The date originally pencilled in for digital radio switchover – 2015 – is far too early, a new report warned today.


In its study, “Digital Radio Switchover: what is in it for consumers?”, the Government-appointed Consumer Expert Group thinks it could be and so, too, does Roberts Radio.


The report, published today by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), suggested: “The target date for digital switchover should be revised upwards as 2015 is realistically far too early for the necessary preparations to be put in place for consumers.”


Further, it said that a digital switchover date should only be announced when no more than 30 per cent of listening remains on analogue.


At Roberts Radio, sales and marketing director Owen Watters (pictured) said: “While we unconditionally support digital as the platform for the future, we were the first manufacturer to raise concerns over the realistic timescales for the switchover.”


Pointing out that there is still a “very healthy analogue demand” in the UK, Mr Watters said: “It is these consumers who will dictate when the switchover happens.”


He added: “It is also important to acknowledge that there is still also a lot of work to do before the UK is ready for the switchover, one major area of this being the need for a workable solution for the UK’s 30 million motor cars.”


For more on this story see the next issue of ERT magazine.