United Kingdom - Current situation - History
17.05.2018
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.
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 watch a video of former Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries speaking at the WorldDAB General Assembly 2015 in London and click here to read the speech he gave 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 (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.
DIGITAL RADIO FACTS AND FIGURES:
- Digital listening is 50.9% (RAJAR Q1 2018) a percentage share growth of 7.8% compared to Q1 2017
- The greatest amount of digital listening takes place on a DAB radio which now accounts for 36.8% of all listening and 72.2% of digital listening, with hourly growth of 8.9% year on year (RAJAR Q1 2018)
- 63.7% of adults now have access to DAB digital radio at home (RAJAR Q1 2018)
- DAB is in over 11 million cars on the road, equating to 33% of all cars in the UK, and 90% of all new cars registered have DAB fitted as standard (CAP/SMMT Q1 2018)
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 sits alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. Digital Two features an additional 15-18 new DAB stations with potentially up to 30% of the network using DAB+. The new digital-only stations launched 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 2015 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 Digital Radio UK press release is available to download here.
Download the presentations from Drive to Digital:NOW
08.02.2018
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.
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 watch a video of former Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries speaking at the WorldDAB General Assembly 2015 in London and click here to read the speech he gave 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 is 49.9% (RAJAR Q4 2017) a percentage share growth of 10% compared to 45.2% in Q4 2016
- DAB accounts for 72.8% of all digital listening (RAJAR Q4 2017)
- In car digital listening hours have grown by 25% year on year, an increase of 15.9 million hours, and reached a new record share of 32%. DAB digital listening in cars contributed to 50% of all DAB digital listening growth (RAJAR Q4 2017)
- 87.5% of new cars sold in Q3 2017 came with DAB as standard (CAP/SMMT Q3 2017)
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 sits alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. Digital Two features an additional 15-18 new DAB stations with potentially up to 30% of the network using DAB+. The new digital-only stations launched 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 2015 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 Digital Radio UK press release is available to download here.
Download the presentations from Drive to Digital:NOW
05.12.2017
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.
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 watch a video of former Ed Vaizey, UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries speaking at the WorldDAB General Assembly 2015 in London and click here to read the speech he gave 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 is 48.8% (RAJAR Q3 2017).
- DAB accounts for 74% of all digital listening (RAJAR Q3 2017)
- In car digital listening exceeded 30% for the first time to reach a new record share of 30.9%, a growth in hours of 15.7 million hours or 26% year on year. Digital listening in cars has contributed to 40.6% of all digital listening hourly growth.(RAJAR Q3 2017)
- 87.5% of new cars sold in Q3 2017 came with DAB as standard (CAP/SMMT Q3 2017).
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 sits alongside the existing Digital One network, and all the local digital radio platforms that currently operate. Digital Two features an additional 15-18 new DAB stations with potentially up to 30% of the network using DAB+. The new digital-only stations launched 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 2015 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 Digital Radio UK press release is available to download here.