UK Digital Radio continues to sink...

[KB1OKL]

I've been to Europe many times over the past 6 years, including about five weeks ago, and can't recall any such backlash. I also remember doomsayers of the DTV conversion/analog sunset here in the US were claiming there would be a HUGE backlash of angry TV consumers who would rebel by not watching TV anymore, with estimated losses in the 20 million viewer range. I can tell you first hand, the rebellion and backlash never happened with TV either.

This from Dec 2013, all you got to do is google it: DAB is in trouble over there and that has been common knowledge for some time. Digital radio is not working anywhere, the only digital radio format we have here that is working is Sirius-XM and with that it is the content not the fact that it is digital that sold it.

Analogue radio has been given a stay of execution after ministers admitted too few listeners were switching to digital.

Both FM and AM radio were due to be turned off in 2015, though the Government had already considered a delay as digital uptake was so slow.

But now ministers have decided to postpone the plan indefinitely after discovering that barely a third of radio is received from digital stations.
Delays: Ministers will not set a date to switch of FM services until more people start using digital radios

Delays: Ministers will not set a date to switch of FM services until more people start using digital radios

Communications minister Ed Vaizey said more needed to be done to persuade listeners to switch.

Mr Vaizey said: ‘I regard my role as a supporter and enabler of digital radio but . . . I completely respect the people’s passion for radio and not being made to do something they don’t want to do.

‘I also have a huge amount of respect for people who run independent commercial stations. They’re not flying off to the Caribbean for Christmas; these are tough organizations to run and they don’t make a huge amount of money.’


more at:


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...digital-radio-switchover-people-given-FM.html

 

[Kelly A]

Digital radio is not working anywhere, the only digital radio format we have here that is working is Sirius-XM and with that it is the content not the fact that it is digital that sold it.

Not surprising from someone who regularly posts anti-HD comments, or who probably hasn't visited "Europe". But I'll bite.. What do you consider the yardstick for something that "works"? Could it be the way AM radio was back when you were growing up 40 years ago?

 

[tomservo]

Not surprising from someone who regularly posts anti-HD comments, or who probably hasn't visited "Europe". But I'll bite.. What do you consider the yardstick for something that "works"? Could it be the way AM radio was back when you were growing up 40 years ago?

I'm sure his head will 'splode when he learns that Norway has met its conditions for analog shutdown, now that DAB+ reaches over 99% of the population. I don't think they'll push for a shutdown anytime soon, but the conditions they set for the DAB+ network have been met, and a lot of Norwegians are listening to digital only now.

 

[Wimmmex]

I'm sure his head will 'splode when he learns that Norway has met its conditions for analog shutdown, now that DAB+ reaches over 99% of the population. I don't think they'll push for a shutdown anytime soon, but the conditions they set for the DAB+ network have been met, and a lot of Norwegians are listening to digital only now.

Please don't confuse him with facts! ;-) He's anti-HD...and that's all there is to it!

Don't let facts get in the way of his obsession!

 

[KB1OKL]

I'm sure his head will 'splode when he learns that Norway has met its conditions for analog shutdown, now that DAB+ reaches over 99% of the population. I don't think they'll push for a shutdown anytime soon, but the conditions they set for the DAB+ network have been met, and a lot of Norwegians are listening to digital only now.

My head doesn't explode if someone disagrees with me, I just try to correct what I see as inaccuracies and the plain truth is that digital radio is not doing well anywhere in the world and if by some chance it does seems to be getting a foothold somewhere such as in Norway, just wait a while, it'll go down just like it has everywhere, people don't care one whit about digital radio, they care about content. If HD radio had had the dramatic change in content that FM radio had 40 years ago, we would all be listening to it right now instead of arguing about it. I am sure sooner or later there will be a viable alternative to FM-AM radio but we haven't seen it yet. Radio is not life or death for most people, you turn it on and it works, if it doesn't you go elsewhere, if it's easier to switch to HD or DAB than stay with analog people will but so far it hasn't been anywhere so they stay with the tried and true. Even the audiophiles haven't embraced it and sound is supposed to be it's selling point isn't it?

 

[KB1OKL]

Not surprising from someone who regularly posts anti-HD comments, or who probably hasn't visited "Europe". But I'll bite.. What do you consider the yardstick for something that "works"? Could it be the way AM radio was back when you were growing up 40 years ago?

I consider something that works as something that is successful and HD radio is hanging on by a thread and DAB hasn't been a resounding success anywhere either. And yes I've been to "Europe" many times, in fact I worked in Germany for several months in 1981 recording in Dieter Dierks recording studio, I also live part time in Lima, Peru. Peru is not in Europe it is in South America in case you're not sure.

 

[Wimmmex]

HD radio is hanging on by a thread

Really? Most of the major FM stations are using it, all the major radio companies are using it. It is available in every major market....and despite the naysayers, it just keeps keepin' on!

It is now just a fact of life for most major FM stations.

 

[diymedia]

Interesting rhetorical jujitsu, how a thread dissing DAB becomes ones to diss HD "naysayers." Fact of the matter is, the two systems are apples and oranges. And while DAB has not been a rousing success, DAB+ is catching on, and the notion of an eventual digital/analog transition is a reality in some European countries. There's some interesting experimentation in the works in UK allowing for the establishment of small-scale DAB stations that stand alone from the existing multiplex network model as well.