Radio Exe jumps onto DAB in Devon
By James Cridland for media.info
Posted 24 May 2017, 9.30pm edt
Continuing a trend from UK broadcasters, another FM station is now simulcasting its output on DAB, getting a bigger coverage area as a result.
There's some anecdotal evidence of a reluctance by DAB listeners to switch back to FM for other local stations.
Press release
Devon broadcaster Radio Exe has gone on two DAB digital radio multiplexes (Now Digital’s Exeter & Torbay, and North Devon services) to reach a wider audience across what it calls “the best bits” of the county.
It means the station, which until now has only been heard on 107.3FM in Exeter, Mid and East Devon, can now be received in South and North Devon too. It comes at a point when nearly half of all listening to radio in the UK is digital.
Radio Exe’s chairman Rex Rozario OBE says: “Digital is the next stage of our development. We’ve built a loyal audience on 107.3FM across our current transmission area, and now we’ll deliver our promise of ‘the most music and Devon’s news’ to a larger part of the county.”
Last week, Radio Exe received its best-ever overall listening figures. Independent research [Ed: RAJAR] shows the station’s 26,000 weekly listeners now tune in for 11.4 hours a week; making Radio Exe one of the top commercial radio stations in the UK on this measure.”
Managing director Paul Nero says: “Our mix of great music spanning 60 years of hits, combined with high levels of local content, has built a loyal following. We’re thrilled with the figures and thank all the people who’ve supported us since we launched five years ago.”
In April, Radio Exe’s parent company, Exmouth-based Exe Broadcasting, announced its intention to apply to run the FM commercial radio licence in Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams that is presently run by Celador and operated as The Breeze South Devon. Ofcom will decide which company should operate the local station for South Devon in the autumn.
To listen to Radio Exe on digital radio, select ‘EXE’ on a DAB receiver in most parts of Devon. The station is also available digitally on RadioPlayer and TuneIn Radio, and through a ‘Listen Live’ service on Radio Exe’s website www.radioexe.co.uk.