Radiodead? Digital radios 'no one wants' as listeners continue to buy FM sets Read more: http://www

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Digital radios 'no one wants' as listeners continue to buy FM sets

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Last updated at 4:09 AM on 29th March 2010

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The public cannot see the point in buying a digital radio and are happy with FM sets, a House of Lords committee has warned.

Radio stations are set to move to DAB format by the end of 2015 under a timetable outlined in the Government's Digital Britain White Paper last June.

But many Britons are 'not yet convinced of the need for change', says a report by the Lords communications committee, which adds that there is 'strong public satisfaction' with the current analogue system.

 

The public cannot see the point in buying digital radios, a House of Lords committee has warned

Around 20 per cent of radio listening is now done through digital sets. More than 10million Digital Audio Broadcasting sets, which can be bought for less than £50, have been sold.

But confused consumers are continuing to buy FM radio sets that may be obsolete - or, at best, of limited use - within years. Between 50 million and 100 million radios - including 20million in cars - will need replacing or converting after the digital switchover, and the entire cost looks likely to be borne by consumers, the report noted.

Car makers say it will be 2013 before they fit digital radios to new vehicles as standard.

The report said: 'No-one can be satisfied with the present position.'

The peers recommended that the Government should commission a new study into the costs and benefits of digital radio.

They also said that licence fee payers had been charged £300million more than was needed to pay for publicity about the digital TV switchover.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it 'will consider all the recommendations' made in the report.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1261484/Digital-radios-wants-listeners-continue-buy-FM-sets.html#ixzz0jcYtAsXl