[cma-l] The DAB debate
James Cridland
james at cridland.net
Mon Nov 17 22:39:43 GMT 2014
Hello, Glyn,
You are confusing me for a DAB zealot, but... you talk about an S curve,
and point out an absence of this for DAB. There is no such thing for any
"modern radio technology" - DRM has yet to even start, HD Radio isn't
seeing the S curve either, the internet is slow to grow and a quarter of
the size of DAB, and SiriusXM - a peculiarly US solution for a peculiar US
market - is less popular than DAB as well. Even FM took over 40 years to
overtake AM, and DAB is doing rather better than that. Actually, DAB is the
most popular digital radio technology in the world, and the UK is still the
most successful country to have adopted it. As a matter of fact, purchases
of DAB are now outperforming purchases of radio as a whole. So why accuse
the technology of "not capturing imagination" and being a misery about it?
And I entirely agree about the change of name, and the pricing. That
doesn't mean the technology is crap, so why do it down?
Does DAB offer anything for community radio that FM doesn't? Nope. My
concern is that FM turns into a backwater of community and pirate radio,
while the big boys are all over on DAB; and if the big boys vacate FM, who
is going to put pressure on Ofcom to close the pirate stations down? A
government - mandated switchover is a terrible thing.
http://james.cridland.net
On Mon, 17 Nov 2014 21:45 Associated Broadcast Consultants <info at a-bc.co.uk>
wrote:
> To be fair though James, DAB does not seem to have captured the
> imagination of listeners, judging by adoption. Most modern radio
> technologies have an S-shaped adoption curve - that's to say a little slow
> at the beginning while the early-adopters buy it, but then quickly seeing
> an exponential growth as it becomes mainstream. I may be wrong, but I
> don't think we've seen this with DAB in terms of adoption/penetration of
> receivers. We can only hope that the slow adoption in not a sign of a
> deeper malaise with radio in general, regardless of delivery technology.
>
> Also what's this with the insidious re-naming from "Low cost DAB" to
> "small scale DAB"? Even Ofcom have started using the term in their latest
> consultation! In my opinion we need to focus more on the low cost, and
> leave the size/scale decision to whatever is best to deliver low cost.
>
> Glyn
>
> --
> Glyn Roylance - Principal Consultant
> Associated Broadcast Consultants <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/>
>
>
>
> On 17 November 2014 19:53, James Cridland <james at cridland.net> wrote:
>
>> Sorry for sounding like a bit of a broken record, but you say "whilst DAB
>> may not be on a downward spiral" - thank you for admitting you were wrong -
>> you also say "it certainly isn't really in the ascendancy."
>>
>> Hmm. Let's see. Year on year, it has more listeners, more listening
>> hours, sales of DAB sets outperforming sales of radio receivers as a whole,
>> now in 70% of new cars (according to some numbers I heard last week in an
>> event), increased take up in much of Europe, two new UK national station
>> launches in the space of three months, a second national multiplex on the
>> way with multiple bidders... Certainly looks like it is in the ascendancy
>> to me.
>>
>> Yes, it is wholly unsuitable for community radio right now. Utterly
>> unsuitable, and cripplingly expensive: two things that DAB+ won't solve, by
>> the way, and I don't even believe that the little muxes will properly solve
>> that either.
>>
>> But what irks me somewhat is that you, and people like you, seek to
>> denigrate an entire platform for everybody because it won't work for *you*.
>> Either you want to be on DAB (presumably you do, otherwise you'd not
>> rightly complain about the suitability and pricing), or you think DAB is
>> entirely unsuitable for any radio broadcasting (and in which case,
>> respectfully, you are wrong, as the figures show). Either way, you should
>> pick your side.
>>
>> http://james.cridland.net
>>
>> On Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:56 fantasy office <office at fantasyradio.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Thank you James, for your response.
>>>
>>> And respect to you for plugging the name of our station twice in your
>>> reply! I didn't say that 6music was only available on DAB - I said it's
>>> not on FM...which is rather different.
>>> Whilst DAB may not be on a downward spiral, it certainly isn't really in
>>> the ascendancy.
>>> But the problem is - Money! DAB is very expensive to broadcast and the
>>> receivers have been too expensive for too long. And now with DAB+ those
>>> loyal DAB listeners are going to have to re-invest!
>>> DAB broadcasting is far too expensive...and even with the new Ofcom
>>> initiative, how many additional listeners would a community station be
>>> able to attract, over and above what they already have on FM?
