[cma-l] Digital Switchover: Communications Committee Report

[CMA-L]

 House of Lords debates, 12 October 2010, 7:43 pm

*Lord Clement-Jones* <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/?m=100130> (Liberal
Democrat)

It is also now clearer how better coverage of over 90 per cent, up from the
current 85 per cent, will be achieved by the installation of new
transmitters. As for DAB+, it is also much clearer that DAB will remain the
standard. We heard about the necessity of multi-standard chips from the
noble Lord, Lord Inglewood. Crucially-this was an important issue when we
debated the Digital Economy Act-there is also a much clearer future for FM
radio and a much better understanding of its role. For the foreseeable
future, FM will remain as a delivery channel of choice for local and
community radio. The Minister could not have been clearer when he launched
the action plan and said,

"we will not switch off FM. FM will remain a platform for small local and
community radio ... as long as these services want it".

Now, that was pretty unequivocal and extremely welcome.

*Hansard source: http://bit.ly/9mXHD4*

*Lord Evans of Temple Guiting*<http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/?m=100199>
(Labour)
When in government, our intention was that these criteria would be met by
the end of 2013, paving the way for the delivery of digital radio upgrade by
the end of 2015. Upgrade was not intended to mean a complete switch-off of
an analogue radio service. Instead, all national and large local services
were to be carried on DAB only and would no longer be broadcast on analogue,
leaving ultra-local radio services to be broadcast on FM. Do the Government
intend to stick with the original timetable or will they allow it to slip?

*Hansard source: http://bit.ly/d0cwO1*

*Baroness Rawlings* <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/?m=100521> (Whip,
House of Lords; Conservative)
I agree with the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Manchester that it is
important that FM should continue until a decision on switchover is made.
Even after switchover, FM will continue for small local services, community,
hospital and student radio.

*Hansard source: http://bit.ly/avVgHc*

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