MuxCo and Now Digital have both submitted applications to run the local DAB multiplex for Gloucestershire.

MuxCo Gloucester will bring four existing stations to digital radio, including BBC Radio Gloucestershire, but has lined up a further six services to complete its application.

A new easy listening music station Easy Radio, playing tracks from the last forty years, will be launched alongside a brand new local rock station Smithy Rock, which takes its name from the Old Smithy Studios in Kempsey, Worcestershire. The station will combine current and classic rock music, including output sourced from the studios from the last 30 years.

Local Live aims to entertain and inform with local and national news and will offer a forum to publicise local events and organisations. The mutiplex would also be launched with Christian station UBC UK, Traffic Radio travel service and Shuffle, a station covering dance, rock and chart tracks.

Severn Sound and Gold are also planned to launch, if MuxCo are successful with their application to the radio regulator.

NOW Digital, a division of GCap Media, is planning to launch BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Severn Sound and GOld, in addition to its modern rock format Xfm, Christian station UCB and chillout music station Chill - plus several other services - to include rolling information station Traffic Radio.

NOW Digital Limited

• BBC Radio Gloucestershire : news, information and music

• Severn Sound : pop and contemporary music

• Star 107.5 : classic and contemporary hits

• Sunshine Radio : classic and contemporary hits

• Gold : oldies and classic hits

• Jack FM : variety pop and rock

• Chill : relaxing chillout music

• Xfm : modern rock music

• UCB UK : music and religious programmes

• Traffic Radio : continually updated traffic and travel service

• confidential supplier : easy listening service

• confidential supplier : contemporary dance music service

MuxCo Gloucestershire

• BBC Radio Gloucestershire : news, information and music

• Severn Sound : pop and contemporary music

• Gold : oldies and classic hits

• Star 107.5 : classic and contemporary hits

• Shuffle : chart, dance and rock tracks with listener-generated content

• Smithy Rock : current and classic rock music

• Easy Radio : easy listening music including rock, blues and folk

• Local Live : local and national news, weather and entertainment updates, talk and speech

• UCB UK : music and religious programmes

• Traffic Radio : continually updated traffic and travel service

• confidential supplier : variety pop and rock

MuxCo are proposing a start date of October 2008 for its DAB services, with four transmitters (Churchdown Hill, Blunsdon, Icomb Hill and Stroud), with NOW Digital going for a launch by December 2008 using three transmitters (Churchdown Hill, Dursley and Stroud). The radio regulator, Ofcom, will announce the winner of the multiplex in the new year.