October 15, 2018 - 1641 views
The government has just announced proposed changes to broadcasting laws that could see small scale community stations such as Bayside Radio broadcasting on DAB digital radio as well as the internet.
Technological advances in recent years have meant that many new radios bought for the home and new cars purchased have the ability to receive DAB radio as standard. Now the government has confirmed that small scale transmitter operators will need to reserve space for community radio stations under the new framework.
Ofcom will be creating a new category of licence for community radio stations – the C-DSP, (Community – Digital Sound Programme) which will help them go live on a transmitter 'multiplex'. These multiplexes will allow many different radio services to be broadcast at the same time in a relatively small area.
Companies who win a licence to run a DAB multiplex licence in the forthcoming licencing rounds will have to make a certain proportion of capacity available to small scale community C-DSP licence holders.
The information on the new rules come as the Government publishes responses to a recent small Scale DAB Licensing consultation.
Work will now progress work to develop the detail of the new arrangements with a view to seeking legislation when parliamentary time allows. The proposals will require changes to a number of Broadcasting and Communication Acts.
