Digital radio future set to be outlined “next week” Dec 12, 200

The future of digital radio is set to be outlined by the Digital Radio Working Group (DRWG) imminently according to MediaGuardian.

The official body is to finalise its report and announce next week that the digital radio switchover could be completed by 2020.

Various parties had been brought together by the government to discuss the future of the medium. The agenda was to map out a timetable for digital radio, which has been beset by uncertainty over the future of one of its key methods of delivery, digital audio broadcasting (DAB).

But despite the setbacks – which saw Channel 4 pull the plug on its DAB ambitions and a host of digital stations shut down, including TheJazz, OneWord and Mojo – the DRWG is expected to say that the migration of most radio content to digital could be completed by 2020.

The report is also expected to bring out a number of concerns such as:
1. Parts of the country not being able to receive a signal by 2020
2. If there will be a blanket switch-off date like the 2012 set for terrestrial television
3. Who will fork out monies to strengthen the quality of DAB signal
4. How to encourage car manufacturers to build in digital radios
5. The second multiplex (which was awarded to the now defunct Channel 4-led 4 Digital consortium, has yet to be re-advertised

There are also calls being made to shift some BBC services to the commercial DAB multiplex, Digital One. BBC Asian Network and a handful of other services are likely to move to create more space on BBC’s own multiplex.