Beginning in July 2008, 4 Digital Group, the consortium that includes partners such as Chrysalis, Emap, UTV and SMG, will launch three 4-branded stations - E4 Radio, Channel 4 Radio and Pure4 - as well as Talk Radio, Virgin Radio Viva, Closer, a station based on the women's magazine, and a rolling news channel from Sky. Radio Disney and Sunrise Radio will also broadcast on the multiplex.
Nathalie Schwarz, director of Channel 4 Radio and chairman of 4 Digital Group, said the group would now "work together to deliver our commitments and live-up to our vision of securing the future of commercial digital radio".
She also extended her thanks to "all the organisations and individuals who have contributed over the past 12 months to the development and submission of our application".
The 12-year licence was awarded with the understanding that the winner would work to promote DAB radio in the UK. In its submission to Ofcom, 4 Digital Group pledged to work with the BBC as well as with mobile phone and car manufacturers in a bid to increase the uptake and provision of DAB radio.
The partners behind the NGW bid, which had the backing of former Capital Radio chief executive David Mansfield, were not revealed publicly causing speculation that some of the service providers were the same as those in the Channel 4 bid.
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