BBC To Promote Digital Radio Portfolio
The BBC has joined the drive to promote the take-up of digital radio and will launch its first ever marketing campaign to promote the platform this June.
An on air trail campaign across the BBC’s television, online and radio platforms will promote the Corporation’s portfolio of digital radio stations, which includes 1 Xtra, BBC Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, BBC7 and the Asian Network.
Andy Duncan, director of marketing and communications at the BBC, commented: “After successfully launching five new digital radio services last year, we’re now planning our first campaign for the complete portfolio. Our big goal is to see as many people as possible getting access to our new networks.”
Digital radio has been relatively slow to make its mark on the media marketplace, however, sales of the new £99 DAB radio almost outstripped demand in the run up to Christmas (see Digital Radio Sales Boom In Pre-Christmas Period).
The BBC is planning for increased demand in digital receivers and according to Duncan: “New stocks of DAB digital radio will be available in the shops at the same time [as the campaign], so the impact could be considerable. We hope this will have a similar effect on digital radio take-up as our digital television portfolio push which started last autumn.”
Jenny Abramsky, director of BBC radio and music, added: “DAB digital radio sets were the must-have Christmas present and it’s clear that the new BBC services will play a major role in driving the uptake of digital radio.”
Sales of DAB digital radios increased by 165% in 2002 and look set to more than double in 2003, according to the Digital Radio Development Bureau (see Sales Of DAB Digital Radios Boom In 2002).
In other digital radio news, Ford is launching a new ad campaign across a range of national and regional radio stations to promote its in-car digital radio system (see Ford Shows Commitment To Digital Radio).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
Recent Radio Stories from NewsLine Raft Of New FM Radio Licences Proposed TalkSPORT Secures L’Oreal For New Campaign Capital Gold Secures Telewest For Breakfast Sponsorship
Subscribers can access ten years of NewsLine articles by clicking the Search button to the left