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Digital Media Top Stories
Radio sector responds to Digital Economy Act
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 9 April 2010
Let us not forget, the Digital Economy Act also says some pretty important stuff about digital radio. So we ought to run some quotes from the digital radio industry, too. So, here we go.
The boss of the body charged with the task of turning us all on to Digital Audio Broadcasting, Digital Radio UK’s Ford Ennals, told reporters: “We welcome the clear policy direction and legislative framework that is now in place giving us a foundation upon which to build a secure and prosperous future for radio and significant benefits for listeners. The switch to digital radio will also deliver opportunities for growth and greater competition within the industry as more commercial stations gain the ability to transmit nationally, and community and small local radio stations gain greater access to FM”.
Meanwhile, The Guardian had a quote from one of the BBC execs spearheading the growth of digital radio at their end, Mark Friend, who said: “Passing the Digital Economy Act into law is an important milestone in securing radio’s place in a multi-platform digital world. It sets the stage for broadcasters and manufacturers to deliver the benefits of digital to UK radio listeners, including increased choice, quality and functionality”.
I probably should have made more of an effort to find some radio people who oppose the Digital Economy Act as well, to ensure some balance in this section. But you know, it’s been a busy morning in CMU’s Digital Economy Bill Unit, not least because we’ve got to get new signs printed that say Digital Economy Act Unit. I might just cobble something together out of images downloaded from the internet.
But I do know that the Telegraph this morning reported about a consortium of fourteen smaller radio stations who say the Digital Economy Act’s ambitious aim to shut down much of the FM network by 2015 will have a detrimental affect on them, and that their “ability to operate in the future is directly challenged by the digital radio switchover proposals”. So, there you have it, balance.
