R2OK!

Rachel · Guest

Not bad for my first day back in the big swivel chair.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334250/Digital-switchover-radio-delayed-2017-Ministers-privately-accepted.html

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

"It is very difficult to convince peoplewhat the benefit is.’ Radio analyst Grant Goddard believes the switch will never happen because the BBC and commercial broadcasters will ultimately not be prepared to force a large chunk of the audience to lose their radio services.

‘Any adoption of technology like this has to convince the consumer,’ he added. He said he thought it would drag on for a long time and there was virtually no belief in the date of 2015 at all."

That's it. At the moment there is no benefit. However, they're still banging on about starting the clock at 50% listenership and 99% theoretical coverage. Since it's very hard to find an FM only radio for sale (except when it's installed in your car) people are being pushed towards DAB by default, assuming they can pick up the signal.

Theoretically I should be able to receive at least thirty digital stations. Not on a portable or without an aerial on the roof I can't. Not one.
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Ron

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

It would be rediculous to cut off FM before ALL of the UK has good, high quality DAB coverage & till most people have DAB radios.
I think FM should not be cut off.
All my radios are DAB apart from one FM/AM tranny I take into the bathroom.
I like DAB because it is easy to find stations & also stations which are not on FM, like JazzFM.
A pity, though, not a wider variety of music is featured on DAB.
No real Easy Listening station as in the old R2 or MelodyFM, & no station playing country/roots/folk/blues
Instead a dozen stations playing top 40 pop & dance tunes

undiscovered · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 650 Location: Peterborough

Surely a fair percentage of regular radio listeners are car/ van/ truck drivers? I have yet to see a car radio with DAB until they are regularly fitted into vehilces by manufacturers it will be a quiet trip to work for most
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You will hear gospel and rhythm and blues and jazz, all those are just labels, we know that music is music.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19335 Location: Cheshire

Read that this morning and wanted to put the flags out! Very Happy

I also read last week that the Queen was concerned because DAB doesn't work at Windsor Castle. The head guy from Roberts Radio went to check it out (think he was called Goddard) and said walls were too thick and some kind of repeater would be needed. One wouldn't want to miss the Archers!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Gnasty Gnome · Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 313 Location: West Wales