Winchester, UK - Nov 22, 2012 - Arqiva is investing £6 million (nearly $10M) to launch four new local multiplexes that will bring digital radio to more than 1.5 million listeners in the heart of England. The company is working with the BBC, Global Radio and Oxford's Jack FM to broadcast on what will be the first multiplexes to launch since the Memorandum of Understanding on Digital Radio switchover was signed in June 2012.

The investment by Arqiva will see a phased launch in different areas: Oxfordshire will be the first to launch in the week before Christmas, closely followed by Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire in the first quarter of 2013. Derby will follow later in 2013.

Most listeners in these areas already have more than 20 national stations on digital radio, from commercial radio and the BBC; however, research carried out by the U.K. radio industry regulator, Ofcom, has highlighted the importance to consumers of having their favorite local radio stations available digitally too.