Listeners to digital radio in Liverpool should benefit from improved coverage in the city.
Representatives from radio stations joined Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Tony Concepcion, for an event to mark the changes which are expected to benefit 360,000 listeners.
Digital radio listeners in Liverpool will need to retune their digital radios to continue receiving their favourite stations. To improve coverage it was necessary for engineers to change the frequency of the existing transmissions – meaning radios will need to ‘re-scan’ so that they find the new frequency.
Anyone living in the area now served by the new transmitters should find eleven extra stations on DAB when they re-tune. For some radio owners this will be the first time they have received these stations on digital radio.
“The Liverpool community is served by a great variety of local stations,” said Councillor Tony Concepcion.
“I am delighted that now even more listeners in Liverpool will be able to hear these important and well-loved stations on digital radio and encourage everyone to retune their radios this morning.”
The work sees the immediate switch-on of a transmitter at Moel-y-Parc which expands coverage for more than 160,000 listeners in the South West of the city. A second transmitter at Winter Hill will be switched on in May, boosting coverage to the North West of Liverpool. In total digital radio coverage goes from 82% to 98% of households in the area.
Ford Ennals, CEO Digital Radio UK, said: “Liverpool has a great variety of local DAB station so it’s great news that over 360,000 more listeners will now be able to enjoy all their favourite local stations on DAB digital radio for the first time.”
The eleven stations affected are BBC Radio Merseyside, Smooth North West, Capital Liverpool, Heart North West, Radio City, Radio City 2, Radio City 3, Radio City Talk, heat, Kisstory and Absolute 90s.