BAUER DIGITAL RADIO LIMITED An application to Ofcom for a local DAB digital radio multiplex licence to serve North & West Cumbria Part A – Public Section September 2019 Executive summary Please provide a summary of your application, of no more than four pages in length. 1. Bauer Digital Radio, a subsidiary of Bauer Radio, is pleased to submit an application for a local DAB digital radio multiplex to serve North & West Cumbria (‘BDR Cumbria’), bringing a combination of established and respected local and branded radio services. 2. When designing its coverage plans, BDR was cognisant of the coverage of the national multiplexes and existing neighbouring local multiplexes, and Ofcom's plans for small scale multiplexes in the area. Whilst Digital One covers parts of North & West Cumbria, Sound Digital does not and there are no plans to expand coverage to the area. In addition, Ofcom has identified two small scale polygons in North & West Cumbria which will provide opportunities for community and localised commercial services. As such, BDR has focused on delivering a North & West Cumbria multiplex that will enable existing analogue services in the area to broadcast on DAB and for a range of branded services to broaden choice, catering for a wide range of tastes and interests. 3. BDR Cumbria’s proposal is to launch with 13 services: 4. Capacity has been allocated to accommodate existing local analogue services from launch - BBC Radio Cumbria and CFM. These services collectively account for 26.3% of total radio listening in the CFM TSA. 190908 Public Part A - Bauer Digital Radio - Cumbria Application.docx Page 2 5. Capacity has also been allocated to bring a range of new digital services that will broaden choice and expand the range of formats in the market. Individually and collectively, they cater for a wide range of tastes and interests - Greatest Hits Radio, Country Hits Radio, Planet Rock, Scala Radio, Absolute Radio 80s, Absolute Radio 90s, Absolute Classic Rock, Magic Chilled, Magic Soul, Mellow Magic and Jazz FM. 6. BDR Cumbria has 18% of capacity remaining available and will continue to market the multiplex and contract with additional content providers – large and small, commercial and community, who wish to cover the whole area – creating further choice for listeners and opportunities for new radio services. 7. BDR’s proven success in delivering for content providers, stands it in good stead for the evolution of the multiplex and the services that it carries over the licence term. Bauer Digital Radio 8. Bauer Digital Radio Ltd (’BDR’) was formed when Emap Digital Radio and Score Digital were combined following the takeover of Scottish Radio Holdings by Emap, and the subsequent acquisition by Bauer Media. 9. BDR has 20 years’ experience as a multiplex operator and currently operates 12 local multiplexes that provide local DAB across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Bauer is also a partner in five other local multiplexes (excluding recent acquisitions) and a 30% shareholder in the Sound Digital national multiplex. 10. BDR’s ethos is that digital radio should be available in a cost and operationally efficient manner to enable as many organisations as possible to broadcast. BDR Cumbria will offer a range of broadcast options to make DAB economical to content providers, including DAB and DAB+ options. 11. BDR Cumbria will launch and operate an efficient multiplex that offers reasonable carriage costs and a flexible bitrate management policy that provides an excellent opportunity for a range of organisations to broadcast. Meeting the Award Criteria Proposed coverage and timetable to launch 12. The BDR Cumbria transmission proposal has been designed to provide optimum population coverage from launch within 12 months of a successful award of licence. The coverage plan takes into account coverage of the existing national multiplexes held by the BBC, Digital One and Sound Digital, as well as neighbouring local DAB multiplexes. 190908 Public Part A - Bauer Digital Radio - Cumbria Application.docx Page 3 13. Using five transmitters, the coverage plan will deliver 'outdoor coverage' (e.g. to in- car and mobile receivers) to 74.5% of roads and indoor coverage (e.g. to kitchen radios) to 221k adults 15+ (82.5%). Ability to establish and maintain the service 14. BDR has considerable digital radio experience and is well-resourced to support a North & West Cumbria multiplex throughout the licence term. Catering for local tastes and interests and broadening choice 15. BDR has undertaken desk research to support its proposals, including population profiling and analysis of existing radio listening habits in the area and to the proposed brand services. Taken as a whole, the proposed line-up of services will