United Kingdom - Current situation - History

15.12.2014

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 alongsied 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 mroe stations exclusive to DAB. 

 

14.10.2014

Digital Radio Switchover

The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover.

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 alongsied 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 mroe stations exclusive to DAB. 

 

30.09.2014

Digital Radio Switchover

The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover.

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 April 2014, 55% of new cars came with DAB digital radio as standard, up from 37.2% in April 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 alongsied 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 mroe stations exclusive to DAB.