United Kingdom - Current situation - History
03.09.2011
The Government-Industry Digital Radio Action Plan, published in July 2010, sets out a detailed timetable and tasks to build momentum and prepare for the switchover to digital radio. Switchover will be consumer-led and specific criteria will have to be met before Government decides when it will take place.
The Digital Economy Act 2010 gave the Secretary of State the flexibility to set a date for digital radio switchover.
Before a date can be set, two criteria need to be met:
- 50% of listening must be to digital platforms.
- Digital coverage for national services must be comparable to FM and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and major roads.
The Act also says that, in deciding whether or not to set a date, the Secretary of State must consider information supplied by Ofcom and the BBC; consultation must be held with radio licence holders, listeners’ representatives and others. Everyone who has a stake in UK radio: listeners, the BBC, commercial operators and the regulator will have an input into when switchover takes place.
22 million people now tune in to digital radio each week, an increase of two million from last year, according to Q2 2011 RAJAR figure. Digital now accounts for 26.9% of all listening hours, up 14.3% since last year. Of all radio listeners, 46% now listen via a digital platform each week, an increase of 2.1 million people or 10.7% year on year. Ownership of DAB digital radios in the home has seen strong growth to almost 40% (38.9%), up from 35.3% since Q2 2010, an increase of 2 million adults. Digital television listening has increased to 4.8% of all listening, up from 4.1% in Q2 2010. Internet listening now stands at 3.2%, up from 2.9% in Q2 2010.
11.08.2011
The Government-Industry Digital Radio Action Plan, published in July 2010, sets out a detailed timetable and tasks to build momentum and prepare for the switchover to digital radio. Switchover will be consumer-led and specific criteria will have to be met before Government decides when it will take place.
The Digital Economy Act 2010 gave the Secretary of State the flexibility to set a date for digital radio switchover.
Before a date can be set, two criteria need to be met:
- 50% of listening must be to digital platforms.
- Digital coverage for national services must be comparable to FM and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and major roads.
|
The Act also says that, in deciding whether or not to set a date, the Secretary of State must consider information supplied by Ofcom and the BBC; consultation must be held with radio licence holders, listeners’ representatives and others. Everyone who has a stake in UK radio: listeners, the BBC, commercial operators and the regulator will have an input into when switchover takes place. |
22 million people now tune in to digital radio each week, an increase of two million from last year, according to Q2 2011 RAJAR figure. Digital now accounts for 26.9% of all listening hours, up 14.3% since last year. Of all radio listeners, 46% now listen via a digital platform each week, an increase of 2.1 million people or 10.7% year on year. Ownership of DAB digital radios in the home has seen strong growth to almost 40% (38.9%), up from 35.3% since Q2 2010, an increase of 2 million adults. Digital television listening has increased to 4.8% of all listening, up from 4.1% in Q2 2010. Internet listening now stands at 3.2%, up from 2.9% in Q2 2010.
10.08.2010
On Thursday 8 April 2010 a new law, The Digital Economy Act, was passed which will ensure the smooth transition from analogue to digital radio. The Act includes six sections relating to radio which will allow a date for switchover to be set, grant licence renewals to local and national analogue stations also broadcasting on digital to facilitate investment in digital radio, gives Government the power to withdraw those renewals, gives greater operational freedom for local Commercial Radio stations, gives Ofcom, the UK regulator, the flexibility to re-plan local multiplex licences and extend the coverage area of Digital One, the national commercial multiplex and allows a new piece of (secondary) legislation to be brought forward to extend multiplex licences. The Act gives broadcasters, manufacturers and listeners a clear roadmap for the future of digital radio in the UK.
20 million people now tune in to digital radio each week, an increase of two million from last year, according to the latest RAJAR figures released. Weekly reach has increased by 11% year on year from 18 million to 20 million, and now 43% of all radio listeners are listening to digital every week. DAB listening now accounts for 15.8% of all radio listening, an increase of 20% year on year (up from 13.1% of all listening from last year and up from 15.1% in the last quarter). The proportion of adults claiming to own a DAB set at home has increased by 7.6% year on year, with over one third of the population or 18.2 million adults (aged 15+) now claiming to live in a household with a DAB receiver.