World Audio is unlikely to win a place on the digital radio band in the first round of conversions according to Mark Day in today’s Australian.

But station spokesperson Lee Cornel takes issue with that claim, telling radioinfo the station has not heard of any decision by the government.

Mark Day quotes highly placed sources saying “the federal Government has decided its model for digital conversion, due to be approved within weeks, will apply only to the main commercial licence holders.”

World Audio’s off-band licence is not in the main Broadcast Services Band and comes under different rules from BSB stations.

CEO Andrew Thompson has told Mark Day that, “far from losing faith or planning to leave the company, he has contributed $60,000 to the rights issue to take up his full entitlement.

“I’m here for the long haul,” says Thompson.

In response to the Mark Day article World Audio has issued the following statement:

A report on the front page of this morning’s Media section in The Australian newspaper relating to digital radio is inaccurate.

WorldAudio Limited has been officially advised that the Federal Government has not made a final decision on the implementation model for digital radio in Australia.

WorldAudio Managing Director, Andrew Peter Thompson, also refutes outright suggestions in The Australian article that he is preparing to withdraw from the company and return to the United Kingdom.

Mr Thompson is an Australian citizen and has lived in Australia since 1998. He remains the managing director of the company and is focused on ensuring WorldAudio is a successful part of the digital radio revolution in Australia.

In a demonstration of his confidence in the company, Mr Thompson has taken up 500,000 new shares as his entitlement in the recent rights issue.

“I am determined to ensure that WorldAudio continues the success it is already having in providing choice and diversity in commercial radio broadcasting across rural, regional and metropolitan Australia,” Mr Thompson said.