Now Digital
Now Digital, formerly stylised as NOWdigital, is an operator of local DAB multiplexes in the United Kingdom owned by Arqiva.
History
NOWdigital was established in 1999 by GWR Group, the then-owner of Classic FM and the national Digital One multiplex,[1] to apply for local and regional DAB broadcast licences.[2][3] It bid for the Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury and Telford multiplex in 1999 and was awarded the licence in December of that year.[4]
In 2002, it was awarded the licence to broadcast in Leicester.[5]
In 2007, NOWdigital was given the licences to operate multiplexes in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Derbyshire, along with a licence covering Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The application for Derbyshire was unopposed, while the others received competing bids from MuxCo, who successfully bid against NOWdigital for the licence in Wrexham, Chester and Liverpool, along with the licence in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.[6][7][8][9][10]
In 2009, Arqiva acquired Now Digital from Global, which had since absorbed GWR, Capital and Chrysalis.[11][12][13] The Ayr multiplex, which was already owned by Arqiva,[14] was also transferred to Now Digital.[15]
The Oxfordshire multiplex aired in December 2012[16] followed by Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in February 2013.[17] The Northamptonshire broadcast started shortly afterwards in March 2013[18] and Derbyshire started in July 2014.[19][20]
See also
References
- ↑ "Beacon's countdown to digital radio bid". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 27 September 1999. p. 21. Retrieved 5 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "GWR bids to lead the race for digital radio". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 9 July 1999. p. 25. Retrieved 5 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "University in plan for new digital radio". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 27 December 1999. p. 5. Retrieved 5 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "Digital radio licence backed". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 16 December 1999. p. 22. Retrieved 5 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "News in brief". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. 11 February 2002. p. 20. Retrieved 5 August 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "GCap bags Oxfordshire DAB". Radio Today. 8 November 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ↑ "NOW Digital for Derby". Radio Today. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Ofcom explains NOWdigital win". Radio Today. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "New DAB transmitters turned on in Wales". Radio Today. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Double multiplex win for MuxCo". Radio Today. 6 September 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ John Plunkett (7 April 2009). "Global Radio sells Digital One to Arqiva". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ↑ Emma Barnett (6 April 2009). "Arqiva confirms Digital One purchase from Global". Campaign. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ↑ Maisie McCabe (22 July 2009). "Arqiva secures Global's share of Digital One multiplex". Campaign. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ↑ Commercial Radio Pocket Book 2007 (PDF). Radiocentre. p. 141. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2009. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) Search this book on
- ↑ "DAB radio and multiplexing services in Ayr". Arqiva. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021.
- ↑ "Local DAB mux switched-on in Oxfordshire". Radio Today. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ↑ "New Herts Beds Bucks multiplex launched". Radio Today. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Northants DAB multiplex gets turned on". Radio Today. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ↑ "DAB digital radio turned-on in Derbyshire". Radio Today. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ↑ "Global Radio commits to Arqiva's local DAB". Radio Today. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
External links
This article "Now Digital" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Now Digital. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
