GenX Radio Suffolk gets DAB licence days after DJ death

GenX Radio Suffolk has been given the go ahead by Ofcom and will go digital on DAB from Monday, October 31.

The radio station launched less than a year ago as the county’s only local commercial radio station.

The news comes days after the station's breakfast presenter Tim Gough, suddenly died during his show.

James Hazell, the managing director of GenX Radio Suffolk, said it is the extraordinary response from an online audience and local advertisers that triggered them to apply to Ofcom.

Mr Hazell, who has over 35 years of local radio experience in East Anglia, set up the radio station to “bring original local content and feel-good music to Generation X, Suffolk’s 30- to 60-year-olds, and to put back the ‘local’ in local radio all of which has been a big hit with a much wider than expected audience”.

James Hazell, the managing director of GenX Radio Suffolk, announces that the radio is going digital (Image: GenX Radio Suffolk)

He added: “Local Radio in Suffolk has become ‘anything but’ over the past 20 years, with stations deserting the county in favour of group regional and national programming – none of which originates in Suffolk, whatever they may call their stations. Suffolk should never be an afterthought.

“At Gen X we have utilised technology, passion and knowledge to return a genuinely local independent radio station to our county - built upon feel good, memorable music, a sense of fun and a family of local presenters that live and breathe our county. And it all comes from Suffolk.

“Launching GenX Radio Suffolk on DAB provides the county with a more ‘traditional’ way of receiving our programs both in the home and on the road. I am delighted we can now offer our unique service via Digital Radio to Suffolk’s listeners and advertisers."

The digital license from Ofcom permitted GenX Radio Suffolk to be added to the local DAB Multiplex MuxCo operated by FolderMedia, which will broadcast the station’s audio from 8 locations across the county.

GenX Radio Suffolk (Image: GenX Radio Suffolk)

Gregory Watson, managing director at FolderMedia said he is confident that “many more listeners will enjoy the unique programming offered by GenX Radio Suffolk, a truly local radio station for the county."