Virgin Radio to relaunch on DAB

Virgin Radio is to return to the UK airwaves, along with three spin-off TalkSport stations and a host of new nationwide broadcasters as part of a new wave of digital radio stations.
The rock and pop music brand owned by Richard Branson is one of 14 stations that will launch on Sound Digital, the second national commercial digital platform licensed by media regulator Ofcom on Friday.

Branson has long wished to relaunch Virgin Radio. Still broadcasting in a number of countries around the world, the Virgin brand disappeared in the UK in 2008 when the station, once owned by Chris Evans, was rebranded Absolute Radio.

Sound Digital, owned by TalkSport parent UTV Media, Absolute Radio owner Bauer Media and transmission company Arqiva, beat a rival bid, Listen2Digital, which would have seen the return of a new sports station backed by former TalkSport owner, Kelvin MacKenzie.