The West Midlands today have two new Asian radio stations on DAB, both of which are from the same umbrella group - Panjab Radio.

It signed a contract with MXR digital to be a service provider on their West Midlands multiplex earlier this year.

The successful religious and entertainment station Panjab Radio has been available in London digitally for the past seven years. It can also be picked up on DAB in West Yorkshire. This is the first time Panjab Radio has branched into the Midlands to tap into the highly populated Panjabi market.

Not snubbing its non-Panjabi audiences, Panjab Radio has also launched a new general Asian entertainment station steering towards the youth tentatively called Q Asia (previously known as Urban Asia). The station officially begins broadcasting (with presenters) at the start of 2008, until then it hopes to generate enough noise around the new addition as a direct commercial competitor to Radio XL, Sunrise Radio and its Punjabi Radio.

Q Asia will be announcing its official name and programme line-up in the coming days, keep it with BizAsia.co.uk for the exclusive news break.

Previously, 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, with its 128kbps capacity being split into two 64kbps - one for Panjab Radio and the other for Q Asia.

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