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The Radio Authority has awarded Switchdigital the second digital

multiplex licence for London.

The Switchdigital consortium comprises Clear Channel International,

Ginger Media Group, Carphone Warehouse and the Wireless Group.

The consortium presented a package of eight services to the Radio

Authority as part of its winning bid.

The offerings include a Ministry of Sound-branded chart service from

Clear Channel, a classic soul station from Virgin Radio, a Jazz channel

from Jazz FM, and a classic rock and sport station from the Wireless

Group.

The Radio Authority requested that the bidders present packages that

would broaden radio listening across a wide audience.

The first digital multiplex licence was awarded to CE Digital last

September. CE Digital - a Capital Radio and Emap consortium - is set to

launch nine stations in May. Switchdigital will follow suit in June.

Switchdigital and CE Digital offer at least 17 stations between them - a

healthy share of the radio market - which has made it difficult for a

third consortium bidder to compete for the licence under the same

rules.

MXR London - a consortium comprising Chrysalis, Border, DMG and Soul

Media - and Score Digital, which is jointly owned by GWR, GMT and

Scottish Radio Holdings, are still in the race to win the third London

digital multiplex.