DAB Radio Sales Top Seven Million

Sales of DAB digital radios have topped seven million, according to the latest figures from GfK, the industry’s marketing service.

At the end of April, cumulative sales stood at 7.05 million following a record Christmas period and growth of 28% year-on-year in quarter one, 2008.

DAB radios are now selling at more than two million a year and can be found in more than a quarter of all UK homes. Set sales for 2008 continue to run ahead of DRDB forecast.

The latest RAJAR figures, for Q1 2008, show that 10.8% of all radio listening is done via DAB, an increase on the 9.9% recorded in the previous quarter (see Almost 18% Of All Radio Listening Now Via Digital).

Paul Brown, acting chief executive for the Digital Radio Development Bureau, said: “Seven million is another DAB milestone and by the end of 2008 we expect to see over nine million DAB radios in UK homes.

“The DRDB has been working closely with the DCMS’s Digital Radio Working Group, and we anticipate some positive proposals for further growing the DAB market to come from the report later this year.”

DRDB: 020 7306 2630 www.drdb.org