-up of programme services Proposed line-up of programme services Service name and Bit-rate Stereo/ Service name and Bit-rate Stereo/ short-form description (kbps)/ Mono short-form (kbps)/ Mono Coding (H description Coding (H or F) or F) Absolute Radio 80F M Absolute Radio 80F M Absolute 80s 80F M Absolute 80s 80F M BFBS 80F M BFBS 80F M Capital XTRA 112F JS Capital XTRA 112F JS Classic FM 128F JS Classic FM 128F JS KISS 80F M KISS 80F M LBC 64H M LBC 64H M Magic UK 80F M Magic UK 80F M Planet Rock 80F M Planet Rock 80F M Premier Christian 64H M Smooth Extra 80F M Smooth Extra 80F M talkSPORT 64H M talkSPORT 64H M UCB UK Christian 64H M UCB UK Christian 64H M INRIX UK TPEG 16 Data INRIX UK TPEG 16 Data Traffic Master 8 Data Traffic Master 8 Data (shared) (shared) What’s On 8 Data What’s On 8 Data (shared) (shared) Radio X 80F M Radio X 80F M Heart Extra 80F M Heart Extra 80F M Any additional information/notes:

Part 3 – Details of proposed change For each proposed change you wish to make to your licence, please answer the following question and then complete the relevant sections of the rest of the application form.

Outline of proposed variation

Set out details of how you wish your licence to be varied, e.g. is this a request to add a new programme service, to remove an existing service, to change the technical parameters of a service?

This Variation request, following the launch of the second national multiplex (Sound Digital) is to remove the description for Premier Christian Radio from the annex to Digital One’s licence.

Complete the following section if your request is to add, remove or replace a programme service.

Details of existing service to be removed/replaced Details of proposed new service (if relevant) (if relevant)

This information should be taken from your licence. For guidance on the style and content of DAB Format descriptions, please refer to the guidance

Service provider: Premier Christian Communications and Service Premier Christian Media Trust provider:

Service name: Premier Christian Service name:

Short form Short form description: description:

Character of A speech-led inter-denominational Character service: Christian radio station. The major of service: emphasis is on news, current concerns and lifestyle issues and there are programmes that explain and comment on Christian belief. Traditional, modern and classic Christian music are mixed together to create a distinctive sound with music being up to 50% of broadcast content. The station is a multi-platform proposition e.g. internet content and a telephone helpline complement the broadcast output to help develop a community of listeners and supporters. Date you wish proposed change to be implemented 0001 4 April 2016 Is this proposed change linked to proposed changes on other The station’s launch on multiplexes? If so, please provide details. the second national multiplex, Sound Digital. 3

Please set out the statutory criterion, or criteria, that you believe is/are satisfied in relation to this radio multiplex licence variation request, and the reasons for this:

For details of the statutory criteria, and relevant Ofcom policies, please refer to the guidance.

The statutory criteria relevant to this change is as follows:

In respect of a national radio multiplex licence, Ofcom “shall vary the condition accordingly unless … it appears to the Authority that, if the application were granted, the capacity of the digital sound programme services broadcast under the licence to appeal to a variety of tastes and interests would be unacceptably diminished” (section 54(6A) of the Broadcasting Act 1996).”

Digital One is submitting this request to vary its licence after carefully considering its licence obligations.

In July 2014, Ofcom advertised a second national digital radio multiplex. The bid from Sound Digital included Premier Christian Radio as part of its content proposal and Ofcom awarded the licence to Sound Digital. This multiplex is due to launch in spring 2016.

The owner of Premier Christian Radio has been keen for the station to continue to broadcast on both multiplexes for a short period to assist its listeners make the transition to the second national multiplex. The station’s owners have selected 4 April 2016 as the appropriate date to end this period of simulcasting.

These arrangements have been negotiated taking into account all of Digital One’s licence obligations, and in the context of Ofcom’s decision to award the second national multiplex licence to a bid which included Premier Christian Radio.

Digital One recognises that the removal of this description from Digital One’s licence could be seen as reducing the multiplex’s capacity to appeal to a variety of tastes and interests. However, in considering the matter Ofcom may take into account the availability of Premier Christian Radio (and other Christian output) on the second national multiplex and the continuing availability of UCB 1 as a Christian radio station on Digital One. Bearing in mind the fact that in some parts of the UK listeners can receive Digital One transmissions but may not be able to receive Sound Digital, Premier’s owners are implementing a communications strategy to help affected listeners to migrate their listening to other digital platforms with broader geographical reach than Sound Digital. Taking all of these factors into account, Digital One would suggest that the removal of this description from its licence is not an unacceptable diminution of choice for listeners.

Please provide any additional information and/or evidence in support of the proposed change:

(Dec 2012)

Decision

Request agreed under section 54(6A) of the Broadcasting Act 1996 – that the variation would not unacceptably diminish the capacity of the licensed service to appeal to a variety of tastes and interests.

January 2016