[cma-l] The DAB debate

Tue Nov 18 08:37:59 GMT 2014

"*You are confusing me for a DAB zealot*" No James, I am not - perhaps you
are confusing me for a DAB detractor?!

I've seen numerous examples of successful and less successful consumer
adoption curves at first-hand in the mobile communications industry.
Technologies like 2G (GSM), 3G(UMTS and the latest 4G (LTE) followed the
exponential route that I described.  Likewise, failed technologies like
Wimax did not keep track and effectively failed.  I place DAB somewhere
between the two extremes - the jury's still out.  I reckon the primary
problem is that it is not being globally adopted like AM, FM etc were, and
nowadays volume/ecosystem is a key part of the mix for success.

   - For people not familiar with the adoption curve, it's explained
   here_:- http://www.kassblog.com/2010/11/just-because-its-popular-now/
   - This chart indicates the fast adoption of mobile, Internet, TV and
   AM.  Even the slowest, AM, only took 10 years to get to 50%:-
   http://swebman.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/123print002.png

"*DAB is the most popular digital radio technology in the world*" - I guess
you are restricting yourself to one-way broadcast technologies there?
Otherwise I'd guess that 2G GSM is more popular, and 3G and possibly 4G
already (all of which I have used to listen to the radio).  I would have
though DVB-T used for digital TV is pretty popular too.

Regarding switchover I harbour the same worry about FM becoming a
backwater.  I might be deluded, but I'd like to think that there could be a
middle-way.  The obvious candidates for early move to DAB-only are BBC R3
and Classic.  Classical music stretches the capabilities of FM stereo
beyond what it is capable of - it would be better served on DAB with a
suitable bit-rate.  YES I'm saying that DAB can be better than FM which
means I don't support the statement "*... the technology is crap, so why do
it down*".  Quite the reverse.

There we go, don't think we are at DS level yet - long may that continue!

Glyn

-- 
Glyn Roylance - Principal Consultant
Associated Broadcast Consultants <http://www.a-bc.co.uk/>

On 17 November 2014 22:39, James Cridland <james at cridland.net> wrote:

> 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
>>>> >
>>>> > The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the
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>>>> > Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/
>>>> > _______________________________________________
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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
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > -------------- next part --------------
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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
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>> Reply - cma-l at commedia.org.uk
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