News story about a one-year trial by UK local station 'BBC Radio Devon' of Digital Radio Mondiale [DRM] transmissions on its AM frequency in Plymouth, written by Grant Goddard in February 2007 for The Radio Magazine.

1. NEWS: 'BBC RADIO DEVON'
ONE-YEAR DIGITAL RADIO
MONDIALE TRANSMISSION
TRIAL ON PLYMOUTH AM
FREQUENCY
by
GRANT GODDARD
www.grantgoddard.co.uk
February 2007

2. News: 'BBC Radio Devon' One-Year Digital Radio Mondiale Transmission Trial On Plymouth AM Frequency page 2
©2007 Grant Goddard
'BBC Radio Devon' will re-configure its 855 kHz AM Plymouth frequency for
Digital Radio Mondiale [DRM] broadcasts, starting at the end of April as part of
a one-year trial in conjunction with National Grid Wireless.
The BBC is recruiting an audience panel via the station’s web site, whose
members will be loaned DRM receivers and will participate in market research,
the results of which will be published in mid-2008.
John Allen, head of new services for BBC English regions, said: "The trial will
help us understand whether DRM has a role to play in the all-digital future for
BBC Local Radio in the UK.”
Current Radio Devon listeners using the Plymouth AM transmitter will have to
re-tune to the station’s FM or DAB frequencies.
The BBC claims that this trial “will be the first of its kind in the UK using
medium wave to provide DRM to UK listeners”, though 'Virgin Radio’s James
Cridland commented: “The real story is that Virgin Radio was the first UK radio
station to trial DRM (albeit from transmitters in Europe). We trialled it first with
the main station and then, for a number of months, with 'Virgin Radio Classic
Rock'. I'm delighted that other broadcasters are playing catch-up. They join
'BBC World Service', Virgin Radio, 'Classic Gold', and 'Asian Sound Radio's
lead. For the record, DRM is a perfect bedfellow with DAB. It has a bright
future, and is ideal for many parts of the UK.”
The BBC also announced the opening of a further seven DAB transmitters in
Bury St Edmunds, Norwich, Arundel, Alnwick, Newhaven, Mansfield and York
that will be in service by the end of April. An additional transmitter for the Isle of
Man is awaiting planning permission. These locations are part of the £1.8bn
transmission agreement made in September 2006 between the BBC and
Arqiva. Further transmitters to extend the reach of the DAB network, for which
funding was applied as part of the Licence Fee, will require the approval of the
BBC Trust.
[First published in 'The Radio Magazine' as 'BBC Devon Launches DRM Trial', #775, 14 February 2007]
Grant Goddard is a media analyst / radio specialist / radio consultant with thirty years of
experience in the broadcasting industry, having held senior management and consultancy
roles within the commercial media sector in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Details at
http://www.grantgoddard.co.uk