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Sound Digital is a semi-national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva, Bauer Media Group and News Broadcasting. The multiplex covers 73% of the population from a total of 45 transmitters.

History

Following the collapse of the winning 4 Digital Group bid for the second national ensemble in 2008, the capacity was re-advertised in 2014. Two bids were received, Sound Digital and Listen2Digital, a consortium run by Orion Media and Babcock International Group. On 27 March 2015, Sound Digital were selected as the winner.

Between award and launch, Premier Praise and Panjab Radio, a Listen2Digital station, joined the line up along with DAB+ stations Fun Kids and Magic Chilled. Also, BMR and UCB Inspirational were rebranded Awesome Radio and UCB2 respectively and TalkBusiness was replaced by Listen2Digital station Share Radio.

Test transmission commenced in February 2016, which consisted of Sound Waves and Sound Waves+ for DAB and DAB+ respectively. An official launch took place on 29 February, with the majority of stations launching on this date and the remainder following over the next month.

On 15 May 2018, Sound Digital announced the planned introduction of additional 19 transmitters – to improve coverage in the South West, East Anglia, Wales and North of Scotland – increasing the multiplex's coverage to 83%, adding nearly 4 million new listeners in more than 1.6m new households.

In September 2023 Bauer announced that Mellow Magic, Planet Rock, Scala Radio, Absolute 80s and Absolute 90s would transition to DAB+ from that October, freeing up capacity for the addition of Absolute Radio Country, Absolute Classic Rock, Magic Chilled, Magic Soul, Magic at the Musicals, Heat Radio and Kerrang! Radio to the Sound Digital lineup.

Stations carried

DAB

DAB+

Former services

Services previously carried on the multiplex include:

• Awesome Radio - never fully launched, promo barker ran from launch of SDL until removal in August 2017
• Capital (Taylor's Version) - temporary station during summer 2024 to coincide with the Eras Tour
• Capital Chill - added 13 February 2023, removed 12 September 2024 to make way for Capital Anthems
• Fun Kids - removed 31 August 2023. However the station continues to broadcast on local DAB multiplexes in selected areas of the UK.
• Heat Radio - removed February 2019; re-added as a DAB+ station along with other Bauer stations 16 October 2023; removed again 16 September 2024 to make way for Kisstory R&B
• JACK Radio - replaced by Union JACK Dance in December 2020
• Kisstory - moved to Digital One in February 2019
• Love Sport - removed late 2020
• Panjab Radio - moved to local DAB in December 2019
• Share Radio - moved to online-only service May 2017
• UCB2 - moved to Digital One as a DAB+ service in March 2022
• Union JACK - launched on 9 September 2016, removed on 24 February 2022
• Union JACK Dance - launched on 10 December 2020, removed on 24 February 2022
• Union JACK Rock - launched on 10 December 2020, removed on 24 February 2022

See also

• Digital One

References

1. "SDL National". Ofcom. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
2. "A Dozen Stations Launched On New DAB Multiplex". Radio Today. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
3. ^ "More digital radio stations on their way to UK listeners". Ofcom. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
4. "Two horse race for Digital 2 DAB multiplex". a516digital. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
5. Martin, Roy (29 January 2015). "Orion Media partners with Babcock for D2 bid". Radio Today. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
6. Martin, Roy (27 March 2015). "Sound Digital wins national DAB multiplex". Radio Today. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
7. Martin, Roy (3 February 2016). "Fun Kids to go national as DAB+ radio service". Radio Today. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
8. "Sound Digital: full station list announced". a516digital. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
9. "Sound Digital tests: See how hi-tech your digital radio is". a516digital. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
10. Martin, Roy (15 May 2018). "SDL to extend coverage of national DAB mux". Radio Today. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
11. Bauer Media, 2023-09-26
12. "Global launches brand-new station Radio X Classic Rock". RadioToday. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
13. "Global launches Capital Chill radio station on national DAB". RadioToday. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.

• Digital audio broadcasting multiplexes
• Radio stations established in 2016
• 2016 establishments in the United Kingdom