Digital 2 Predictions
Posted on 25.03.07 by Matt @ 4:48 pm

Well, here I am writing my bid for the Herts, Beds and Bucks multiplex, which goes in on Wednesday, the same day as the bids for the new national multiplex arrive at Ofcom towers. This means that my extending of listening choice for the good bergers of Herts, Beds and Bucks might be somewhat overshadowed by the shouty nature of the pitch battle between Channel 4 and National Grid Wireless in who gets to pump out a load more, automated jukebo… err, national re-broadcasts of existing digital stati….errr innovative new radio stations. Oh, yes, that's it. Innovative new radio stations.

So, I only thought it right that I try and predict the multiplex line-up for one of the bidders – C4. This is made much easier by the fact information is seemingly pouring out of the Channel 4 building. They just all seem far too excited to keep a secret.

So my tip-top predictions for Natalie and Gill's 4Radio Digital 2 Multiplex Experience is…

1. Sunrise Radio (Sunrise Radio Group)
This will be a service based on the London Sunrise that they broadcast in some different areas. Or, it might be their youth service Yaar. I think they'll plump for the grandaddy service though and provide some well-deserved competition for the Asian Nework.

2. Gaydar (QSoft consulting)
Nice and niche. An under-represented group in broadcast media, well the listeners are anyway.

3. Original UK (Canwest)
A UK version of Original 106, no doubt taking the best of output from the South Coast, Bristol and Aberdeen and shoving some voice-tracking on too.

4. talkRADIO (UTV)
Back from the dead, talkSPORT without the sport. A new and exciting speech based service (like they one they launched in the 90s) with some stuff simulcast from UTV stations in Edinburgh and Belfast.

5. Female-Orientated Thing (from Virgin Radio/SMG)
It's the gap in the Virgin portfolio, a station younger than Groove, with lots of Leona Graham. This is my biggest punt.

6. Closer (from EMAP)
Another guess, but fits into EMAP trying to push their magazines. It'll be interesting to see how they say it's different from Core or Life. Maybe they'll just go "at least it'll have presenters". Boom boom.

7. Channel 4 Younger (T4 radio?)
A station for young folk with a load of content from Disney, Popworld, NME, TWI and any other indies they can pull stuff out of.

8. Channel 4 Older (More4 radio?)
A station for older, not old people. Radio 2 with an edge or a funky Radio 4. Will also bash together some content from other people – Channel 4 News, FT, Penguin etc)

Plus and on-demand data thingy
You, know, sexy data stuff delivered to imaginary devices. I think it will be a podcast-a-tron type service with, once again, a load of old service providers sello-taped together with a music partner like Universal.

Ta-da. There you go. Place your own bets in the comments.

Meanwhile NGW will pick up any other operator left.



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Comments: 5 Comments

5 Comments »

  1. Given Natalie’s discussion at the Guardian the other day, I suspect you’re missing a ton of speech.

    “Female-Orientated Thing” sounds a good idea. Might nick that.

    Comment by James Cridland — March 25, 2007 @ 6:58 pm

  2. Maybe. But then you might know more about that than me. They’ll go to town on speech for C4 Older and C4 Younger and talkRADIO. They’ll also big-up on-demand as a haven for niche speech and music.

    Comment by Matt — March 25, 2007 @ 7:00 pm

  3. you don’t actually say whether you think that would be a compelling proposition.

    my view? the bbc won’t be shaking in its proverbial boots.

    Comment by Aaron — March 25, 2007 @ 8:54 pm

  4. At the end of the day I think the line-up is pretty irrelevant.

    What will be the decider for the second national commercial multiplex is speed of transmitter roll-out, coverage, marketing and the ability to sustain a loss for long enough until DAB is the norm, oh and maybe AAC.

    We all know the new mux has to offer a range of new genres and content, and we all know that line-ups do change pre and post launch.

    Comment by Ash — March 27, 2007 @ 2:55 am

  5. Very impressive Virgin prediction. Although you did miss out “fun-loving and fearless”. (Why is commercial radio not catering for the miserable and timid twenty-something woman, eh??)

    “Virgin Radio Viva will be a new station for fun-loving, fearless women between the ages of 15 and 30.”

    (Just as well it has that demographic – anyone too much over the age of 30 will associate the Virgin Radio Viva as being a kind of down market Vauxhall Black Thunder…)

    Comment by Mike Cook — March 28, 2007 @ 3:44 pm

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Matt Deegan is the Creative Director at Folder Media, a radio and new media consultancy that helps other people and develops its own social media, digital platforms and radio. You can contact him here. He also runs children's radio station Fun Kids.

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