United Kingdom - Current situation - History

02.08.2019
Implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 

The UK government has published a consultation which sets out the Government’s proposed approach to implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code Directive and seeks stakeholders’ views - read more here. The consultation document states: 

“There are a number of elements in the EECC on which we are not seeking views. As an example, this includes Article 113, which requires Member States to mandate the installation of digital radio connectivity in all new car vehicles. We will implement this requirement as part of the transposition of the EECC. In the longer term, we will consider extending this requirement to commercial vehicles and to mandate for the installation of digital connectivity in all domestic radios” this means they will be considered in the Review".

Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

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 (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening share has increased to 56%, up from 50.2% in Q2 2018, according to RAJAR Q2 2019 data released in August 2019 (Q2 2019).
  • Across all platforms digital listening grew by 58.9 million hours or 11.6% year on year (Q2 2019).

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • DAB digital radio accounts for 38.6% of all listening, and 69% of digital listening, growing by 6.5% year on year (Q2 2019).
  • In-car digital listening grew 17.1 million hours or by 20% year on year and reached a new record share of 41.8% (Q2 2019).
  • The CAP/SMMT data for Q4 2018 shows that 93.1% of new cars came with DAB as standard in Q4, up from 91.4% in Q3 and 88.8% in Q4 2017. 

 

 

16.07.2019
Implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 

The UK government has published a consultation which sets out the Government’s proposed approach to implementation of the European Electronic Communications Code Directive and seeks stakeholders’ views - read more here. The consultation document states: 

“There are a number of elements in the EECC on which we are not seeking views. As an example, this includes Article 113, which requires Member States to mandate the installation of digital radio connectivity in all new car vehicles. We will implement this requirement as part of the transposition of the EECC. In the longer term, we will consider extending this requirement to commercial vehicles and to mandate for the installation of digital connectivity in all domestic radios” this means they will be considered in the Review".

Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

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 (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening has reached a new record share of 56.4% in Q1 2019, up from 50.9% in Q1 2018, according to RAJAR Q1 2019 data released in May 2019 (Q1 2019).
  • The annual growth of 5.5 percentage points to 56.4% from 50.9% represents the strongest ever percentage point growth in digital listening platform share since records began. Digital reach increased by over 2 million listeners to 36.3 million and overall digital listening grew by 55.9 million hours or by 10.7% year on year (Q1 2019).

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • DAB digital radio accounts for 40.4% of all listening, and 71.6% of digital listening, growing by 10% year on year (Q1 2019).
  • Digital listening in car increased by 20 million hours, of which 19 million hours were via DAB digital radio (Q1 2019).
  • The CAP/SMMT data for Q4 2018 shows that 93.1% of new cars came with DAB as standard in Q4, up from 91.4% in Q3 and 88.8% in Q4 2017. 
  • 56.3% of commercial vehicles came with DAB as standard in Q4 2018, up from 54.5% in Q3 and 40% in Q4 2017. 

 

 

16.05.2019
Ofcom Digital Radio Reports

Ofcom has published the eighth annual Digital Radio Report on the progress of digital radio in the UK. The report provides an update on availability, take-up, listening patterns, and attitudes to digital radio, as originally requested by Government in 2010 as part of the Digital Radio Action Plan.

In the report, Ofcom highlights that there are now 337 services on DAB in the UK, and released the report on Twitter under the headline ‘digital radio continues to grow in popularity in the UK’. The full report can be read here.

Ofcom digital radio reports

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 (criteria met Q1 2018)
  • When local commercial and national DAB coverage reaches FM equivalence (criteria met)

The DCMS Digital Radio Action Plan has now been completed.  Details can be found on the U.K Government website. 

KEY DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • Digital listening has reached a new record share of 56.4% in Q1 2019, up from 50.9% in Q1 2018, according to RAJAR Q1 2019 data released in May 2019 (Q1 2019).
  • The annual growth of 5.5 percentage points to 56.4% from 50.9% represents the strongest ever percentage point growth in digital listening platform share since records began. Digital reach increased by over 2 million listeners to 36.3 million and overall digital listening grew by 55.9 million hours or by 10.7% year on year (Q1 2019).

KEY DAB FACTS AND FIGURES:

  • DAB digital radio accounts for 40.4% of all listening, and 71.6% of digital listening, growing by 10% year on year (Q1 2019).
  • Digital listening in car increased by 20 million hours, of which 19 million hours were via DAB digital radio (Q1 2019).
  • The CAP/SMMT data for Q4 2018 shows that 93.1% of new cars came with DAB as standard in Q4, up from 91.4% in Q3 and 88.8% in Q4 2017. 
  • 56.3% of commercial vehicles came with DAB as standard in Q4 2018, up from 54.5% in Q3 and 40% in Q4 2017.