Cumbria.Digital has announced the company have submitted their application to Ofcom, 24 hours ahead of the deadline, to establish a new DAB multiplex to serve Carlisle, Penrith, and surrounding areas.
Cumbria.Digital has confirmed they have submitted their application to Ofcom to establish a new DAB multiplex for Carlisle and Penrith. This submission, made on Wednesday, July 17th, comes 24 hours before the deadline of 5 pm on Thursday, July 18th, 2024. The application included a raft of documents along with the license application fee.
If approved, Cumbria.Digital aims to have the platform operational by early 2025, using two transmission sites in Carlisle and Penrith. The new multiplex will potentially offer up to 20 new radio stations across the local area including new community and local stations alongside national and specialist's stations.
In line with Ofcom's requirements, Cumbria.Digital has committed to reserving capacity for up to six community services, exceeding the minimum requirement ofcom required of four.
Jonathan Davies, Director of Cumbria.Digital, expressed gratitude for the support received from local organisations: "I would personally like to thank Eden FM, Cumberland Radio, Love Carlisle, and Penrith Town for their support. We look forward to working with them to bring their new and existing radio services to DAB in the local area, alongside other local, national and specialist stations hoping to join the Carlisle and Penrith community through Cumbria.Digital."
Jonathan highlighted the significance of this milestone: "This has been a five-year journey for us, awaiting legislative and regulatory developments to catch-up with our plans. With Ofcom's approval, Cumbria.Digital aims to unlock the potential of local digital radio capabilities to match other parts of the UK and also put us at the forefront of what DaB can do."
Cumbria.Digital also plans to establish two media hubs, providing studio facilities for community stations and provide collaborative broadcasting facilities. They hope will enable collaboration and partnerships to form with local schools and universities to create educational media opportunities for students.
"We believe this initiative could be a catalyst for further opportunities locally and across Cumbria," said Jonathan. "Radio has a rich history of driving innovation and economic growth, from the early days of regular programming in the Netherlands in 1919 to the BBC's launch in 1922. We aim to continue this tradition."
Cumbria.Digital is also exploring the opportunities additional data capabilities of DAB offers, with potential to work with local councils and service providers with applications including real-time bus service updates at rural stops and local in-car traffic information as two examples the company gave.
"We are committed to unlocking DAB's full potential for the area," Jonathan added. "We look forward to collaborating with community groups and businesses to make this a shared success for the area."
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