UK's Channel 4 signals move into digital radio

Publicly-owned UK broadcaster Channel 4 is preparing a bold move into digital radio, taking on the BBC and commercial radio as it charts a course through a rapidly changing media sector.

Channel 4 Chief Executive Andy Duncan said on Thursday that the advertising-funded broadcaster was planning to bid with partners for the new national digital radio multiplex, a block of channels recently announced by media regulator Ofcom.

"Radio could be a perfect fit with our digital strategy," he said in a speech at the Oxford Media Convention. "Our aim is to contribute something new to the radio mix by offering a public service alternative to the BBC in genres like news, current affairs, entertainment, lifestyle, comedy and music."

If successful in bidding for the multiplex, Channel 4 would launch a portfolio of branded radio services, Duncan said. The publicly-funded BBC is dominant in the UK radio sector, with about 56 percent of listeners. The broadcaster has named Nathalie Schwarz, a former executive at UK radio companies Emap and Capital Radio, to head up its radio efforts. Channel 4 already owns a 51 percent stake in the digital radio station Oneworld, which broadcasts on the Digital One multiplex as well as on the Freeview and Sky and cable TV platforms.

Source: Media Network, Reuters