UK Full Steam Ahead
To the annoyance of DAB detractors digital radio continues to grow in the UK.
The latest RAJAR results for digital radio are stunning.
In Reach, that is how many people use it however briefly, digital radio is heard by 38.5% of the population at some stage during an average week.
Most importantly in Share, that is out of all listening to all radio how much is shared by digital, the amazing result is 24%. Wow! Just on a quarter of ALL radio listening in the UK is now done using a digital receiver of some description.
DAB is by far the most popular digital platform with radio via digital tv or the internet lagging far behind.
Looking at the big picture digital radios share of listening has doubled in just three years (from 12.8% in 2007). If it doubles again in the next three years, the UK will easily exceed it’s target of 50% share by 2015, and begin the final process of moving entirely from FM on to DAB.
To aid the growth, the industry started an interesting campaign this week, fronted by comedian Stephen Fry. In commercials and promo announcements on commercial and BBC radio, listeners are encouraged to take part in a kind of radio scrappage scheme. Anyone trading in an old analogue set for a brand spanking new digital one will get a nice 10% discount off the price. The old radios will be reconditioned and given to the Children’s Radio Foundation in Southern Africa.
I don’t imagine a stampede of listeners crowding the doors of Currys for this offer but it will work wonders highlighting digital radio and keeping that growth curve upwardly mobile.
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Is the middle England backlash against DAB gathering momentum???
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1292531/Motorists-face-300-digital-radio-ministers-press-ahead-FM-switch-off.html
Ahhh … good old Daily Mail making another mountain out of a molehill!
What I find very interesting is the complete LACK of backlash against analogue switch off on the TV side of digital broadcasting. The UK should have completely switched to digital by 2012 and barely a word has been said about people having to upgrade their telly’s or get special Freeview boxes. Often these purchases would be the same or greater than replacing a radio!
I think the difference is the government has said – right we’re doing this digital telly thing – and gone about it in an organised way. The lack of this kind of decisive decision and the resulting ambiguity for DAB is what’s getting it such bad press.
The fact DAB has gained a 25% share of all listening in an organic manner is amazing. I think once that hits the required 50% in two or three years and the government do the same for radio as they’ve done for digital telly, the grumbling and backlash will stop, and we can move on to provide and more comprehensive radio platform for all.
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