Hello.

We’ve been reading and replying to lots of the comments you’ve been writing and I thought it was probably time for a blog update.

To prove that there are some developments, honest, I snapped the picture above at a meeting we had recently. From the left David Peters and Paul Eaton (from Arqiva) and Nicky Tate and Gregory Wastson (from Folder Media/MuxCo). We met up to discuss the current situation and progress on the multiplexes. But what does that really mean?

First we compared notes on what we think is happening to local multiplexes across the UK, whether we felt that any were likely to merge or change shape, and whether this would affect frequency allocation or availability of frequencies. We then talked about our own areas and the pros and cons of combining any areas and especially what this would mean for frequencies – ie would we want to use one frequency for any enlarged areas or would we want to maintain the existing allocations and muxticast a combined multiplex across two frequencies. We were also weighing up the affect this could have over coverage (positive and negative) and how it would impact or benefit potential service providers. We’re now going to be investigating some our thoughts with Ofcom’s technical teams.

One question we’re asked, is why change anything? Well, for me the key thing is looking at whether any of the industry changes will mean we can have better coverage for less money. I’m also keen to maximise the flexibility on the multiplexes going forward and to allow us to provide innovative (read cheap) solutions for service providers. In DAB’s current development, is it better to cover larger local areas with some services that might traditionally appear on neighbouring multiplexes in the short term, and then split the multiplexes again when demand increases later on? Or does it really not make that much difference and should we proceed as planned? They’re the kind of decisions we’re making.

We also had some good discussions with Arqiva about how the contribution part (ie stations getting their signals to the multiplex) as well as the distribution (getting the multiplex feed) to the transmitters. Contribution is usually a fixed cost, whereas the cost of capacity depends on bitrates, therfore for smaller services it will be good to try and drive that cost down and hopefully encourage services to join the multiplex and to allow short-term services to take part as well.

All these discussions mean that Arqiva can now give us some firm quotations for the transmission costs of some of the earlier multiplexes planned. We can then move to final negotiations with them and then set prices for the service providers – allowing us to formally contract with them for carriage.  Then we can give Arqiva the OK to build the network, and away we’ll go!

Matt.

The UK Government published its Digital Britain White Paper on 16 June. The key points of the report in relation to radio are:

Digital migration

• Confirmation of a digital radio “upgrade” by the end of 2015 (and which will be confirmed at least two years in advance).
• All national and local services currently on DAB to migrate from analogue.
• Small ultra-local stations and community radio to upgrade from MW to FM, or remain on FM.
• Target for criteria (i.e. 50% of listening to be digital; national DAB coverage comparable to FM; and local DAB to reach 90% of population) to be met by 2013.
• Five point plan for DAB in vehicles, supported by major car manufacturers including Ford and Vauxhall.

DAB coverage

• BBC to achieve comparable coverage to FM for its national multiplex by the end of 2014.
• BBC to bear significant proportion of the costs of local DAB coverage roll-out.
• Some cost savings delivered by Digital Britain to be re-invested to support transmitter investment.
• Government will support a re-plan of local and regional DAB (merging multiplexes where agreed, and creating a second national multiplex).

The White Paper is very positive and is supported cross party.

In overall terms, we at Folder Media / MuxCo support the proposals in the White Paper, which we believe will help underpin DAB.
In summary:

• We support a set date for switch over, rather than a rolling set of criteria. This gives a clear flag to achieve, and we feel confident that the radio industry will be able to achieve the criteria by 2013.

• We have always advocated that DAB is one of several digital radio platforms, and is likely to continue to be the primary terrestrial platform in the short to medium term, and hopefully longer.

• We support the proposal for clear labelling of the DAB technology.

• We have been involved in the initial industry discussions about converting the regional DAB layer into the basis of a second national layer and in principle support the proposal.

• We have been involved in the initial industry discussions about ‘merging’ multiplex areas. We support the view that where such mergers make economic and efficiency sense for both multiplex operators and service providers, then the multiplex operator should have the right to approach Ofcom to merge, but that merging should not be artificially forced upon multiplexes. In addition, any re-plan needs to take account of potential long term interest rather than a short term view.

• We have always stated that functionality and interactivity will be the bedrock of DAB, hence our intention to hold capacity for the provision of data rather than audio services. We currently maintain a watching brief on this aspect of the opportunity, as whilst we can create services, we need devices on which they can operate. To that end, we have good relationships with a number of manufacturers.

Through the MuxCo application process we interviewed thousands of people who are current DAB listeners as well as those who had not yet taken the plunge. Current listeners are nearly all huge advocates for the technology and how it has improved their radio listening. We’re keen to work hard to make digital radio an even better proposition – coverage, content and features – and we’ll work strongly with all radio operators and the Government to provide a service that betters listeners’ analogue radio experience and keeps radio a vibrant medium.

