Manx Radio has been granted a three-year licence to test and trial DAB.
The Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority has given the go-ahead for the first time and says other stations on the Island may also take part, adding that the licence has been granted to gather the required technological and demographic data.
It’s expected the trial, which is due to go live on 2 May, will cost around £20,000, and it’s hoped it will eventually replace AM.
The BBC already has a multiplex on the Island and Manx Radio MD Chris Sully says: “We’ve felt for a long time, along with others, there should be an opportunity for the local stations, Manx Radio, 3FM and Energy to be available on DAB.
“It will only cover Douglas and Onchan areas at this stage and if it works, what we’d like to do, is make it an Island wide service.
“We are working with CURA and others to make sure we can survey this and to make people aware it’s there, how to access it, then to gauge the feedback to that.
“If its successful, if people are switching to it and we are in a position where we can turn the AM transmitter off, that would be a success story.”
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Posted on Wednesday, April 12th, 2023 at 4:34 pm by Steve Collins