Licences for 8 DAB radio stations
Biel-Bienne, 05.07.2007 - The Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) has designated the eight stations which will receive a radio licence for digital broadcasting in German-speaking Switzerland. The licences include a right of access to a new DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) transmitter network. A total of 18 candidatures were received for these eight licences in response to an invitation to tender last autumn.
The following stations are being licensed:
- Radiolab
Radiolab AG; education and entertainment; target audience 20-60 years of age. - Radio For Youngsters
Radio Z AG/Ringier AG; music and information for children and youngsters; internet community; target audience 10-14 years of age. - Swiss Mountain Holiday Radio
Cooperative venture between different mountain radio stations, information from the mountain and peripheral regions for the Swiss Mittelland; target audience 25-55 years of age. - SoundCity
Media4000 GmbH Zurich; alternative urban music (lounge, world music, drum & bass, house, electronic); target audience 16-45 years of age. - Radio Eviva
Radio Central AG; Swiss folk music and traditions; news. - Radio.ch
Radio Zürisee and NZZ; radio station for the "adult population"; information, entertainment, help and advice; target audience 25-60 years of age. - RadioJay
RadioJay AG; contemporary hits radio station (pop, black music, house, rock); background information broadcasts; target audience 15-34 years of age. - Djradio DELUXE
Beril AG; urban adult contemporary radio; target audience 20-50 years of age.
Rejected applications
Licence applications from Radio 32 Goldies, Digi-Box, Radio Top Two, Swiss Music Radio, Radio Plus, Toxic.fm, Immo-Radio and Groove were rejected. However, the rejected candidates have the possibility of arranging for their broadcasts to be transmitted without a licence. This does, however, require an agreement with the DAB platform operator (the holder of the radio licence). This operator is expected to be a consortium consisting of licensed radio broadcasters, other radio broadcasters and the SRG.
After its take-over of Radio Z AG and Radio Energy, Ringier AG withdrew the two licence applications for Chart Radio and Cash Classics. The new Law on Radio and Television (LRTV) allows a maximum of only two radio licences per company (art. 44 para. 3 LRTV).
The evaluation was conducted on the basis of the criteria for an award which had been explained in the tender documents: a contribution to increasing the attractiveness of DAB technology (innovation, originality and stimulation of the market), optimally complementing other offerings in the range of programming, a special contribution to the diversity of offerings and opinions and a relationship with the linguistic region in terms of information and entertainment.
SRG stations
The SRG also has the right to provide two stations on the second DAB platform. Last week, the Federal Council granted the SRG the licence for DRS-NEWS and World Radio Switzerland (WRS). The two stations will initially be broadcast on the SRG's first DAB platform. In the course of 2008, DETEC will conduct an overall assessment of the broadcasting situation. Depending on the state of development of DAB, it will be apparent whether a migration of these two SRG stations to the second platform is appropriate.
Address for enquiries
Alfons Birrer, OFCOM, +41 32 327 55 53
Publisher
Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html
