19 more radio stations for Devon listeners

Digital radio listeners in Cornwall and Devon are being urged to retune their DAB digital radios to receive 19 further radio stations on DAB digital radio for the time, following the launch of five new transmitters serving the two counties.

The transmitters have expanded the coverage in Cornwall and Devon of Sound Digital, the national DAB commercial network, which broadcasts some of the UK’s most popular and iconic music, speech and sport stations including Virgin Radio,  KISSTORY, Absolute 80s, Planet Rock, Jazz FM, talkRADIO and talkSPORT2.

The addition of the five new transmitters, which are located throughout Cornwall and Devon [See Notes to Editors], mean that over one million more listeners in the South West of England, including in Redruth, Exeter, Plymouth and Torquay, now have access to the 19 Sound Digital stations.

Listeners in these areas will be able to listen to the brand new Chris Evans’s Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio in the New Year; listen to Tony Hadley’s 80s Party every Saturday on Absolute 80s; spend afternoons with Matthew Wright on talkRADIO;  enjoy Nights With Alice Cooper on Planet Rock, Sunday afternoons with Ruthie Henshall on Mellow Magic and weekends with Jamie Laing on heat Radio; follow England’s cricket tours of Sri Lanka and West Indies on talkSPORT 2; hear the very best jazz, soul and blues on JazzFM; and listen to the UK’s newest national station, JACK Radio, which launched only this week.

Additionally, more football fans in the counties will be able to listen to live commentary of local teams, Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle, on talkSPORT2.

talkSPORT presenter Darren Gough commented on the changes from Sri Lanka, saying: “From buttering your toast in the morning to driving home at night and every moment in between, this DAB extension means even more cricket fans will have more ways to tune into all of England's major overseas tours until 2020, exclusively on talkSPORT 2.”

Mellow Magic’s Ruthie Henshall, said: “I love spending my Sunday mornings playing music from the musicals, and I hope with this brilliant expansion that many more of you can join me!”

heat Radio’s Jamie Laing, said: “Presenting on heat Radio each week is some of the most fun I’ve had, and I’m so excited that the station will be available in more places than ever before.  Can you ever have too much Britney and Busted? Absolutely not.”

Listeners in the areas where the new transmitters have launched should retune their DAB digital radios to receive the 19 stations. Retuning is a simple process. Press the auto tune or auto scan button on your DAB digital radio or go into the menu and press auto tune. [See Notes to Editors for further details].

The addition of the new transmitters in Cornwall and Devon is part of a broader improvement program, which has seen 19 new transmitters launch in locations throughout the UK, bringing four million more listeners into coverage in areas including East Anglia, Kent, South Wales and North East Scotland.

Sound Digital is operated by a consortium of Bauer Media and Wireless, two of the UK’s leading commercial radio broadcasters, and Arqiva, the leading transmission provider. The network was launched in March 2016, transforming the choice of radio stations available to listeners in the UK through the biggest ever expansion of national radio stations. The network now attracts over 5 million listeners across its stations, which includes KISSTORY, the UK’s most popular digital-only commercial station.

The investment in 19 new transmitters is a response to the success and popularity of the network’s stations and listener demand for its line-up of services, which is in full: Absolute 80s, Fun Kids, Forces Radio BFBS, heat Radio, Jazz FM, JACK Radio, Magic Chilled, Magic Mellow, Panjab Radio, Planet Rock, Premier Christian Radio, Premier Praise, Sunrise Radio, talkRADIO, talkSPORT 2, UCB 2, Union Jack and Virgin Radio.

Steve Holebrook, Managing Director -Terrestrial Broadcast, Arqiva, said: “The popularity of the Sound Digital Network has grown significantly since its launch two years ago and it’s always been our target to bring its selection of high-quality stations to more people in the UK.  We are delighted to now be bringing the network’s diverse range of content to almost new listeners in the South West.”

Dee Ford, Group Managing Director of Radio (UK Division), Bauer Media, said: “Bauer continues to lead the field in digital radio listening because we understand the music passions and interests of our listeners. We are proud to be the home of the UK’s most listened to commercial digital radio station – KISSTORY, broadcasting on the Sound Digital mux. The expansion of Sound Digital coverage brings Bauer’s great brands into the lives of an even wider audience.”

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive of Wireless, said: "With our recent high profile talent signings including Chris Evans' sensational return to Virgin Radio, talkRADIO's new chat show legends Jeremy Kyle and Matthew Wright, and our new talkSPORT 2 presenter line up for our exclusive coverage of England cricket's major tours, it's been an exciting time for Wireless. This multiplex provides us with the opportunity to further amplify our first class coverage and content to an even wider audience."

Ford Ennals CEO, Digital Radio UK, said: “This is great news for radio and for listeners with some of the UK’s favourite commercial digital stations now being available for nearly 4 million listeners for the first time. The majority of radio listening in the UK is now digital thanks to the unique range of national stations available on DAB. The expansion of Sound Digital’s DAB coverage and its great line-up of stations mean that 83% of the UK population can now receive 44 outstanding national commercial and BBC radio stations on DAB.”