OfCom has dismissed concerns expressed by Channel 4 about a rival's bid for the previously reported second national digital radio multiplex.
C4 told OfCom it was concerned when a bid from a rival for the network, National Grid Wireless, said that if it won the multiplex it would give two of its 12 channels to Channel 4 Radio. Channel 4 said that it had not agreed to provide any channels, and therefore OfCom should be suspicious of NGW's ability to deliver what it is proposing.
However, OfCom said it was concerned about the formats of the channels bidders were proposing, rather than who would operate each service - ie if NGW was successful, and C4 turned down the offer to take two channels on their competitor's network, then NGW would be within OfCom regulations providing the non-C4 services they launched on those channels were of the same format. So, that's all alright then.
Here's what OfCom said: "There is no requirement upon applicants for a national radio multiplex licence to identify providers of proposed services within their applications. All radio multiplex licensees are bound by the formats, which set out the type of programming services will provide, which they propose in their applications".
Whether C4 would consider taking two channels on NGW's network if they were to be unsuccessful in their bid to win the whole digital multiplex remains to be seen - NGW have admitted it isn't something it has discussed with its rival as yet.