United Kingdom - Current situation - History
08.01.2014
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 (currently this is 35.6%)
- When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence
- Significant progress on conversion of cars to digital radio
A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government the BBC and commercial operators in 2012 establishes an agreement in principle to fund the build-out of local DAB to FM equivalences over the next five years, with a commitment to consider further funding if necessary. It confirms also the Government’s commitment to a decision on radio switchover in 2013.
The BBC has committed to build-out its national networks to 97% and at least five new local multiplexes will launch in the next year. Significant signal boosts in London, Manchester, Leeds have improved coverage for thousands of households and there are more to come during 2013/14.
The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-radioaction-plan
DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:
- Digital listening now 35.6%, up 14% year on year from 31.3% (Rajar Q3 2013)
- DAB is the most popular device for digital listening (65% of all digital hours) and 24 million adults have access to a DAB digital radio, up 10% year on year
- All platforms show growth in hours, with DAB up 13% year on year, online/apps up 37% and DTV up 7%
- 51% of the population tunes in via a digital platform each week, up 13% year on year
- Digital listening hours up 14% year on year from 320 million to 366 million
- The share of analogue listening in home is below 50%, at 49.7%
41.6% of new car registrations now have digital radio as standard (CAP/SMMT Q3 2013). This was 33.3% in Q2 2012 and 20.8% in Q2 2011
26.09.2013
Digital Radio Switchover
The UK radio industry is committed to a digital future for radio and is working towards a Digital Radio Switchover. Before a date can be set for Digital Radio Switchover, two criteria need to be met:
1. 50% of listening must be to digital platforms (currently this is 36.8%)
2. Digital coverage for national services must be comparable to FM; and local DAB must reach 90% of the population and major roads.
The Government has committed to making a decision in principle on switchover in Q4 2013.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government the BBC and commercial operators in 2012 establishes an agreement in principle to fund the build-out of local DAB to FM equivalences over the next five years, with a commitment to consider further funding if necessary. It confirms also the Government’s commitment to a decision on radio switchover in 2013.
The BBC has committed to build-out its national networks to 97% and at least five new local multiplexes will launch in the next year. Significant signal boosts in London, Manchester, Leeds have improved coverage for thousands of households and there are more to come during 2013/14.
The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-radioaction-plan
22.05.2013
For the latest RAJAR figures click here.
Digital radio platform listening stands at 31.3% of radio listening hours (RAJAR Q3 2012) – up 6% year on year. DAB maintains its strong growth as the dominant digital platform representing 20.4% of all radio listening hours, up from 18% in Q3 2011. On a weekly basis, DAB now reaches 15.3 million UK adults, up 10% from 13.9 million in Q3 2011. DAB listening hours have reached a record 209 million, up 8% year on year, representing 65.2% of all digital listening hours.
42% of the population now has a DAB digital radio set, up from 39.4% in Q3 2011. This equates to 22 million adults now having a DAB digital radio, up 7% year on year. Latest Q3 GfK digital radio sales data released today shows that digital radio sales were up 10.6% in the quarter to September 2012. 33.3% of new cars currently have DAB included as standard. (CAP/SMMT Q4 2012)
The Digital Economy Act 2010 gave the Secretary of State the flexibility to set a date for digital radio switchover. 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.
Before a date can be set, two criteria need to be met: 50% of listening must be to digital platforms and digital coverage for national services must be comparable to FM and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and major roads.
A Memorandum of Understanding signed by Government, the BBC and commercial operators in 2012 establishes an agreement in principle to fund the build-out of local DAB to FM equivalences over the next five years, with a commitment to consider further funding if necessary. It confirms also the Government’s commitment to a decision on radio switchover in 2013.