Four broadcasters plan joint digital private radio station

Four private radio stations in German-speaking Switzerland are planning their own digital private radio station. Radio.ch is to go on air via DAB in the fall of 2007, according to Radio Zürisee and Radios Aktuell, BE1 and Pilatus, which are affiliated with the NZZ Group in Freie Presse Holding. According to those responsible, two license applications with different ownership structures were submitted to the Federal Office of Communications Bakom for media policy reasons. The Radio.ch program will be produced in the studios of the four stations, but will not be a copy of the four stations. An independent program with pop music, news, entertainment, culture and additional multimedia services is planned, according to the makers of the participating stations. Advertising and sponsorship are to provide the financing. The participation of other partners is still open.