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

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