[comradio-l] Digital Radio Action Plan

[CMA-L]

Press release:

Ed Vaizey, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative
Industries, launched the Digital Radio Action Plan yesterday, Thursday
8 July.

The Government is committed to securing a digital future for radio,
and supports 2015 as an aspirational target for a switchover to
digital radio that all parts of the industry can work towards.
However, this is secondary to ensuring consumer-led criteria are
satisfied before a firm timetable is set.

The criteria are:

* 50% of listening is to digital radio
* National DAB coverage is comparable to FM and local DAB covers 90%
of the population and all major roads

The plan outlines how we will decide whether to proceed with a digital
radio switchover.

Key aspects of the plan include:

* a detailed assessment of the impact of switchover, including:
          - the costs weighed against the benefits for both the
consumer and industry
          - how to ensure rural areas are not left behind
          - the need for a proper environmental plan
* devising a kitemark scheme for digital radios, backed by minimum
specifications
* developing a marketing and communications plan
* determining the case for a help scheme and how it might be implemented

Digital Radio Action Plan:

* Digital Radio Action Plan (PDF 268kb): http://is.gd/dlwuG
* Digital Radio Action Plan (Word 478kb): http://is.gd/dlwwl

Additional Information:

Independent research on the energy consumption of digital radios

The following research is an independent analysis of the energy
consumption of digital radios versus comparable analogue devices,
jointly commissioned by DCMS, Defra and BIS and carried out by
Intertek. The research shows that overall energy consumption of DAB
radios compares favourably to the average energy consumption of
analogue radios and is continuing to improve.

* Intertek - Research Study of Energy Consumption of Digital Radios
Upgrade Phase 1 (PDF 316kb): http://is.gd/dlwAr

Source: http://is.gd/dlwAr

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