[cma-l] Consultation on Renewal of Commercial Analogue Licences

Fri Nov 14 12:37:28 GMT 2014

Having seen the Ofcom Small Scale DAB presentation yesterday and the working equipment demonstration, I can assure James and everyone else that its suitability for Community-level use is about to radically improve.
My intention wasn't to "knock" DAB - simply to relay the situation as we see it at ground level.Let's see how long it takes for the UK to change to a more modern and more robust algorithm and the smaller commercial stations move voluntarily to digital terrestrial and relinquish their FM coverage.

From: james at cridland.net
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:25:27 +0000
To: bobtyler at btinternet.com; cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Consultation on Renewal of Commercial Analogue Licences

For what it's worth, I think that the "extend licences for 5 years" is the least-worst option.
I don't believe that a government-mandated switchover will happen any time soon, and think it's bad for the industry. However, I can see some radio stations wishing to hand their analogue licences back - and being a little nervous that they'll simply be readvertised if they do that.
Given that I don't think a switchover will happen, I was highly against the idea of a "extend licences indefinitely"; but it's also a massive waste of money to readvertise those licences too - particularly since we don't know how fast FM will continue to decline. I've not listened to FM for years now at home.
I think knocking DAB is a little pointless in any response; audiences are moving over to it, both here and in most European countries. The issue is that it's entirely unsuitable for community broadcasters at present; but that's little to do with a consultation on analogue licences.
//j

On Fri Nov 14 2014 at 11:55:34 AM ROBERT TYLER <bobtyler at btinternet.com> wrote:
Ian
Do you not Ofcom to re-advertise the licences so new people can apply for them?
Bob
        From: Ian Hickling <transplanfm at hotmail.com>
 To: "analoguerenewals at culture.gsi.gov.uk" <analoguerenewals at culture.gsi.gov.uk>; cma-l <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>; "ed.vaizey.mp at parliament.uk" <ed.vaizey.mp at parliament.uk> 
 Sent: Friday, 14 November 2014, 9:56
 Subject: [cma-l] Consultation on Renewal of Commercial Analogue Licences

Our attention has been drawn to this consultation:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/analogue-commercial-radio-licence-renewal-consultation

I feel it is very important for the sector to take note and respond.
It appears to be based on the premise that from 2017 commercial stations will no longer require to be broadcasting on analogue platforms - which
 essentially means FM - and will voluntarily have moved over to digital formats - of which DAB would appear to offer the majority of take-up.
I would suggest that this proposal is flawed for several reasons:DAB as it exists at present using the Eureka 147 algorithm does not offer a sufficiently wide or robust platform for long-term UK requirements.DAB has very few adherents in the rest of the world and as such is not an International format.Other than the large Groups which have a financial interest in doing so, very few commercial operators have migrated to DAB and appear to have no inclination to do so.Despite the on-going publicity from
 those with a vested interest, the Consumer appears far from convinced that DAB as it stands is attractive enough to warrant cessation of FM services.There is no logical argument - other than a blind desire to "go digital" - to cease the use of FM in the UK and no other major broadcast authorities world wide seem to show this desire.
Ofcom should therefore be empowered to offer analogue licence renewal for at least a 5-year period to those broadcasters who wish to do so.
Ian HicklingPartnertransplan UK

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