[comradio-l] Radio likely to switch to digital by 2020

[CMA-L]

John Plunkett
Friday 12 December 2008 09.14 GMT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/12/digital-radio-radio

The body set up by the government to secure the future of digital
radio in the UK is expected to predict next week that switchover for
the medium could be completed by 2020.

Next week's final report by the Digital Radio Working Group comes at
the end of a series of meetings, some of them vigorously debated,
between representatives of commercial radio, the BBC, media regulator
Ofcom, community radio and manufacturing and consumer groups,
according to sources.

The various parties were brought together by the government to map out
a timetable for digital radio, which has been beset by uncertainty
over the future of one of its key methods of delivery, digital audio
broadcasting (DAB).

But despite the setbacks - which saw Channel 4 pull the plug on its
DAB ambitions and a host of digital stations shut down, including
TheJazz, OneWord and Mojo - the DRWG is expected to say that the
migration of most radio content to digital could be completed by 2020.

This would reinforce the conclusions of the group's interim report,
published in June, that recommended the establishment of a timetable
for the migration of all UK radio from analogue to digital. DRWG said
digital switchover should be completed between 2015 and 2020.

However, the report is also expected to recognise that parts of the
country will still not be able to receive a DAB signal even by 2020,
so will stop short of a blanket analogue switch-off date like the 2012
deadline set for terrestrial television.

One of the key issues still to be resolved is who will pick up the
bill for the improvements required to the DAB radio signal, and how to
encourage car manufacturers to fit more dashboard digital radios.

Ofcom is also likely to oversee a reorganisation of the way DAB
multiplexes are organised on a local, regional and national level.

One option would see the BBC's Asian Network, and possibly some other
BBC services, move to commercial DAB multiplex, Digital One.

The ill-fated second national commercial multiplex, which was awarded
to now defunct Channel 4-led 4 Digital consortium, has yet to be
re-advertised.

DRWG's findings are expected to be a key part of communications
minister Lord Carter's Digital Britain report next year.

Speaking to the culture, media and sport committee on Wednesday,
Carter said: "Radio can be received on mobile phones and through the
television. Could you have digital radio without DAB? Yes, you
probably could.

"If we do want DAB, we need to push it along a bit or technology will
drive it out."

Community Media Association
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