[comradio-l] Local radio stations frozen out of digital switchover debate, says MP

[CMA-L]

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jan/13/local-radio-digital-switchover

John Plunkett, Wednesday 13 January 2010

Future of more than 100 local stations uncertain, claims Liberal
Democrats' Alistair Carmichael

Local radio stations fear they are being frozen out of the digital
radio switchover debate, with the future of more than 100 of them
still uncertain, an MP has warned.

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on Scotland and
Northern Ireland, led a debate about the government's plans for the
future of local radio in Westminster Hall in the House of Commons
yesterday.

"There are a lot of radio providers who feel there voice hasn't been
heard yet," he told MediaGuardian.co.uk.

"There has to be some sort of mechanic for getting people rounding the
table and letting them have their say. That's not to say that we can
always give them what they want – the nature of government is that you
have to make hard choices and you can't please everyone – but it's
important for people to feel that their views are being heard."

Carmichael said there was "widespread concern" from small independent
stations that the digital economy bill would leave them facing an
uneven playing field.

"Over 100 local stations still do not have a clear digital migration
path and are likely to be consigned to an uncertain future on the
analogue spectrum once digital switchover has occurred. It is
important the government addresses this matter before committing to
analogue switch-off."

Carmichael said he had been inundated with responses from the industry
which he said was split into two opposing camps on the issue, and
warned that small radio operators still felt that their voices were
not being heard.

"The response I got was absolutely fascinating," he said.

"I have had about an inch of briefings from different radio companies
and pressure groups from around the country. They are all either
telling me that this is a pointless debate and everything is hunky
dory, or they are saying that this is the end of local radio as we
know it. There doesn't seem to be an awful lot in between."

According to proposals in the digital economy bill currently going
through parliament, the radio switchover process could begin as early
as 2015. But the two-year timetable will only begin when digital
accounts for more than 50% of all radio listening. It currently
accounts for 21.1%, with the majority on digital audio broadcasting
(DAB) radio.

The radio industry is divided over how quickly it should switch to
digital. Its industry body, the RadioCentre, and Global Radio, which
owns Heart and Classic FM, reacted positively to the mooted 2015 date,
assuming listening targets are met. TalkSport, which split with the
RadioCentre over the issue, has said the 2015 target is a non-starter.

"My main concern is how you actually roll out DAB provision in a way
that gets to all those hard to reach parts of the country," Carmichael
added.

"What is the government doing about moving to DAB+, and will the
market be structured in such a way that you can maintain proper local
radio which is not concentrated in the hands of two big players
[Global Radio and Bauer Media]?

"Local radio has a real role to play in providing and maintaining a
focus and identity for local communities."

There is currently no DAB multiplex in Carmichael's constituency of
Orkney and Shetland, which has two commercial radio stations, although
Orkney has been included on a list of regions which may get it, he
said.

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