The first radio station to announce its launch date on the new national digital radio multiplex is talkSPORT 2.
Test transmissions for the Sound Digital DAB platform have already started in various parts of the UK, and tests are expected to be fully operational by February 15th.
talkSPORT 2 has timed its launch date to coincide with the opening day of The Cheltenham Festival, from the festival itself, on Tuesday 15th March 2016.
The station has entered into a new partnership with Sky Bet, and the opening broadcast from talkSPORT 2 will take place live from Sky Bet’s box at The Cheltenham Festival.
Liam Fisher, National Radio Controller for UTV Media, said: “talkSPORT 2 is going to bring sports fans across the UK a much wider choice of sports coverage than they have ever had before. This is going to include live coverage from some of the world’s greatest sporting events, some of which we’ll be bringing to British commercial radio for the very first time.”
The rest of the stations planned for the SDL National multiplex are expected to launch together to benefit from a national publicity campaign. In the original application, Sound Digital said all stations will launch at the same time with the exception of those proposed by UTV, which may take longer to prepare, or launch according to sporting schedules.
