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

[Richard Berry]

I have some mixed views about this.

Firstly, we need to have a date in mind when we make the move to  
digital. if we don't DAB will always be a lame duck that no-one really  
wants to commit to. As Ian suggests FM works well enough but the  
spectrum is getting pretty full and whilst some very clever people  
could show-horn in new stations there's not much more room for growth.  
Now if this move to DAB for the big boys means more space for the rest  
of us, then so be it.

The multiplex system doesn't work in the favour of small scale radio,  
as we all know. So, we must wait for something else be that L-Band,  
DRM or something that's not be thought of yet. But this is a debate  
that has to be had and as a sector we must be part of it.

As far online I maintain that it offers no real threat to what we  
traditionally think of as "radio". It works well in the home, it's  
great for catch-up but try and do it on the move and it's fiddly and  
for the time being damn expensive. What online listening does tell us  
audiences like variety and FM just doesn't offer that in any great  
depth.

Rich


Richard Berry
Senior Lecturer in Radio
Programme Leader:
FdA Community Radio and BA Radio
Admissions Tutor
Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
The Media Centre, Sunderland
0191 515 2239
www.sunderland.ac.uk/radio
delicious.com/richardberry