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House of Lords inquiry into digital radio switchover
The following is a copy of a newsletter I've just sent from my website,
which people who aren't happy with the Government's plans to switch off FM stations at some point over the next decade might be interested in: The House of Lords Communications Select Committee is holding an inquiry into the digital switchover of TV and radio. Written submissions must arrive at the House of Lords by 1st February, which is this coming Monday. This inquiry might be the last chance people get to express their views on the Government's plans for digital radio switchover before the Digital Economy Bill is passed. The only other chance might be when the Bill goes back to the House of Commons, but I feel that this is the best chance people will get to actually have their views listened to. On the radio side, the inquiry is asking for people's views on "the outstanding technical issues, including the appropriateness of DAB as the digital radio standard" and, less interestingly, "the current state of the Government's plans for switchover to digital radio". In addition to sending your views on the DAB vs DAB+ issue, though, I've yet to see the Government or the BBC provide a single piece of evidence to show that the public wants FM stations to be switched off, whereas there's evidence to suggest that the public is perfectly happy with FM. For example, an Ofcom market research survey conducted last year showed that 91% of people are "satisfied" with the choice of radio stations available at the moment, and only 3% are "dissatisfied". Therefore there's negligible demand for the main feature that DAB has to offer. Also, presenters on BBC radio programmes said that people were "almost unanimous" in their opposition to the plans to switch off FM stations when the 2015 switchover date was announced last summer. I think it stands to reason that the public doesn't want FM stations to be switched off, so I think it would be perfectly justifiable for people who're opposed to that happening to send their views to this inquiry as well, especially considering that the public has been completely ignored up to now on this matter by the BBC and the Government. A press release about the inquiry, including instructions about where to send submissions to, can be found he http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/DigS.doc The press release says that submissions should be sent by post, but if you don't want to post anything or you don't feel it would get there in time, I think it would be worth sending your views via email to the Select Committee's email address: Thanks. -- Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - digital radio news & info Check that I haven't accused James "pathological liar" Cridland of being biased towards DAB and biased against Internet radio: Tick Check that I've deleted all racist and/or homophobic language: Tick Check that there are no funeral magazines and/or addresses of senior members of the DAB industry included: Tick Check that I've observed Sean "My Personal Obsessive Stalker" Inglis's (Usenet username: seani) "How Steve Must Behave on Usenet Rulebook (Totally Inapplicable to Other Users Edition)": Tick |
House of Lords inquiry into digital radio switchover
Brian Gaff wrote:
So why have not the various networks been promoting the enquiry. Seems a bit late in the day now? I feel though that they will have a fight on their hands from the commercial interests if they want to turn off fm. I know for a fact a number of larger and smaller players in the commercial radio side have sent submissions to this enquiry saying that how can they borrow the money to keep their systems going if they have no proven model finance wise which would be the case if the FM rug were pulled out leaving an inadequate DAB system with a low listner base. A more realistic date might be 2025. Even hen, what other medium can tail the signal off gracefully and not just either cut out or go into boiling mud territory. They believe, I think that the current dab needs to be sorted out and properly funded and all the stuff we have talked about here, before its even feasible to think about just allowing fm to be used by local stations. The problem is that many commercial systems of the small variety, would fall between the cracks in the proposed new order, and the bigger ones would lose coverage. Brian Leaving aside the quality issue for a moment, I thought we were supposed to be going green(er) these days? This is some useless initiative that the Government is trying to drive through which will mean that - as with mobile phones - 99% of the population have coverage and 100% of the population will have to land fill their existing radio equipment. Speaking as someone who - even in 2010 - cannot get a reliable signal on Channel 5 and who [after switch-over] will still only be able to get the main channels via an ariel I have little confidence in the coverage predictions although I can get Radio 4... Just how many existing radios will be consigned to land fill? I imagine though that this initiative will restart the Chinese economy quite nicely. -- David Kennedy http://www.anindianinexile.com |
House of Lords inquiry into digital radio switchover
David Kennedy wrote:
Brian Gaff wrote: So why have not the various networks been promoting the enquiry. Seems a bit late in the day now? I feel though that they will have a fight on their hands from the commercial interests if they want to turn off fm. I know for a fact a number of larger and smaller players in the commercial radio side have sent submissions to this enquiry saying that how can they borrow the money to keep their systems going if they have no proven model finance wise which would be the case if the FM rug were pulled out leaving an inadequate DAB system with a low listner base. A more realistic date might be 2025. Even hen, what other medium can tail the signal off gracefully and not just either cut out or go into boiling mud territory. They believe, I think that the current dab needs to be sorted out and properly funded and all the stuff we have talked about here, before its even feasible to think about just allowing fm to be used by local stations. The problem is that many commercial systems of the small variety, would fall between the cracks in the proposed new order, and the bigger ones would lose coverage. Brian Leaving aside the quality issue for a moment, I thought we were supposed to be going green(er) these days? This is some useless initiative that the Government is trying to drive through which will mean that - as with mobile phones - 99% of the population have coverage and 100% of the population will have to land fill their existing radio equipment. Speaking as someone who - even in 2010 - cannot get a reliable signal on Channel 5 and who [after switch-over] will still only be able to get the main channels via an ariel I have little confidence in the coverage predictions although I can get Radio 4... Just how many existing radios will be consigned to land fill? I imagine though that this initiative will restart the Chinese economy quite nicely. Has the government been infiltrated?..could account for a few of the weird policy decisions made lately. :) -- Bill Coombes |
House of Lords inquiry into digital radio switchover
Well, the government have no idea at all what to do next. Almost every
decision made of late is either going to be unworkable or counter productive. This new agency for checking out people who volunteer to work with vulnerable people is a case in point. Instead of putting more funds into crb checks, they waste it on yet anouther top heavy load of admin who are already behind with setting it up before anyone has even been checked out! The best we can hope for is that someone in the incoming admin has a clue about anything other than good intentions and hand wringing. Brian -- Brian Gaff - Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff' in the display name may be lost. Blind user, so no pictures please! "bcoombes" bcoombes@orangedotnet wrote in message ... David Kennedy wrote: Brian Gaff wrote: So why have not the various networks been promoting the enquiry. Seems a bit late in the day now? I feel though that they will have a fight on their hands from the commercial interests if they want to turn off fm. I know for a fact a number of larger and smaller players in the commercial radio side have sent submissions to this enquiry saying that how can they borrow the money to keep their systems going if they have no proven model finance wise which would be the case if the FM rug were pulled out leaving an inadequate DAB system with a low listner base. A more realistic date might be 2025. Even hen, what other medium can tail the signal off gracefully and not just either cut out or go into boiling mud territory. They believe, I think that the current dab needs to be sorted out and properly funded and all the stuff we have talked about here, before its even feasible to think about just allowing fm to be used by local stations. The problem is that many commercial systems of the small variety, would fall between the cracks in the proposed new order, and the bigger ones would lose coverage. Brian Leaving aside the quality issue for a moment, I thought we were supposed to be going green(er) these days? This is some useless initiative that the Government is trying to drive through which will mean that - as with mobile phones - 99% of the population have coverage and 100% of the population will have to land fill their existing radio equipment. Speaking as someone who - even in 2010 - cannot get a reliable signal on Channel 5 and who [after switch-over] will still only be able to get the main channels via an ariel I have little confidence in the coverage predictions although I can get Radio 4... Just how many existing radios will be consigned to land fill? I imagine though that this initiative will restart the Chinese economy quite nicely. Has the government been infiltrated?..could account for a few of the weird policy decisions made lately. :) -- Bill Coombes |
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