THE Nationwide News Network (NNN) and the RJR Communications Group officially inked the deal yesterday to launch Nationwide Radio, which will be transmitted on the RJR Digital AM Service.

Under the agreement, which is slated to run for five years, with the option of renewal for another five years, RJR will maintain and provide engineering services on the Digital AM band, while NNN will manage, programme and market the service, broadcasting 24 hrs per day.

While the official date of Nationwide Radio’s first broadcast is still under wraps, it is projected to be up and running in under 90 days, with test transmissions being conducted later this month.

According to the deputy managing director of the RJR Group Gary Allen, RJR will be spending over $20 million in the initial phase of operations to accommodate Nationwide Radio on RJR’s Digital AM Service. This money will go towards rolling out the high definition radio service in the Corporate Area, Allen said.

In the meantime, J Lester Spaulding, managing director of the RJR Group, described the agreement between his company and NNN as a merger of infrastructure.

“.What you see now is an agreement between NNN and ourselves to put a greater emphasis in the media on that merger of infrastructure and talent and the independent construction of that talent.Along with the content provider we feel that this expands the media rather than contracts it,” said Spaulding.

Spaulding also indicated that the arrangement between both parties would see them operating on a revenue-sharing basis. He, however, declined to give details about the arrangements.

Chairman of NNN Ryland Campbell lauded the agreement, saying that it would generate healthy competition within the media fraternity.

“This morning is indeed a significant and historic occasion because it brings to the table a level of maturity not hitherto seen in this industry. Everybody seems to have been so engaged in competition without understanding that there is the need for partnership to create healthy competition. And in that regard I must congratulate RJR in taking the step to share with Nationwide this grand entry into a more secure approach in media in Jamaica,” Campbell said.

Allen, meanwhile, said that with 22 radio stations operating within the Jamaican landscape, adding to the different programming, it was more challenging than working with a content provider already established in the marketplace. “So rather than going to 23 we decided to go to one of the 22 content providers in the marketplace,” he said.

Allen also stated that the decision was influenced by the fact that RJR already owned three radio stations and would face difficulties in creating a fresh angle to approach the radio marketplace with a new station.

Persons in Manchester and South St Elizabeth will be able to pick up Nationwide Radio on 770 AM, while those in most of Westmoreland and Hanover will locate it on 550 AM. Those in most of Trelawny, St Ann and St Mary will be able to pick up Nationwide Radio on 700 AM, while in Portland and some parts of St Mary, listeners will be able to tune in on 580 AM. Persons in the Kingston Metropolitan area, St Catherine, St Thomas and parts of Clarendon can tune in to Nationwide Radio on 720 AM.

While not elaborating on a line-up of programmes to be aired after Nationwide Radio begins broadcasting, NNN’s chief executive officer Cliff Hughes told the Observer that the content would be centred on news, current affairs, talk shows and historical information among other things. He also noted that listeners would still be able to hear the NNN flagship programmes, including NNN’s flagship programmes This Morning and Nationwide at 5 on the new digital AM band.