Read the full article here.

MuxCo today (12 February) publishes an update on its plans for its new DAB Digital Radio multiplex that will serve Liverpool, Cheshire and North Wales.

Using transmitters at Moel-y-Parc, Wrexham Rhos and St.John’s Beacon, the multiplex will serve around 1.4m adults (15+) and enabling a range of existing and new services to broadcast in digital.

The multiplex will carry BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, 107.6 Juice FM and Dee 106.3, allowing these existing services to both broadcast in digital quality and be heard by a wider audience than can currently hear them on analogue. In addition, the multiplex will carry a number of new services, only available on DAB Digital Radio. These will include Traffic Radio, a 24/7 traffic news and information service from the Highways Agency, a new music service from Town & Country Broadcasting and a range of data services from Folder Media.

The multiplex has opportunities for additional radio services to join this exciting multiplex.

Gregory Watson, Managing Director at MuxCo, said “The Government has recently published two reports – a Digital Radio Working Group report to the Government in December 2008 and Lord Carter’s ‘Digital Britain’ report in January 2009. Both reports highlight the importance of expanding DAB coverage to ensure that listeners in all parts of the UK are able to hear existing services on DAB, as well as a wide range of digital only services that broaden choice and cater for a wider range of tastes and interests. We are very excited about being able to update our plans for the new multiplex, and to start the countdown to our launch”.

In the UK, 31.4% of all adults every week currently listen to radio via a digital radio platform, and this results in the digital platforms having a total share of all radio listening of 18.7% (Rajar Q3 2008).  DAB is and is set to remain the principal digital radio platform – 8m sets sold to date, and DAB accounts for over 11% of total listening.

MuxCo agrees with the DRWG that a radio-specific broadcast platform is an essential part of radio’s future and that “DAB, unlike both DTT and the internet, is the most effective and financially viable way of delivering digital radio, particularly large local radio services, for the foreseeable future”.

We welcome the DRWG’s suggestions for a migration path which would be triggered by at least 50% of total radio listening is to digital platforms, and that the DRWG believe this could be achieved between 2015 and 2020.

Gregory Watson, MD at MuxCo, says “It is great news that the Digital Radio Working Group, and its members which include the BBC, Radiocentre and DRDB, has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of a sustainable and successful digital future for radio.    Today’s announcement gives us even more comfort with the development of DAB.  We look forward to the publication of the Government’s Digital Britain Report in early 2009, and urge Government and Ofcom to consider the recommendations set out in the DRWG report”.

The full DRWG report can be downloaded http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/5700.aspx

We’re now getting on and building these things so we can get the services on air.

We’ve also submitted today our application for North Wales, the details of which i’ll try and put up online for tomorrow.

Somerset’s been an interesting one to do, it’s a relatively small multiplex and a quite a few of the stations have small but specific coverage areas. It’s something that’s meant we have to work really hard with from a cost basis to ensure that it’s economic enough to get the stations on board.

In these financially tight times it’s MuxCo structure (with TLRC and UKRD as partners) that allows us to roll out DAB digital radio to this area.

It was a very enjoyable experience although I admit I have never been very good at listening tests. I can’t always distinguish subtle difference in audio as easily as the eagle eared engineers, in part due to the fact that my hearing isn’t very sharp. In any case we have to be very careful when discussing subjective opinions about audio.

Listening to the audio from the different codecs, however, I could tell the difference – just. One was more lean and rangy – more treble, basically.

Now here is why subjective listening tests are to be viewed with caution. If you’re turning out jangly guitar rock you might quite like the sound quite lean and rangy. If however you’re running a talk service or playing a lot of acoustic numbers then that lean and rangy treble might be less welcome.

In addition, whatever we provide in terms of baseline parameters can be totally masked by a station’s processing – or lack of, and the quality of the same. There is excellent and disastrous unprocessed audio and the same goes for various types of processing. How a radio station presents its audio is very much up to them. So for us as multiplex operators, just picking one codec over another alone does not guarantee a subjective improvement for you the listener.

Luckily there is hard data we can refer to – data that demonstrates the actual frequency range that each codec achieves. A greater range gives services a broader platform to stand on. So subjective listening is valuable but is only part of the decision making process.

This is MuxCo’s tenth application – and what a busy year it has been.  However, we remain true to our beliefs of enabling DAB expansion in an efficient and viable manner.  We continue to ensure a wide variety of new choice is carried.  NME Radio will provide a new perspective on the rock scene, whilst Easy Radio’s easy listening mix will now be available to a significantly larger audience across the Home Counties.  Shuffle is a new service for the area comprising music and listener-generated content for teenagers and young adults, whilst Traffic Radio will provide an up to date traffic and travel service.  If successful with our bid, we would hope to make some further announcements of additional services before our proposed launch.

Onwards and upwards, and now down the M4 and M5 to Somerset.