A NEW licence has been awarded to deliver digital radio programming and data services to Greater Manchester and other areas of the North West.
MXR Ltd has been awarded the licence by the Radio Authority. It was one of three applicants which had applied for the local digital multiplex service licence for the North West.
The principal shareholders of MXR Ltd are the Chrysalis Group, Capital Radio plc and the Guardian Media Group.
MXR is proposing to broadcast a total of nine programme services on a round-the-clock basis to a potential audience of 5.3 million people over the age of 15 throughout the North West.
The company is scheduled to begin broadcasting by the end of September and its programming will include children's radio, adult rock, easy listening, music and chat.
The Radio Authority says that the licence will run for an initial period of 12 years.
Services will be transmitted on the VHF band three frequency.
Digital radio is a new transmission system which provides listeners with bundles, called multiplexes, of audio services to new portable and vehicle receivers, and personal computers, with unprecedented clear reception.
Being digital, it can also broadcast data services which may or may not be related to the radio programmes, such as traffic information, electronic publishing and Internet-type information.
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