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91Èȱ¬
digital radio launches in East Sussex
91Èȱ¬
digital radio comes to East Sussex for the first time today (Friday
26 September) with the addition of the Heathfield transmitter to
the 91Èȱ¬'s expanding UK digital radio network.
Heathfield
brings the 91Èȱ¬'s national digital radio services to approximately
230,000 new listeners in East Sussex.
New
areas now covered by 91Èȱ¬ national digital radio broadcasts include:
Burgess Hill, Burwash, Crowborough, Hawskshurst, Haywards Heath,
Horam, Lewes and Polegate.
Digital radio listeners will be able to tune in to the 91Èȱ¬'s portfolio
of new digital stations – 1Xtra, Five Live Sports Extra, 6
Music, 91Èȱ¬ 7, the Asian Network – as well as the 91Èȱ¬'s existing
national radio stations – Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio
4, Radio Five Live, the World Service – and enjoy the benefits
of digital audio broadcasting (DAB) with its robust reception and
clear sound quality.
Heathfield
is the tenth transmitter to go live in a new 91Èȱ¬ digital radio expansion
plan which will increase the 91Èȱ¬'s national digital radio
coverage from 65% to 85% of the UK population by mid-2004.
Heathfield
joins nine new 91Èȱ¬ digital radio transmitters which have gone on
air since August 2003:-
•
Idle (Bradford) – brings the 91Èȱ¬'s national digital radio
broadcasts to 100,000 new listeners and improves the signal for
a further 360,000 people.
•
Piccadilly Plaza (Manchester) – adds 100,000 new listeners
and improves the signal for one million more.
•
Naish Hill (Chippenham) – adds 135,000 new listeners and improves
the signal for 200,000 more.
•
Manningtree (Ipswich) - adds 540,000 new listeners.
•
Rowridge (Isle of Wight/Southampton) - adds 760,000 new listeners
and improves the signal for 180,000.
•
Dover (Canterbury/Folkstone/Dover) - adds 230,000 new listeners.
•
Bromsgrove (Bromsgrove/Worcester) - adds 160,000 new listeners and
improves the signal for 50,000.
•
Salisbury - adds 65,000 new listeners.
•
Bath - adds 50,000 new listeners and improves the signal for 170,000.
Listeners
will need a DAB digital radio to receive the 91Èȱ¬'s digital radio
broadcasts.
Existing
digital radio listeners in the areas should carry out an 'autotune'
to scan and store the newly available 91Èȱ¬ services in their set's
station list.
For
advice on receiving 91Èȱ¬ digital radio listeners can ring 08700 100123
or go to .
Notes
to Editors
•
The 91Èȱ¬ has five digital-only radio networks, all launched in 2002:-
1Xtra
– the best in new black music
Five
Live Sports Extra – the home of live sport with exclusive
coverage of live events
6 Music
– the best of contemporary and classic rock and pop
91Èȱ¬
7 - the best of 91Èȱ¬ comedy, drama and books from the archive
The
Asian Network – news and music from the British Asian scene.
•
The 91Èȱ¬'s whole family of speech and music networks is also available
on digital radio: Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, Radio Five
Live and the World Service (in English).
•
Digital radio offers very robust reception and does not suffer from
the interference and fading that can happen with AM and FM radio.
•
Digital radio is a more efficient means of broadcasting. More networks
can be transmitted, offering more choice for listeners.
•
Digital radio can transmit text and data with the audio signal.
A small screen on digital radios carries rolling text telling listeners
what music they're listening to, who's being interviewed, and giving
phone numbers and e-mail and website addresses.
•
Digital radio can be received via digital television (satellite,
cable and Freeview) and through the internet, as well as through
a digital radio receiver.
•
There are currently 23 manufacturers producing digital radios for
the UK market. Sony Europe recently announced it will launch a digital
radio in 2004 – the first major Japanese manufacture to come
into the digital radio market.
•
Digital radios are available as tuners (i.e. as part of a hi-fi),
portables and as car radios. Prices start at £99.00.
•
Total UK digital radio sales have reached 175,000 sets (GFK data
- May 2003).
•
Digital radios are available from over 3,000 retail outlets across
the UK (both large high street chains and small independent retailers)
and can also be bought on the internet.
91Èȱ¬
digital radio launches in Manchester and Bradford (22.09.03)
Radio
- the digital future gets closer (23.06.03)
All the
91Èȱ¬'s digital services are now available on ,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the 91Èȱ¬'s eight television channels, interactive services
from 91Èȱ¬i, as well as 11 national 91Èȱ¬ radio networks.
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