Internet Radio Without PCs Could Revolutionise Industry
A new breed of digital radio has been developed enabling listeners to access thousands of internet stations through a conventional-style receiver without the need for a PC, in a move that could potentially revolutionise the UK’s radio industry.
The Reciva WiFi Internet Radio tunes in to stations via the internet, enabling listeners to enjoy a range of content, from the BBC’s online streams to independent providers covering niche subject areas. The technology allows high quality listening regardless of geographical location and neatly side-steps the problems of signal coverage currently dogging DAB digital radios.
The internet radio is currently being produced as a working prototype for testing purposes and as a proof of concept device. However, new technology from Cambridge-based Reciva has the potential to radically alter the UK’s listening habits and open users’ ears to a myriad of stations from around the world.
The company claims: “Many thousands of radio stations world-wide broadcast their programmes on the internet. In contrast to traditional radio these stations are instantly accessible regardless of location, providing consumers with an unparalleled variety of digital listening material.”
The growing importance of internet radio was underlined earlier this year by the BBC’s director of radio and music, Jenny Abramsky. In a keynote speech to this year’s Radio Festival in Birmingham the broadcast head announced that the Corporation will begin publishing usage figures for its online streaming and on-demand radio services from the autumn (see Abramsky Defends BBC Radio Ahead Of Charter Renewal).
In addition to traditional media owners such as the BBC, internet radio is beginning to attract other big-name companies new to broadcasting, such as internet heavyweight Yahoo!. Earlier this year the company announced the launch of its Launchcast Radio product, a new internet radio service enabling users to tailor their listening to individual tastes and screen out unwanted content (see Yahoo! Offers Tailor Made Internet Radio Content).
However, despite the increased investment in online radio streaming, traditional analogue broadcasts look set to continue for the foreseeable future. Ofcom today announced that it was in no rush to switch off analogue broadcasts, especially given the relatively low penetration rate of DAB digital radios. (see Ofcom In No Rush To Set Switch-Off Date For Radio)
Digital sets currently account for approximately 1% of the nation’s radio equipment, numbering less than a million, compared with the estimated 100 million analogue tuners currently residing in British homes. According to Ofcom’s head of market intelligence, Peter Davies, the reason for the slow up-take of the new technology is the opinion of DAB radios by young listeners as “expensive and undesirable” items (see DAB Broadcasters Face Threat From Ipod Generation).
Reciva: 020 7766 6000 www.reciva.com
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