UK Radio Listening Data

Posted by: Mike-B on 29 December 2015

 I was just taking a look at the latest (UK) RAJAR radio listening data for Q3 2015;

It shows a growing move toward DAB.
The expansion of the UK DAB coverage to match & exceed that of FM when the new transmitter plan (Local DAB Expansion) is completed in the second half of 2016.
A further 14 new stations are due to go on air in early 2016.
This all adds up to a very strong possibility that the FM national stations switch off date will be up for consideration very soon. It's not as simple as the raw listening data as its complicated with a number of issues not least that of the question(s) on automotive reception.
 
Anyhow, here are the significant numbers
Q4 2015 numbers are due 4 Feb 2016
 
Posted on: 29 December 2015 by George F

We probably have to accept that the BBC cannot afford to run both digital broadcasting and AM/FM-VHF.

Though analogue radio is hardly a niche sector like LP is for replay, the financial arrangements are quite different.

One can only hope that a digital system that can be considered the equal [as a minimum] of VHF[FM] will appear in the form of very high quality lossless streaming, be it via the internet or Television  Satellite broadcasting ...

I would say that the writing is on the wall for analogue radio by now. Just a matter of time.

ATB from George

 

Posted on: 29 December 2015 by hungryhalibut

I was listening to the interview with Elvis Costello at 7.15 today, after The Archers. The sound was just astonishing on FM. Nothing on digital comes close. It would be such a shame if the lowest common denominator comes to pass, as so often seems to happen these days. 

Perhaps if the pea brained chancellor hadn't shifted the burden of welfare to the BBC, FM would have more of a chance. 

Posted on: 29 December 2015 by Mike-B
Hungryhalibut posted:

I was listening to the interview with Elvis Costello at 7.15 today, after The Archers. The sound was just astonishing on FM. Nothing on digital comes close. It would be such a shame if the lowest common denominator comes to pass, as so often seems to happen these days. 

Perhaps if the pea brained chancellor hadn't shifted the burden of welfare to the BBC, FM would have more of a chance. 

100% on FM SQ HH
 But steady on ol'chap,  we don't have pea brained politicians   .....  do we ?????    
Posted on: 30 December 2015 by John Bailey

I'm sure I've recently read somewhere that following the government's raid on the BBC budget the BBC have turned around and given them the finger when it comes to funding the switch over costs.

 

 

 

Posted on: 30 December 2015 by Mike-B

BBC don't have much to pay out with the switch off, long term its a cost saving.  Its not the BBC that pay for all this,  they are a part of the radio industry that includes the commercial sector and the commercial companies who own the distribution & transmitters. Not forgetting the distribution & transmission structure is already there.   Also the DAB transmitter expansion plan is now well past the half way point & is due to complete in September,  & that is only part funded by BBC as one of the radio industry partners.

Ed Vaisey was asked recently about the switch off date & he would not commit it would be during this parliament (2020),  probably means it's not yet agreed,  I believe the next meeting is February,  and George has not allocated the cash.

Posted on: 30 December 2015 by John Bailey

Hopefully I can just about get away with posting this link but here is where I read it:

http://www.theguardian.com/med...o-switchover-6-music

 

 

Posted on: 30 December 2015 by Mike-B
John Bailey posted:

Hopefully I can just about get away with posting this link but here is where I read it:

http://www.theguardian.com/med...o-switchover-6-music 

......  thanks  

I guess BBC will be making pre emptive noises about their budget problems at every opportunity.  
But not forgetting the significant cost is the national transmitter expansion program & it has been funded & the BBC are a share holder, not the owner of that budget.
Posted on: 30 December 2015 by rjstaines

Thank goodness for that...  I don't have to rush out and put my NAT05 on that auction site just yet.

But it begs the question "Why doesn't Naim provide a NATxx device that handles FM and DAB?"  (other than the Naimnet devices that fail the end-user-friendly-setup test every time).

At the moment I rely on Sony to provide my Radio4 Extra listening 

Posted on: 30 December 2015 by hungryhalibut

Why not just listen to R4 Extra on the NDS iradio?

I have the FM and DAB module in my 272. It sounds amazingly good for £300. I know, of course, that you can't add the module to the NDS, which seems a shame. 

Posted on: 30 December 2015 by Mike-B
rjstaines posted:

But it begs the question "Why doesn't Naim provide a NATxx device that handles FM and DAB?"  (other than the Naimnet devices that fail the end-user-friendly-setup test every time).

.........   I'm not convinced Naim are interested in radio these days,  the el-cheapo bought in radio module in the streamer units is OK but its a far cry from the state of the art designed & made in Salisbury tuners of days gone by. 
Probably somewhat indicative of the broadcast companies low quality, high compression output.   Lets face it the NAT-01 is wasted on all but R3 in UK. 
I'm slowly moving to iRadio for much of my serious listening; the proms was a good test this year when I found the BBC HLS HD transmission as good or better than FM.