Advanced Television

Ofcom OKs 3 new BBC DAB+ stations

July 2, 2025

By Colin Mann

UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has published its final decisions on the BBC’s plans to launch four new DAB+ stations and extend the hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra.

The BBC’s proposals include: In November 2024, the BBC proposed to launch four new DAB+ stations: Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems, a Radio 2 extension, and Radio 3 Unwind. It also published proposals to expand the broadcasting hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra.

In line with the process set out in the BBC Charter and Agreement, the BBC and then Ofcom are required to consider the effects on competition of ‘material’ changes to its TV, radio and online public services.

Ofcom judged that these proposals were ‘material’, as did the BBC, and therefore carried out full Competition Assessments. These examine whether the public value of the proposals justify the likely impact on fair and effective competition.

In April, Ofcom provisionally concluded that the BBC could proceed with plans for the Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3 Unwind stations, but not its proposals for a BBC Radio 2 spin-off or an expansion of the hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Ofcom’s decisions

Following a consultation on its provisional conclusions, Ofcom has published its final decisions.

In summary:

  • Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3Unwind can proceed. Ofcom found these stations would have a limited impact on fair and effective competition, which would be justified by the public value of the proposals.
  • The BBC Radio 2 extension, which would broadcast music and archive content from the 50s, 60s and 70s, cannot go ahead. Although the proposal could provide some public value, this would not be enough to justify the significant impact on fair and effective competition, which includes the potential to reduce investment incentives for commercial radio operators.
  • The BBC’s plans to extend the broadcasting hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra may not proceed. While it could offer some public value, for example by broadening the amount of sport on linear radio, this wouldn’t be sufficient to justify the significant impact it would have on fair and effective competition, in particular on the talkSPORT network.

Separately, Ofcom has also decided that the three new services that may proceed will be covered by existing operating licence conditions, and it will not introduce new conditions for these services at this time.

Responding to the decisions, a BBC spokesperson said: “We are pleased that Ofcom has approved Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 1 Dance and Radio 3 Unwind. The extensions with their brilliant programming have already proved popular on BBC Sounds and will now reach even more listeners on DAB+. However, we are disappointed that in a thriving audio market, we are not able to launch the new Radio 2 extension or expand the content offer on Radio 5 Sports Extra. They would have provided audiences with a unique BBC take on the music, stories and archive performances from 1950s, 60s and 70s, and helped more listeners across the UK discover our diverse sports podcasts. We believe our plans for Radio 2 and Radio 5 Sports Extra were distinctive and formed an important way for us to reach those audiences who currently get less from the BBC. We significantly redeveloped the proposals following an extensive consultation with the industry, so that they would complement the offer across the market for the benefit of listeners.”
The BBC is planning to launch the new stations in the autumn.

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