>>>
>>> The DAB/FM debate has been going on for a long time. If DAB could show a
>>> clear advantage, in cost, in audio quality and in added listenership
>>> potential, there would be no contest. However, DAB, for community radio
>>> as well as for some commercial stations, can offer no such benefit.
>>>
>>> I'm glad though, you agree that DAB has been poorly marketed, and that
>>> we should all be getting behind RADIO for all the right reasons,
>>> whatever platforms remain.
>>>
>>> Sorry you can't get FM in your kitchen, James. Was it built within a
>>> Faraday Cage?
>>>
>>>
>>> Phil Dawson
>>> FANTASY RADIO
>>> Devizes,
>>> Wiltshire
>>>
>>>
>>> On 16/11/2014 22:04, cma-l-request at mailman.commedia.org.uk wrote:
>>> > Send cma-l mailing list submissions to
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>>> > Today's Topics:
>>> >
>>> > 1. Re: Superstation in Orkney ceases broadcasting
>>> > (shirleyludford at btinternet.co)
>>> > 2. New Field Recorder / Mic (terry mechan)
>>> > 3. Re: New Field Recorder / Mic (Associated Broadcast Consultants)
>>> > 4. Re: The DAB debate (James Cridland)
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> >
>>> > Message: 1
>>> > Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 21:08:58 +0000
>>> > From: "shirleyludford at btinternet.co" <shirleyludford at btinternet.com>
>>> > To: The Community Media Association Discussion List
>>> > <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>, "cma-l at commedia.org.uk"
>>> > <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
>>> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] Superstation in Orkney ceases broadcasting
>>> > Message-ID:
>>> > <1416172138.46627.YahooMailNeo at web186003.mail.ir2.yahoo.com>
>>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>> >
>>> > I am so sorry to read this.
>>> >
>>> > All our best wishes go to members of the Station from all at SWINDON
>>> 105.5
>>> >
>>> > ?
>>> > ?Shirls
>>> > ?
>>> >
>>> > ?Shirley Ludford
>>> >
>>> > Mob:?07951 366289
>>> >
>>> > High Sheriff's Award for Services to Community
>>> >
>>> > Pride Of Swindon Award
>>> > Patron: Commonweal School?
>>> > Patron: DPAG
>>> >
>>> > Station Manager. Trainer
>>> > SWINDON 105.5
>>> > www.swindon1055.com
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ________________________________
>>> > From: James Cridland <james at cridland.net>
>>> > To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
>>> > Sent: Sunday, 16 November 2014, 16:26
>>> > Subject: [cma-l] Superstation in Orkney ceases broadcasting
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Apparently, it fell off the air at midday today.
>>> > http://media.info/radio/news/superstation-orkney-ends-
>>> community-radio-broadcasting
>>> > J
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> >
>>> > Reply - cma-l at commedia.org.uk
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>>> > The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community
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>>> > ------------------------------
>>> >
>>> > Message: 2
>>> > Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 21:03:53 +0000
>>> > From: terry mechan <terrymechan at live.co.uk>
>>> > To: <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
>>> > Subject: [cma-l] New Field Recorder / Mic
>>> > Message-ID: <DUB130-DS21EC00380623AC03069FFC9A8A0 at phx.gbl>
>>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>> >
>>> > Am going to treat myself to an new WAV recorder for location work when
>>> doing my documentaries
>>> >
>>> > It will replace the Roland R-05 I have had for a few years.
>>> >
>>> > Ideally would like something with a waveform monitor to confirm levels
>>> when recording
>>> >
>>> > Any suggestions as to what works for you or your colleagues
>>> >
>>> > terry mechan
>>> > www.terrymechan.com
>>> >
>>> >
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>>> > ------------------------------
>>> >
>>> > Message: 3
>>> > Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 21:54:10 +0000
>>> > From: Associated Broadcast Consultants <info at a-bc.co.uk>
>>> > To: The Community Media Association Discussion List
>>> > <cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk>
>>> > Cc: cma-l <cma-l at commedia.org.uk>
>>> > Subject: Re: [cma-l] New Field Recorder / Mic
>>> > Message-ID:
>>> > <CAG9-nrZ-EoAuW1kYv+QxydkMsfenCAkq51bz6jCZZDR6bwWR
>>> wg at mail.gmail.com>
>>> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>> >
>>> > The Zoom H4n is a nice bit of kit and has sound level metering. I
>>> know it
>>> > is good indoors for recording voiceovers, but not sure how good it is
>>> > outdoors in noisy environments.
>>> >
>>> > Glyn
>>> >
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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