Primetime to Withdraw from DAB

5th December 2005

Quoting from the ukradio.com article:

"Chairman of digital radio station - Primetime Radio - Roger De Haan has announced his intention to withdraw from digital radio broadcasting. This means that PrimeTime Radio will cease broadcasting on DAB digital radio with effect from May next year when its current multiplex licence expires.
Despite strenuous efforts, Roger De Haan was unable to agree terms with the multiplex operator that would give the station a viable future."

It is very likely that Digital One has priced-out Primetime because BT Livetime wants to launch more mobile TV channels, and mobile TV will be more lucrative because they charge a subscription, and therefore Digital One is asking for more money. I read elsewhere last week that someone from BT Livetime said that there will be more capacity available soon to launch more mobile TV channels nationally over and above the three that are already planned, which suggests that BT Livetime already has a done-deal with Digital One.

Ofcom have also said they will recommend that Tessa Jowell raise the current 20% data limit that multiplexes can carry, which would allow BT Livetime to launch more than three channels.