UTV Media's managing director Scott Taunton will this week seek political support for Early Day Motion 436 which has been lodged in the House of Commons.
The motion will prompt Parliamentary discussion about what targets should be hit before a digital radio switchover date is set.
Writing for RadioToday.co.uk's Seven Days in Radio newsletter, Taunton asserts that all stations must be part of radio’s future, and that those which are most closely connected to their local communities must not be treated as a second-class tier as part of the current ‘digital upgrade’ proposals.
"We are urging anyone who cares about local radio to ask their local MPs to do two things," he says.
"Firstly, and most importantly, to add their signatures to [link=http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40004&SESSION=903]Early Day Motion 436[/link]. And secondly, to echo the efforts of Lord Clement-Jones and Lord Razzall in ensuring that there is a proper debate on the radio switchover clauses when the Bill reaches the House of Commons."
Issues such as continuation of analogue licences after a switchover date, and the re-examination of DAB+ are just two of the items up for possible debate.