DIGITAL RADIO FIGURES RISING, BUT STILL NO BBC RADIO SCOTLAND IN THE BORDERS

10.55.43am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th May 2008

The latest figures on listeners to digital radio show a steady increase, with more than a quarter of all adults owning a digital radio set and more than 10% of all radio listening taking place on a digital set. However, despite the popularity of the medium, listeners in the Borders are still unable to pick up BBC Radio Scotland in the digital format.

Local MP Michael Moore, who last year campaigned successfully to bring DAB digital radio to the Borders, has been pressing both the BBC and the regulator Ofcom about this. He now believes it is clear that the responsibility lies with the regulator.

The BBC requires a licence for a local multiplex to be able to start transmitting BBC Radio Scotland digitally from the radio transmitter at Selkirk. Ofcom is responsible for granting local multiplex licences, but have absolutely no plans to make such licences available in the Borders in the near future. Without this licence, there is no prospect of Radio Scotland being transmitted.

Mr Moore commented:

"I know from the many letters and emails that I have received on this subject that many local people, while enjoying the stations that are available from the radio mast at Selkirk in the digital format, are finding it extremely frustrating that they have to turn off their digital set and switch on an alternative analogue one to listen to BBC Radio Scotland.

"It seems crazy that we can enjoy the BBC World Service in the clear digital format, but not the local news, weather and traffic updates provided by Radio Scotland. Ofcom has told me that they have no plans to provide any local multiplex licences, other than the areas they have already chosen, until after the Digital Radio Working Group has published its findings. The logic of this position entirely fails me and, I believe, will be unfathomable to my constituents.

"It is surely straightforward to allow the BBC to begin transmitting Radio Scotland from the mast at Selkirk, as they seem to want to do."