The tenuous argument for switching off FM

[Guest]

I have at last received a reply to a letter sent to Ed Vaizey in March via my MP. This is a continuing saga and he has still yet to answer my original question but, hey, that would be a first for a politician to do that. He has now veered away from going on about increased choice after I pointed him in the direction of various surveys that showed a very large proportion of listeners being very happy with the choice available on FM.

He has now 'come clean' and is now talking about the money...which we all know is the real reason....the commercial radio stations want to save money. His argument goes along the lines that because much of the FM transmitter network will need replacing soon, it is better to use that money to roll out DAB provided that two criteria are met....50% of listening is on a digital platform and DAB coverage is equivalent to that currently for FM.

However, to my way of thinking, to justify the spend on DAB, the listening figures for DAB should be the driver.....not the whole digital platform. Latest RAJAR figures put digital listening at 35% of which DAB is 2/3 ie about 24%. We should wait until DAB listening is at 50%. Does anyone else concur?

Moving on to consider DAB coverage....how are they going to achieve that ? Take the money for the FM transmitters and use that? Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[amateur51]

Thanks for the update on your struggle with Mr Vaizey, RM

How/why have they decided on only 50% of listening being on a digital platform as a criterion? What percentage do they reckon is reasonable for a Trades Union to call a strike or to be elected leader of the Tory party?

[johnb]

I haven't looked myself but Gordon has posted (in the Rajar thread) that:

More stats from RAJAR:

· Listening to digital platforms now represents 36.8% of all radio listening, up 16% year on year (+ 5.3pp year on year/+2.5pp quarter on quarter).

· DAB is now 24% of all radio listening, up 18% year on year, and listening to online/apps is now 6% (up 31% year on year), overtaking DTV listening.

· 52.5% of the population, or 28 million people, now tune in via a digital platform each week.

· 45.7% of the population now has a DAB set at home (24 million adults).

· Analogue listening in the home is below 50% for the first time.

· Analogue listening is below 50% for the first time among 15-24s.

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?2097-Latest-RAJARs&p=318522#post318522

[Gordon]

Mixed feelings from that response RM - at least he got around to it eventually. The thing that gets me is that, unlike the UHF where DTT is, the FM spectrum has little commercial value - no one else is clamouring to use it. There is only 20 MHz after all so why not leave it alone. Follow the money indeed.

How/why have they decided on only 50% of listening being on a digital platform as a criterion?

A consumer group attached to the Action Plan some time ago suggested 70% but were over-ruled.

[amateur51]

How/why have they decided on only 50% of listening being on a digital platform as a criterion?

A consumer group attached to the Action Plan some time ago suggested 70% but were over-ruled.

Thanks for this figure, Gordon - that would have been my suggestion too.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I doubt whether so many of us would be so upset about losing FM if there were a better digital radio system on offer. But there isn't.

[edashtav]

I doubt whether so many of us would be so upset about losing FM if there were a better digital radio system on offer. But there isn't.

Hear,hear,EA.

[cloughie]

If they work out the 50% on the same basis as Rajar then they'll switch off FM tomorrow. The situation is more complex than that. I listen on DAB in the kitchen, except for Radio Cornwall and often Classic FM have poor reception on DAB. I use my laptop for iplayer, and listen to the odd radio programme via the TV. The rest of the house including my main hi-fi system is FM. My car radio is FM. My main objection to a switch to DAB is the waste of all the perfectly good FM equipment I have invested in over the years. FM equipment be it trannies or tuners tend to go on forever, and that's the way I would like it to continue.

[Resurrection Man]

I have re-read Vaizey's letter as there was something nagging me but I could not put my finger on it. Then it hit me.

He has moved the goalposts yet again and in his letter has dropped the second criteria for the switchover ...namely that National DAB coverage is comparable to FM and local DAB reaches 90% of the population and all major roads. He quite clearly states that they will not set a timetable for the switchoff until 50% of listening etc etc. has been met. Nothing at all about the second criteria.