The BBC has scrapped its plan to turn off analogue FM radio broadcasts, thereby forcing millions of listeners to go digital.
Speaking to an industry conference in Vienna, Bob Shennan, the BBC Director of Radio and Music, will announce that the BBC is to retain FM radio broadcasts as part of a hybrid model. He will also urge broadcasters to work together to ensure the survival of radio, saying Government plans to turn off analogue signals could restrict listeners' choice.
A copy of Shennan's speech, seen by The Sunday Telegraph (subscription required), says: "We all once thought that DAB was the only digital future of radio, but audiences want choice.
"We now know DAB is important, but only part of the story, along with FM and the internet. We need to do more before we consider a switchover in the UK, and for that to be genuinely audience-led."
The Government initially wanted to reduce analogue radio services from 2015, but plans were curtailed due to the slow take up of digital radio.
Shennan will also argue that broadcasters should keep transmitting analogue signals to protect traditional strongholds of radio listening, such as in cars.
It might sound obvious, but we still get readers asking about whether a TV licence is needed to listen to BBC radio programmes. The answer is no.
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3 comments:
This page definitely has all of the information I needed about this subject and didn't know who to ask.
How would local radio stations broadcast more than one local football match if they switched to DAB broadcasts only? Many local stations have teams in lower leagues like National league & national league North or south but they cover the areas of both teams they would be left to pick & choose the match they broadcast. This would be a serious problem for local BBC stations.
This is off topic but you might be interested in this Mr Admin.
A FOI request on evasion convictions in Scotland has been made.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/tv_licence_evasion_convictions_i#incoming-1126398
The BBC doesn't answer the second question about how many prosecutions there have been since 1 Jan 2016. Presumably this is because they are very low - a handful I'd guess. Instead they give the combined fiscal fine and conviction total.
However the number of cases sent to the Procurator Fiscal in the 2 years and one month time period covered are just 12,385 - roughly 6,000 per year. This is a massive drop since 2014.
See http://www.copfs.gov.uk/foi/responses-we-have-made-to-foi-requests/839-tv-licence-fiscal-fines
Me thinks that goons north of the border have seen their commission fall dramatically.
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