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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>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.<br>My intention wasn't to "knock" DAB - simply to relay the situation as we see it at ground level.<div>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.<br><br><div><hr id="stopSpelling">From: james@cridland.net<br>Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 11:25:27 +0000<br>To: bobtyler@btinternet.com; cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk<br>Subject: Re: [cma-l] Consultation on Renewal of Commercial Analogue Licences<br><br>For what it's worth, I think that the "extend licences for 5 years" is the least-worst option.<div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>//j</div><div><br><div><br></div><br><div class="ecxgmail_quote">On Fri Nov 14 2014 at 11:55:34 AM ROBERT TYLER <<a href="mailto:bobtyler@btinternet.com">bobtyler@btinternet.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="ecxgmail_quote" style="border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div><div style="color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:tahoma,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt;"><div><span>Ian</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><span>Do you not Ofcom to re-advertise the licences so new people can apply for them?</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><span>Bob</span></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-size:12pt;"> <div style="font-family:'times new roman','new york',times,serif;font-size:12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <hr size="1"> <font face="Arial"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Ian Hickling <<a href="mailto:transplanfm@hotmail.com" target="_blank">transplanfm@hotmail.com</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">To:</span></b> "<a href="mailto:analoguerenewals@culture.gsi.gov.uk" target="_blank">analoguerenewals@culture.gsi.gov.uk</a>" <<a href="mailto:analoguerenewals@culture.gsi.gov.uk" target="_blank">analoguerenewals@culture.gsi.gov.uk</a>>; cma-l <<a href="mailto:cma-l@commedia.org.uk" target="_blank">cma-l@commedia.org.uk</a>>; "<a href="mailto:ed.vaizey.mp@parliament.uk" target="_blank">ed.vaizey.mp@parliament.uk</a>" <<a href="mailto:ed.vaizey.mp@parliament.uk" target="_blank">ed.vaizey.mp@parliament.uk</a>> <br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span></b> Friday, 14 November 2014, 9:56<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subject:</span></b> [cma-l] Consultation on Renewal of Commercial Analogue Licences<br> </font> </div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:tahoma,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt;"><div style="font-family:tahoma,'new york',times,serif;font-size:12pt;"><div style="font-family:'times new roman','new york',times,serif;font-size:12pt;"> <div><br><div>
<div><div dir="ltr">Our attention has been drawn to this consultation:<br><div><br><div style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:12pt;"><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/analogue-commercial-radio-licence-renewal-consultation" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/analogue-commercial-radio-licence-renewal-consultation</a><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;">I feel it is very important for the sector to take note and respond.</div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;">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.</div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:16.3636360168457px;font-style:normal;background-color:transparent;">I would suggest that this proposal is flawed for several reasons:</div><div style="background-color:transparent;"><ul><li>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.</li><li>DAB has very few adherents in the rest of the world and as such is not an International format.</li><li>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.</li><li>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.</li><li>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.</li></ul><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>Ian Hickling</div><div>Partner</div><div>transplan UK</div><br></div></div></div> </div></div>
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