Stations unite for Portadown and Craigavon multiplex application

YourFM has confirmed it will be applying for the Portadown & Craigavon small-scale DAB multiplex licence.

The community radio station has been broadcasting on FM since June 2015 and now says it wants to expand onto DAB.

It has partnered with a neighbouring community radio station in Newry to create a not-for-profit multiplex offering low-cost carriage and free carriage for the four C-DSP services it would host.

The team has already recruited a wide variety of services which will join the two community stations including pop-rock station Eirewave, youth station Blast106, Christian station Sunshine 1049, a new American Country station ABC Country and a local pop-up station Bannside Radio to be used by local schools and community groups to broadcast for themselves.

Director Niall O Corrain said: “We have worked hard to build a dedicated listenership to YourFM and now we wish to go digital to future-proof the station while at the same time facilitate a transformation in the local broadcast offering.

“We have brought in experienced people with a proven track record in delivering SSDAB projects in Northern Ireland to ensure the multiplexes success.”

ABC Community SSDAB has ambitious plans to launch as early as six months if it is awarded the licence due to the preparations made in the last three months.

Sean Og Mac Braoin, who launched the Lagan DAB serving the cities of Belfast and Lisburn, has been brought on-board to assist with the application and bring the multiplex to launch. He commented: “Portadown & Craigavon is a great location for a DAB+ multiplex.

“It is a vibrant ambitious community with some of Northern Ireland’s largest employers in the Carn & Seagoe industrial complexes and despite political tensions in the past has come through that with a positivity that deserves a better offering of radio stations to serve a very diverse demographic.

“If awarded the licence we are ready to go with our sites and infrastructure and would envisage launching within 6-9 months.”

ABC Community SSDAB are keen to hear from other stations which may wish to join the Mux – email abcssdab@email.com for details.