Britain’s largest-selling quality newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, has published a story that begins “Radio broadcasts on mediumwave will end within a few years if a powerful coalition of commercial radio interests has its way.” The story refers to the debate being launched by Ofcom, which it describes as “commercial radio’s regulatory body” on the future of radio.
The story mentions “the growth of digital broadcasts” but fails to refer, even in passing, to Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). Readers of this story are given the clear impression that mediumwave is only suitable for analogue technology.
I don’t know anything about the technical background of the writer, David Sapsted, but he has clearly not done very thorough research other than phoning communications regulator Ofcom and a few contacts in the commercial radio industry for quotes. What a missed opportunity for the proponents of DRM.
on Dec 30th, 2006 at 13:17
He hasn’t even done any research. The article is one of the most blatant examples of plagiarism I have seen. Compare it with the longer and more balanced “Proposal to switch off AM Radio gets a mixed reception from broadcasters” by Amanda Andrews the day before in The Times:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/a…2521803,00.html
And Sapsted gets paid for a blatant cut and paste job using Ms. Andrews research and even article structure.
One leading commercial radio group not quoted is UTV who hold one of the two national commercial AM licences, Talksport:
“One issue which is fundamental to the future of INR and the public interest is that there should be a path mapped out which allows the national stations a future on AM. Whilst all commercial radio operators are developing their digital futures the reality is that digital growth is slower than expected. It is therefore highly unlikely that the 8.5 million adults listening to BBC 5 Live, talkSPORT and Virgin on AM will have migrated in sufficient numbers by 2012 justify any contemplation of an AM switch-off at such an early stage. It is also a reasoned assumption that the older audiences listening on AM, to BBC 5Live and talkSPORT in particular, are not the early adopters of new digital radio reception technology.”
The full EMAP quote from the Times article which Sapsted skates over is:
The group said that it had recorded a rise in Magic’s AM audiences and it was still too early in the development of digital radio to talk about AM or analogue switch-off.
Dee Ford, group managing director of Emap Radio, said: “We want people to be able to listen to their Emap Radio service of choice, whenever and wherever they want to — be that AM, FM, DAB or via their TV.â€
Ofcom have also talked about advertising AM licences on a “technology neutral” basis allowing groups to continue to apply to operate in AM if they wished as Talksport and EMAP clearly do.
But all this of course spoils Sapsted plagiarised story which he decides to give the overdramatic headline “Wave farewell to AM radio says experts” I would have thought the 8.5 million UK AM listeners are also experts.
on Dec 30th, 2006 at 13:41
Well done, Mike, for spotting that. I subscribe to The Times, but the European edition is a cut-down version and I did not see the original article. I’ve also seen press releases word-for-word with someone’s byline added. Here in the Weblog, I give original sources even when I have substantially re-written something for clarity.
on Dec 30th, 2006 at 19:11
It was interesting to hear the arguments by Commercial Radio Australia at the Radio Academy meeting last month. They believe that digital radio down under will only work if they use more modern codecs. Ideally, of course, your radio would get software upgrades over the air, like the Lobsterphone does or the wifi radios do. It seems bonkers that radio technology gets stuck in a time warp when competing platforms just use relevant technology of the moment. I agree with Mike that David\’s cut and paste journalism was a lazy piece. The original OfCom discussion document is a good conversation starter… http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/radio_review/radio_review2/ and there will be more next year. I wish there was a similar level of public debate in the Netherlands. Alas, the Dutch government does not consult the general public directly, but goes through lobby groups and foundations. It amazes me that the money wasted on the Innovation Platform did not cause a public outcry. http://www.innovatieplatform.nl/en/index.html to judge for youself.
on Dec 31st, 2006 at 10:10
So far as there are listners and advertisers, am is not dead. it\’s the format and program service that makes the am alive. Support am.
on Jan 2nd, 2007 at 15:16
Ms. Andrews research is based on a later document than the one Jonathan mentions, The Future of Radio, which includes the possibility of the UK using DRM on AM.
The responses are now in though Scottish Media Group, who own Virgin, have either not responded or asked that theirs remain confidential. It is useful to be aware of which analogue and digital licences the various radio groups hold when reading their replies, there’s a certain amount of politics and understandable self interest at work at times:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/radio_future/
on Dec 4th, 2009 at 15:40
Although I am using a computer at this moment by necessity, not everyone wants to use it for their entertainment. Morse code is one part of HAM radio that is refusing to fade away. Actually youngsters are more impressed when they see someone using a morse key than someone using amateur TV. After all their mobile phone will do the same. Here in New Zeland part of the FM band is set aside for free transmitting (less than 2 watts) and there are a number of small stations transmitting around the clock. With a decent antenna these stations can still cover a fair distance, especially if they are situated on a hill top. However music is one part that is shifting from radio to other means yet news on the radio, talkback, traffic information, sports reporting (a lot of horse racing) is as big as ever. It helps with the boredom when one is driving a car all day.
Personally I refuse to listen to broadcasts over the internet yet I regularly listen to shortwave broadcasts. (it ain’t helping that not everyone here is on broadband, many are still on dial-up and not wanting to shift either for the occasional email they are doing)