The Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, has decided to withdraw four of the six mediumwave licences issued in 2003 to Quality Radio BV. The reason is that Quality Radio has failed to deliver regular programme services on four of the six frequencies, and the Radiocommunications Agency says this is an inefficient use of the spectrum. The frequencies affected are 828, 1224, 1035 and 1557 kHz.
The Radiocommunications Agency has published a 49-page PDF file (in Dutch) containing copies of internal correspondence concerning all six frequencies originally awarded to Quality Radio BV. It includes the full text of the long letter to Quality Radio BV’s owner Ruud Poeze explaining the reasons for the decision on each frequency. The file can be accessed here.
1395 kHz
The Radiocommunications Agency says it carried out monitoring of the frequencies on 4-10 October 2005 and again on 31 March and 2-3 April 2006. The Agency notes that no transmissions were observed on 1395 kHz between 4 and 10 October 2005. This was a few weeks after the transmissions of UK broadcaster Big L from the Trintelhaven site were abruptly terminated. The letter to Ruud Poeze also mentions that the Agency received a letter from Mr Poeze on 6 October 2005 requesting that the use of the temporary transmission site at Trintelhaven for 1395 kHz be extended. It also reveals that Mr Poeze was visited by staff of the Radiocommunications Agency on 22 February 2006 and told them that he wanted to transfer the licence for 1395 kHz. The current status of that licence isn’t clear from the published documents.
One other frequency was licensed to Quality Radio - 1584 kHz - and this has not been withdrawn.
on Jul 29th, 2006 at 18:37
The 1008 kHz licence was originally issued to Radlon Media Limited not Quality Media b.v - although Ruud Pooze did act as adviser to Radlon Media in the application/bidding process.
on Jul 29th, 2006 at 19:08
Andy,
IIRC, the sixth licence issued to QR was not for 1008 kHz, but for 1584 kHz. As this frequency is actually used by Quality Radio for broadcasting (well, at least something is transmitted, whether it is regularly or irregularly). This licence has not been withdrawn.
The 1008 kHz licence (aka the “C01″ allotment at the time of the 2003 auction) was awarded to Radlon, the commercial party after Big L. Radlon did not start broadcasting on 1008, apart from doing a few short tests. Radlon was then given the opportunity by QR to broadcast on 1395 kHz. Hereafter, Radlon sold the 1008 licence to (the commercial party behind) Radio 10 Gold, which, indeed, is still happily broadcasting.
on Jul 29th, 2006 at 21:57
Yes, my reference to 1008 kHz was incorrect - thank you for the correction.
on Jul 30th, 2006 at 05:59
So, one assumes that 828, 1224, 1035, 1557 (and 1395?) will now be re-advertised to other interested *DUTCH* broadcasters ..?
on Jul 30th, 2006 at 10:40
I think that’s unlikely for the time being. We have a general election in November, so we’ll have to wait to see what the next government’s policy is. The one that recently fell wanted to phase out analogue mediumwave. It’s possible that these licences will be readvertised as DRM licences.