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Press Releases & Press Packs

23.06.03

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Radio - the digital future gets closer

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ today (Monday 23 June) underlined its commitment to DAB digital radio, announcing a major on-air promotional campaign for its complete portfolio of digital radio stations – 1Xtra, Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, ´óÏó´«Ã½ 7 and the Asian Network.

The five-week campaign, the first by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to promote its family of digital radio services, starts today and incorporates TV, radio and online elements.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ also confirmed details of the upgrading of its digital radio transmitter network from 65% to 85% coverage of the UK population in 2004, bringing DAB broadcasts to new areas of Central England, East Anglia, the South and South East, the West and South West, the North, and Scotland.

Jenny Abramsky, Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio & Music and Vice-Chair of the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) also released details today of new DRDB research, the largest post-purchase research ever undertaken on digital radio and the first pan-industry research done on behalf of both commercial radio and the ´óÏó´«Ã½.

"I think this research marks a watershed," says Jenny Abramsky.

"For the first time it shows that digital radio is on its way to becoming a mass market proposition, rather than the preserve of audio enthusiasts.

"For the ´óÏó´«Ã½ there is also the encouraging sign of digital converts being attracted by new stations, particularly ´óÏó´«Ã½ 7.

"It's clear that the new ´óÏó´«Ã½ services are playing a major role in driving the uptake of digital radio."

Key points from the DRDB research are:-

• 80% of digital radio buyers bought their DAB set to listen to new digital services.

• One in five digital radio buyers bought a digital radio to listen to the new station ´óÏó´«Ã½ 7.

• The top pre-purchase enquiry to the DRDB consumer helpline in May 2003 was "Which stations can I get?". In contrast, the top enquiry in November 2002 was about product information.

• Consumer satisfaction with digital radio is exceptionally high – over 90% of respondents rated ease of tuning, sound quality, receiving new stations and receiving improved reception of existing stations as 'exceptional/good'.

• 30% of people are now aware of DAB digital radio (17.2 million). This is an increase of 88% over 18 months.

• Digital radio sales have increased by 170% year on year with 175,000 radios now in UK homes (industry estimate October 2001 - December 2002).

• The highest awareness of digital radio is amongst the 15-44 age group. This matches the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s target audience profile for its new digital services.

• Women make up 21% of digital radio purchasers (an indication of the move to the mass market as early adopters of new technology are traditionally male).

• 8% of digital radio sales are repeat purchases. Given that the average UK home has five radio sets, this in an encouraging figure, suggesting people are starting to replace their analogue sets.

Work starts this summer on the expansion of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s digital radio transmitter network to increase current coverage from 65% of the UK population to 85% in 2004.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ website - - will carry coverage maps of the planned expansion and, for the first time, ´óÏó´«Ã½ listeners will be able to check if their home will come into coverage in the next 12 months.

As transmitters are switched on and new areas receive ´óÏó´«Ã½ digital radio broadcasts the postcode checker on the website will also be updated.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s new on-air promotional campaign for its digital radio services – Make Time For Digital Radio – launches today, Monday 23 June.

The trails, produced for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ by the agency Fallon, show people going to the most extraordinary lengths to make time to listen to the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s new digital radio stations.

The campaign runs on tv for five weeks from today, online for two weeks from today, and on radio for two weeks from Saturday 28 June.

Andy Duncan, Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Marketing & Communications says: "This is our first and biggest ever promotion of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s digital radio networks, with a major push this summer and another later in the autumn.

"We hope the campaign will drive digital radio take-up in the same way as our digital tv promotion last year drove viewers to our digital tv services.

"Our big goal is to see as many people as possible getting access to the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s new radio networks."

Notes to Editors

Research sources

All research quoted is DRDB research and is joint industry research carried out by the DRDB on behalf of commercial radio and ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio. The research is compiled from four sources:

• Ipsos-RSL-Omnibus Tracker research – plotting awareness of DAB and attitudes to purchase.

• Helpline data – gathered from callers to the DRDB consumer helpline.

• GFK data – industry data on DAB product sales.

• Claritas in-box data – data analysed from over 2,000 post-purchase questionnaires.

DRDB

The Digital Radio Development Bureau is funded and supported by the ´óÏó´«Ã½, Digital One, EMAP Digital Radio, CE Digital, MXR, Capital Digital and Now-Digital.

The DRDB's task is to ensure digital radio's wide accessibility and swift adoption in the UK with consistent and effective marketing.

Consumer information lines

´óÏó´«Ã½: 08700 100789
DRDB: 08707 747474

The Digital Radio press pack is available here, in , as a complete pack or in sections. You may require Adobe Acrobat Software to read PDF files which can be obtained .

Full Digital Radio press pack (4.89 MB)

Introduction (40 KB)

Five new networks (104 KB)

Listening highlights 1 (473 KB)
Listening highlights 2 (403 KB)
Listening highlights 3 (418 KB)

Facts and figures (39 KB)

´óÏó´«Ã½ radio networks on DAB (38 KB)

Coverage (3.49 MB)

Frequently asked questions (62 KB)

Radio milestones (40 KB)

Freeview offers the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s eight television channels, interactive services from ´óÏó´«Ã½i, as well as 11 ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio networks.

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