UK digital radio transition will start in 2017

According to a government-commissioned report, the UK should be moving fully to digital radio beginning in 2017.

The Digital Radio Working Group (DRWG) noted however that the government must "ease current regulatory burdens before digital radio can be widely adopted." The report found that by 2015 under 50 percent of all UK radio listeners will be using traditional analog radios to listen to FM and AM broadcasts.

The DRWG is made up of representatives from commercial radio, manufacturers, the BBC and the government.

"In the short term we believe the government should consider options for funding to support the reduction of carriage costs," added the report.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 28 Dec 2008 3:06

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7 comments

Leningrad

screw digital radio. it is expensive and analog transimission dont cost you a cent. yeah you get more programs, but look how friggin expensive it is and we have internet. plus analog beats digital in some stuff like synthesizers (JP 8)

28.12.2008 09:44 #1

hendrix04

Im sure the reasoning behind it is the same as the digital TV conversion... To free up that extra bandwidth that is being used to push analog.

28.12.2008 11:09 #2

varnull

No.. 15% vat and retail sales of imported goods.. Screw digital radio.. not interested. I would like to see who they asked.. because I don't know anybody who even listens to the radio any more.. let alone buys digital receivers.

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28.12.2008 11:11 #3

Leningrad

Originally posted by varnull: No.. 15% vat and retail sales of imported goods.. Screw digital radio.. not interested. I would like to see who they asked.. because I don't know anybody who even listens to the radio any more.. let alone buys digital receivers.im so with you. Go analog!

28.12.2008 16:52 #4

spamual

i love to listen to talk sport 1089MW when im in the car. and if no footy is on, kiss 100, captial 95.8fm, heart 106.2 and 107.1 choice FM.

radio is brilliant in the car

29.12.2008 14:07 #5

stclares

Although I have heard the rumours about going digital I don't know the details.
I listen to Radio2 on FM most of the day, is it the intention eventually to shut down the FM radio channels.
If this is so in these days when one should be thinking of the environment it is a mad idea scrapping millions of good working receivers. there is also the financial aspect. I do not want a fancy DAB radio, I am quite happy with FM.
This is typical of this present government. How many times have they made announcements in the last 10 years without considering the future implications and when public opinion is against or has reservations on the proposal they are too pig headed to admit it may be a wrong and amend it or scrap it.

6.1.2009 06:16 #6

IguanaC64

Well...I have a feeling the analog to digital TV changeover is going to be a huge clusterfornication. I live about 30 miles north of Houston and my reception on analog is watchable, but hook up the digital tuner and it's like watching a corrupted video file between the blue screen and the digital artifacts (visual and audial). It will either force people to buy cable TV or force them to buy new huge outdoor antennas. Gonna try a bigger antenna before submitting $50 every month to DirecTV for basic satellite. I will say...the picture is great when you can get it.

I was reading about buying a HD Audio receiver for my car and decided I want no part of that. Apparently, the range on the transmitters for HD Audio sucks from what I've read in reviews. If you live inside the city it's supposed to be fine, but I hate travelling around and having to hunt for new stations on road trips...much less having to do it 10 miles from my house.

6.1.2009 15:38 #7

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