United Kingdom - Current situation - History
28.04.2015
Digital Radio Switchover
The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. Click here to read the speech presented by Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU, Brussels, 26th November 2014, at the conference: "Digital Audio Broadcasting: A sustainable future broadcasting model for Europe".
Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:
- Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours
- When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence
The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed. Details can be found on the U.K Government website.
DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:
- Digital listening now 37.9%, up from 36.1% in Q4 2013
- DAB is the most popular device for digital listening (67% of all digital hours)
- 26 million adults have access to a DAB digital radio, up 7% year on year
- DAB listening is 25%
- Listening online/via apps is 22%, up 38% year on year
- 52% of the population tunes in via a digital platform each week
- Digital listening hours up 4% year on year from 371 million to 385 million
- The latest figures from Rajar showed that in home, listening to digital radio overtook analogue for the first time. The proportion of in-home radio listening via digital grew to 46.2% in the final three months of last year, overtaking analogue (45.6%)
- As of March 2015, 64.9% of new cars came with DAB digital radio as standard, up from 50.7% in March 2014
Second National DAB Multiplex - Digital Two
UK media regulator Ofcom accepted the Sound Digital consortium's bid to run the new Digital Two national commercial DAB network. The consortium is made up of Bauer Media Group, UTV Media and Arqiva (who own and run Digital One). The second national DAB digital radio multiplex will sit alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. Digital Two will feature an additional 10-15 new DAB stations with potentially up to 30% of the network using DAB+. Ofcom anticipates that the new stations would launch in early 2016. The launch of the new digital radio stations and the Digital Two network will significantly increase demand for DAB digital radios.
Ender's Analysis report: "Radio - set for a digital future?"
Drive to Digital: NOW Conference
On Friday 6 February the Drive to Digital: NOW conference was held with a series of announcements from Ed Vaizey MP, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy about digital radio policy and progress. The Minister outlined how the switchover criteria for coverage and listening could be achieved over the next 2 years. The DRUK press release is available to download here.
Download the presentations from Drive to Digital:NOW
27.04.2015
Drive to Digital: NOW Conference
On Friday 6 February the Drive to Digital: NOW conference was held with a series of announcements from Ed Vaizey MP, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy about digital radio policy and progress. The Minister outlined how the switchover criteria for coverage and listening could be achieved over the next 2 years. The DRUK press release is available to download here.
Download the presentations from Drive to Digital:NOW
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CONFERENCE:
Local DAB coverage expansion
The Minister announced the single biggest expansion of local digital radio coverage, which means that nearly eight million more people will get local DAB for the first time and over 6,700km of roads will also be added to local DAB coverage. 182 new digital transmitters will be built by 2016 – this will double the network of local digital transmitters and increase coverage of local DAB from 72 per cent to 91 per cent.
BBC DAB coverage expansion to complete this year
Helen Boaden, Director of Radio at The BBC, said that the expansion of BBC national DAB coverage will complete in 2015. Half of the 162 new national digital transmitters have been built with the rest, taking the coverage of BBC national stations on DAB to 97 per cent.
Record number of new vehicles with DAB
The Minister and Mike Hawes, CEO of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, highlighted new data showing that more than 61 per cent of new cars now come with digital radio as standard, up from 43.5 per cent in Q4 2013 and only 4.4 per cent in Q1 2010 (CAP/SMMT) at the beginning of the Government’s Digital Radio Action Plan. Over 21% of new commercial vehicles were sold with DAB as standard in Q4 2014 (28% in December 2014), up from 10% in Q3.
Halfords and VW to launch the Digital Radio Tick Mark
Halfords announced that they will be launching the tick mark on their range of digital radios from April and the tick mark will be present in all of their 470 UK stores. VW’s network of 330 UK dealerships have also become the first tick mark “Approved Dealers”.
Service following launched in the UK
Will Harding, Chief Strategy Officer at Global and Steve Holebrook from Arqiva, confirmed that service following (the ability to link between local DAB stations in car) is now live in South-East England and will be rolled out across the UK throughout this year.
Rajar news: Digital listening overtakes analogue listening in the home
The latest figures from Rajar showed that in home, listening to digital radio overtook analogue for the first time. The proportion of in-home radio listening via digital grew to 46.2% in the final three months of last year, overtaking analogue (45.6%).
Digital Radio Switchover
The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. Cick here to read the speech presented by Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU, Brussels, 26th November 2014, at the conference: "Digital Audio Broadcasting: A sustainable future broadcasting model for Europe".
Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:
- Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours
- When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence
The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed. Details can be found on the U.K Government website.
DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:
- Digital listening now 36.6%, up 7% year on year from 34.4% (Rajar Q1, 2014)
- DAB is the most popular device for digital listening (65% of all digital hours
- 25 million adults have access to a DAB digital radio, up 10% year on year
- DAB listening is 23.7%, up 5% year on year
- Listening online/via apps is 6.4%, up 27% year on year
- 51% of the population tunes in via a digital platform each week, up 13% year on year
- Digital listening hours up 7% year on year from 355 million to 379 million
- The share of analogue listening in home is below 50%, at 49.7%
- As of September 2014, 58% of new cars came with DAB digital radio as standard, up from 47%% in September 2013
In July 2014, UK media regulator Ofcom announced that it was inviting bids to run a second national DAB digital radio multiplex, to sit alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. The launch of Digital Two could potentially provide capacity for a further 15 national radio stations and more stations exclusive to DAB.
Ender's Analysis report: "Radio - set for a digital future?"
07.04.2015
Drive to Digital: NOW Conference
On Friday 6 February the Drive to Digital: NOW conference was held with a series of announcements from Ed Vaizey MP, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy (pictured below) about digital radio policy and progress. The Minister outlined how the switchover criteria for coverage and listening could be achieved over the next 2 years. The DRUK press release is available to download here.
Download the presentations from Drive to Digital:NOW
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CONFERENCE:
Local DAB coverage expansion
The Minister announced the single biggest expansion of local digital radio coverage, which means that nearly eight million more people will get local DAB for the first time and over 6,700km of roads will also be added to local DAB coverage. 182 new digital transmitters will be built by 2016 – this will double the network of local digital transmitters and increase coverage of local DAB from 72 per cent to 91 per cent.
BBC DAB coverage expansion to complete this year
Helen Boaden, Director of Radio at The BBC, said that the expansion of BBC national DAB coverage will complete in 2015. Half of the 162 new national digital transmitters have been built with the rest, taking the coverage of BBC national stations on DAB to 97 per cent.
Record number of new vehicles with DAB
The Minister and Mike Hawes, CEO of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, highlighted new data showing that more than 61 per cent of new cars now come with digital radio as standard, up from 43.5 per cent in Q4 2013 and only 4.4 per cent in Q1 2010 (CAP/SMMT) at the beginning of the Government’s Digital Radio Action Plan. Over 21% of new commercial vehicles were sold with DAB as standard in Q4 2014 (28% in December 2014), up from 10% in Q3.
Halfords and VW to launch the Digital Radio Tick Mark
Halfords announced that they will be launching the tick mark on their range of digital radios from April and the tick mark will be present in all of their 470 UK stores. VW’s network of 330 UK dealerships have also become the first tick mark “Approved Dealers”.
Service following launched in the UK
Will Harding, Chief Strategy Officer at Global and Steve Holebrook from Arqiva, confirmed that service following (the ability to link between local DAB stations in car) is now live in South-East England and will be rolled out across the UK throughout this year.
Rajar news: Digital listening overtakes analogue listening in the home
The latest figures from Rajar showed that in home, listening to digital radio overtook analogue for the first time. The proportion of in-home radio listening via digital grew to 46.2% in the final three months of last year, overtaking analogue (45.6%).
Digital Radio Switchover
The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. Cick here to read the speech presented by Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU, Brussels, 26th November 2014, at the conference: "Digital Audio Broadcasting: A sustainable future broadcasting model for Europe".
Government criteria for setting a date for digital radio switchover are:
- Digital listening share to reach 50% of all listening hours
- When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence
The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed. Details can be found on the U.K Government website.
DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:
- Digital listening now 36.6%, up 7% year on year from 34.4% (Rajar Q1, 2014)
- DAB is the most popular device for digital listening (65% of all digital hours
- 25 million adults have access to a DAB digital radio, up 10% year on year
- DAB listening is 23.7%, up 5% year on year
- Listening online/via apps is 6.4%, up 27% year on year
- 51% of the population tunes in via a digital platform each week, up 13% year on year
- Digital listening hours up 7% year on year from 355 million to 379 million
- The share of analogue listening in home is below 50%, at 49.7%
- As of September 2014, 58% of new cars came with DAB digital radio as standard, up from 47%% in September 2013
In July 2014, UK media regulator Ofcom announced that it was inviting bids to run a second national DAB digital radio multiplex, to sit alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. The launch of Digital Two could potentially provide capacity for a further 15 national radio stations and more stations exclusive to DAB.