'No Date' For Digital Radio Switchover

There will be no date set for a switchover from FM to digital radio until the majority of listeners have voluntarily adopted digital radio over analogue, Communications Minister Ed Vaizey.
A provisional date of 2015 had been identified by the previous Labour government, but Mr Vaizey backed away from setting a definite date for the analogue signal to be switched off, although he stressed that the government remained committed to switching to digital radio.
Making the switch to digital would require the majority of motorists to buy a new radio or invest in a conversion kit as digital radios are not usually fitted as standard in cars.
Mr Vaizey has published a Digital Radio Action Plan aimed at encouraging listeners to make the move voluntarily to digital radio, which includes increasing DAB coverage.
The Minister also said that the government would work with car manufacturers in order to make the provision of digital radios standard in cars by 2013.
According to the latest figures from radio industry body Ranjar, only 24% of all radio listening was digital, compared to 66% on AM or FM radio.
(KMcA)