News

Radio WOMAD will broadcast on DAB for the first time during this year’s WOMAD festival. The station will be available across Bath, West Wiltshire and Swindon, alongside its existing 87.7 FM festival service and Mixcloud Live stream for listeners elsewhere in the world. It’s on from 22-27th July 2026. Radio WOMAD says the additional DAB transmission follows work by the team over a long period and will give festivalgoers another way to hear travel updates, event information, interviews, live sessions and music as they travel towards Neston Park.

Radio station Bournemouth One is expanding its reach to east Dorset residents with a new DAB transmitter. Located near Verwood, the transmitter will serve listeners in Verwood, Wimborne, and Ferndown, bringing them tailored content. Roy Martin, CEO and co-founder of Bournemouth One, said: "The likes of Verwood enjoys its own weather system at times, so our One Word Weather will reflect the difference between Bournemouth and the rest of east Dorset, told in our signature way, without the clutter." The new DAB digital radio multiplex will carry a mix of local and national stations. Bournemouth One’s sister station, News Radio UK, and Forest FM will also join the platform. The expanded service is set to launch in July.

Ofcom has awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for six more areas in the UK, drawing the successful nationwide rollout programme to a close. So far, 108 multiplexes have launched, supporting a wide range of hyperlocal digital radio stations, delivering a total of 1,152 programme services to listeners across all four nations of the UK. Including today’s awards, a further 50 multiplexes have been licensed, which Ofcom expects to launch at various points over the next 18 months. Paul Mercer, Ofcom’s Director of Broadcast Licensing, said: “The innovative small-scale DAB programme was designed to help grassroots community broadcasters, specialist music stations, and services for minority and other underserved populations take to the digital airwaves. With more than 1,000 programme services being broadcast, listeners up and down the country are benefiting from local, diverse content.”

Ofcom has today awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for six more areas across the UK. Small-scale DAB is an innovative technology which provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves. So far, 105 multiplexes have been launched, supporting a wide range of hyperlocal digital radio stations broadcasting to listeners across all four nations of the UK. Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged against specific criteria, multiplex licences have been awarded for the following areas: Chester, Chippenham and Malmesbury, Coleraine, Newbury, Telford and Shrewsbury, and Ullapool.

Listeners on the Isle of Wight will gain access to more local radio stations as a new small-scale DAB multiplex begins rollout from 18 April. The service from Wight Digital Radio is expected to reach around 80% of the island’s population at launch, with plans to expand coverage further as additional funding becomes available over time. Wight Digital Radio is a Community Interest Company formed through a partnership between Isle of Wight Radio and Vectis Radio, aiming to support the long-term future of local broadcasting. Eight stations will be available initially, covering community, specialist and commercial output. Kelvin Currie from Vectis Radio said: “It’s great that we will be able to secure the digital future of some existing local stations and increase listener choice with some new stations.”

UK media regulator Ofcom has today awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for five more areas across the UK. Small-scale DAB is an innovative technology which provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves. So far over 100 multiplexes have launched, supporting a wide range of hyperlocal digital radio services broadcasting to listeners across all four nations of the UK. Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged against specific criteria, multiplex licences have been awarded for the five areas: Ballymena, Barnsley, Lincoln, South West Fife, and South West Sussex.

Isle of Wight Radio will expand onto small scale DAB with a new retro service this April. The new station, Isle of Wight Radio Retro, will broadcast on the Island’s small scale DAB multiplex, marking a new move for the long-running commercial station. The launch also forms part of the wider rollout of small scale DAB locally, increasing digital listening options for those on the Island. Claire John, Managing Director of Isle of Wight Radio, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be helping bring small scale DAB radio to the Isle of Wight. As well as being able to listen to our main station on DAB, Retro will offer something a little different — a fresh but familiar sound for the Island.”

The Halifax DAB multiplex has launched, offering a greater choice of listening for audiences across the region. Stations now broadcasting on the multiplex include Sunrise Radio – already on air across Calderdale on 100.6 FM, Sunrise Radio Gold, Phoenix Radio – the Halifax-based community statio, also available on 96.7 FM and Culture City Radio. Director Raj Parmar said: “This launch represents a major step forward for local radio in Calderdale. By bringing together a mix of established broadcasters and new digital services, we are proud to offer listeners more choice than ever before, while supporting community-focused and culturally diverse programming.”

A small-scale DAB digital multiplex in East Devon marks the 100th to be launched under Ofcom’s nationwide roll out of this innovative technology. Small-scale DAB provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves. ExeDAB, which is run jointly by commercial station Radio Exe and community broadcaster Phonic FM, is the 100th small-scale DAB multiplex to launch since the first service went live in December 2021. Paul Mercer, Ofcom’s Director of Broadcast Licensing and Programme Operations, said: “The small-scale DAB programme was designed to help grassroots community broadcasters, specialist music stations, and services for minority and other underserved populations to take to the digital airwaves.”

A new small-scale DAB service has gone live across parts of East Devon. ExeDab has extended its Exeter-based multiplex into coastal and market towns including Sidmouth and Honiton, bringing additional digital radio services to the area. To coincide with the expansion, Devon’s three small-scale DAB networks, ExeDab, TorDab and PlymDab, have introduced a spring offer enabling stations to access audiences across the county at a discounted rate. Paul Nero, managing director of Radio Exe, said: “This new investment in East Devon means listeners in growing towns such as Honiton and Sidmouth can now enjoy additional digital radio stations that cover their areas, while opening up new services for advertisers too.”