asi: 2015 digital switchover is not a “cast iron commitment”

Margo Swadley, the BBC’s head of audience research for audio and music, opened the ASI European Radio Symposium by putting a brave face on digital radio take up in the UK.

Last week’s RAJAR figures showed digital listening growing year on year but not quarter on quarter. Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, communications and creative industries, recently stated that a 2015 switchover remained a target, but not a “cast iron commitment”.

Swadley accepted that the required 50% share of listening by 2013 to trigger switchover was still an aspiration – but a very unlikely one, while Initiative’s head of radio Tom Drummond said last week’s figures begin “to make the target of 50% of digital listening unachievable”.

Research carried out by Kantar for the BBC showed high awareness of how to access digital radio,  but low awareness of content available. The conclusions – to drive growth – were to provide more familiar content and more first-run programmes on digital stations; and to continue to push down the price of sets.

But even when survey respondents were offered all this – favourite programmes and first runs plus these being only on digital – just one third said they would switch-over.

It was impossible to argue with Swadley’s assertion that “digital radio needs an iPod moment”.