Panjab Radio has successfully won a bid to broadcast its service in the hugely populated Punjabi market of the West Midlands, BizAsia.co.uk can reveal.

As mentioned exclusively here in our BizAsia.co.uk Whisper earlier this week, Panjab Radio will compete directly with the likes of Sunrise's Punjabi Radio and Radio XL on DAB digital radio.

Panjab Radio has signed a contract with MXR digital to be a service provider on their West Midlands multiplex and will commence its broadcast on Thursday 1st November 2007; this is the third multiplex Panjab Radio will broadcast.

The news coincides with the station celebrating seven years on air this weekend. Panjab Radio is the one of the first independent commercial Asian radio stations to have invested heavily in DAB technology for the past four years.

Surjit Singh Ghuman Managing Director of Panjab Radio said, "My four years of hard work and determination to get on to West Midlands on DAB has finally paid off and feels like a dream coming true, but in reality the very hard task of getting the message to the Panjabi community will start now and our listeners will be over the moon as they will not be confined to a TV and instead listen to us on DAB digital radio anywhere in the home, work or whilst on the move."

Diane Wray, Managing Director MXR Digital said, "I am really delighted that Panjab Radio are joining the rosta of stations broadcast by MXR in the West Midlands and look forward to working with the team to promote DAB in the area."

Panjab Radio is replacing the slot left vacant by Jazzfm.

As well as broadcasting in the West Midlands from 1st November, Panjab Radio currently is available in Greater London and West Yorkshire (on DAB) and around the world including Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the UAE via satellite.

Panjab Radio is also available on Sky Digital on EPG 0130.

Related links:
Biz Asia Industry Whispers - Issue 74
Panjab Radio all set to celebrate seven years
Biz Exec: Surjit Ghuman - Panjab Radio