[Community Radio] No rush for radio switch-off, says Ofcom

[Michelle McGuire]

No rush for radio switch-off, says Ofcom

Dan Milmo
Thursday September 16, 2004
The Guardian

Ofcom warned yesterday that it will not rush into setting a switch-off 
date for the analogue radio signal, a day after issuing a timetable for 
converting the nation's TV sets to digital by 2012.

However, the media regulator suggested that the BBC's extensive archive 
should be made available to commercial broadcasters in an effort to 
increase audiences for digital stations.

Stephen Carter, chief executive of the media regulator, said a 
switch-off date that was too early could make the transition to digital 
"less achievable" for radio companies. "In using the force majeure of a 
date to focus people's minds it can backfire on you," he said.

His comments, at an industry seminar in Westminster, qualified the 
optimism expressed earlier this year by Ofcom partner Kip Meeks, who 
said analogue radio switch-off might follow soon after the TV network 
goes digital.

Ofcom will announce this week that 55% of UK homes have digital TV, 
whereas less than 1% of radio sets in the UK have digital receivers, 
although nearly a third of the radio audience listens through digital 
TV.

Mr Carter said radio industry preparations for switch-off are not as 
developed as they were in TV in 1999, when the government first mooted 
2010 as an analogue turn-off date for broadcasters.

Converting small local stations to digital networks, the relatively 
expensive price of digital radio sets and the need for attractive 
content are all barriers to analogue radio switch-off, he added.

The final timetable for switch-off will be set by the government, but 
its plans will be influenced by an Ofcom report into digital radio due 
to be published in November.

Ofcom's role in the switch-off process is pivotal, as shown by TV 
licensing proposals issued by the regulator on Tuesday. Under the terms 
of the draft licences, ITV and Channel Five will need to build a 
national digital network by 2012 as a condition for receiving new 
digital licences.

Mr Carter said listeners could be drawn to digital radio services if 
the BBC's radio archive, containing shows such as the Goons and Just a 
Minute, was made available to the commercial sector. Such a move would 
also fulfil the BBC's aim of building greater public value in its 
services, he added.

"Exclusivity is no longer its core characteristic. Not since the advent 
of BBC3 and BBC4. Now, its continuing success is based on differential 
scheduling and different audience expectations of the commercial 
channels versus the public service broadcast channels. That is my 
point: there is room for the same archive programming on both 
commercial and public service channels."

Jenny Abramsky, head of BBC Radio, yesterday said the corporation was 
already holding discussions with commercial partners about sharing 
access to the archive. She also backed Mr Carter's warning on setting a 
switch-off date, saying it was too early to impose a deadline.

"What we need to do at this point is to call for the conditions to be 
created that will enable us to set a switch-off date in the future."

Ralph Bernard, chief executive of GWR, a major investor in digital 
radio, said after the seminar that Ofcom and the BBC's approach was out 
of step with commercial broadcasters. "There is no incentive to set 
targets if you are a regulator or if you are the BBC. If you are in the 
commercial world, you set targets."