The Digital Working Group's Interim Report on DAB and Digital Radio has been welcomed by the Digital Radio Development Bureau and the commercial radio body, RadioCentre.
The report is working towards a date in the future, possibly the year 2020 when all radio in the UK will be delivered via a digital platform such as DAB.
The working group has essentially delivered two key message to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
The first being that a timetable should be in place for the migration of all services to digital, and the second suggesting that DAB should become the primary digital platform for radio listening.
DRDB is the digital radio trade body representing the BBC, leading commercial broadcasters and transmission provider Arqiva, and believes the report sets out a clear route for increased growth of DAB listening in the UK.
Chief executive, Tony Moretta, says: "It is important that any existing barriers to growth are addressed by the industry as a whole with a cohesive strategy that allows us to build on the success DAB has enjoyed over the past few years. This report goes a long way to setting out an agreed vision for the future of digital radio in the UK. We look forward to reading the full report later in the year."
Andrew Harrison, chief executive of RadioCentre said: “The DRWG has done a lot of good work over the last six months and it is really good to have this interim report to move us forward. The report outlines a clear route map and timing aspiration for digital switchover. This is obviously an interim report but I’m delighted that we have an aligned plan along with other stakeholders including the BBC, Community Radio, the Consumer Expert Group and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders for the proposed future of Digital Radio.”