ensure heritage services have a digital future, with new services broadening choice and catering for a wide range of local tastes and interests. Demonstrating local demand and support 16. RAJAR provides strong evidence of demand and interest in simulcast services and services new to the area. Being fair and effective 17. BDR has established fair and transparent policies for negotiations with potential content providers and have engaged in an open and non-exclusive manner. Summary • BDR Cumbria is committed to delivering robust local DAB coverage for North & West Cumbria. • BDR Cumbria will deliver a range of simulcast and new services that appeal to local residents and help commercial radio improve its market share. • BDR Cumbria is well resourced, in terms of both management and finance, and will be led by a management team with a strong track record in operating local multiplexes. • Bauer Radio has an impressive track record in operating both local and national analogue and digital-only stations. This expertise will be invaluable to the multiplex, as well as assisting the development of new programming streams. 190908 Public Part A - Bauer Digital Radio - Cumbria Application.docx Page 4 General information 1. Name of Applicant, Address, Telephone No. and E-Mail Address This must be a single legal entity: either a body corporate or a named individual person. If the former, a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation must be included with the application. Bauer Digital Radio Ltd Company number 01875591 2. Main Contact (For Public Purposes) Please nominate at least one individual to deal with any press or public enquiries, stating: Name: Grae Allan Telephone (daytime): 0141 565 2347 Address: 3 South Avenue, Clydebank, Glasgow G81 2RX E-mail address: [email protected] 3. Main Contact (For Ofcom Purposes) Please nominate one individual to whom questions of clarification and/or amplification should be sent, stating: Name: Grae Allan Telephone (daytime): 0141 565 2347 Address: 3 South Avenue, Clydebank, Glasgow G81 2RX E-mail address: [email protected] 190908 Public Part A - Bauer Digital Radio - Cumbria Application.docx Page 5 Section 51(2)(a) and (b): Extent of proposed coverage area and timetable for coverage roll-out 4. Summary of coverage proposals Provide a summary, fully consistent with the more detailed information about transmission sites supplied separately (see Q.6 below), of the coverage areas proposed to be achieved by the applicant's technical plan, and an estimate of the percentage of households, major roads and/or the adult (aged 15+) population which will be served by this local radio multiplex service for both indoor and outdoor coverage. 18. BDR Cumbria’s transmission proposal has been designed to provide optimum population coverage across North & West Cumbria from launch. 19. BDR has worked with Arqiva to create a transmission plan that takes account of the footprints of local analogue services and the existing BBC and commercial multiplexes, and will contract with Arqiva if awarded the multiplex licence. 20. At launch, BDR Cumbria will use five transmitters. Within the proposed North & West Cumbria licensed area (for 50% time interference); 'outdoor coverage' (e.g. to in-car and mobile receivers) will reach 74.5% of roads and indoor coverage (e.g. to kitchen radios) will reach 221k adults - 82.5%: Caldbeck A high power transmitter using the existing Digital One national DAB antenna providing: Robust indoor coverage to Carlisle and the surrounding area Outdoor mobile coverage of Carlisle, North Cumbria and the M6 motorway. Penrith A medium power transmitter using the existing national antenna providing: Robust indoor coverage Penrith and the surrounding area Outdoor mobile coverage of Penrith area and the M6 motorway Broughton Moor A medium power transmitter using the existing national antenna providing: Robust indoor coverage for the west of North Cumbria from Workington and Maryport to Cockermouth and the surrounding area Outdoor mobile coverage of the A596 completing coverage between Carlisle and Workington and the surrounding areas 190908 Public Part A - Bauer Digital Radio - Cumbria Application.docx Page 6 Whitehaven A medium power transmitter using the existing national antenna providing: Robust indoor coverage to Whitehaven and the surrounding area Outdoor mobile coverage of Whitehaven and the A595 between Whitehaven and Workington / Great Broughton Keswick A medium power transmitter using the existing national antenna providing: Robust indoor coverage to Keswick and the surrounding area Outdoor mobile coverage of the Keswick area and the A66 connecting Cockermouth and Penrith via Keswick 21. In planning the network, Arqiva has assumed the following service levels as defined