Digital Radio Switchover and Local Radio
Do you do DAB? In the month that the BBC switches off some medium wave stations (as a trial), we look at how the digital radio switchover could affect local radio listening.
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Listen to FrequencyCast Show 79 - Digital Radio Switchover
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DAB Local Radio:
A transcript of Pete, Tom and Kelly chatting about DAB and local radio digital radio coverage...
Transcript continues from: Yale Digital Door Lock
Pete:
Right, now Tom, while we've got you, can we just talk to you about digital radio?
Tom:
If you must, yeah - go on.
Pete:
First of all, do you have a DAB radio?
Tom:
I do, Pete.
Pete:
And do you use it?
Tom:
Er, no.
Pete:
So, if I may ask, why do you have a DAB radio that you don't use?
Tom:
Because I listen to my local radio station for my county, and the digital reception on my DAB is very poor, so I do listen to it on the FM.
Pete:
Yeah, the stats prove that about 60% of the UK can hear their DAB local stations, which leaves 40% that do struggle, so yeah, you're not alone with that. Can you get the national stations any better?
Tom:
I can - the national come through fine, but I don't listen to them. I like listening to local radio, and where I can't listen to it, I just use FM, and that's where I'll stay till they switch it off, I suppose.
Pete:
Yeah, and that's actually what we're going to talk about. There is some discussion going on within the halls of the powers that be at the moment about switching off the FM and AM services, which of course is going to leave a lot of people struggling. Now, your DAB radio - where is it, is it at home, or is that in the car?
Tom:
It's at home. I listen to a lot of radio at home, more than telly.
Pete:
Do you listen to the radio through your telly at all?
Tom:
No.
Pete:
Now this is the thing, you see - there's a lot of people have like a bedside radio and a kitchen radio and a lounge hi-fi radio and then a car radio. You've only got the one, so presumably you've got three or four FM radios somewhere as well?
Tom:
I have, I've got a radio in most rooms in the house, and they're all FM. I have one DAB - I haven't bought any more, because of the reception problem.
Pete:
OK, so what do you think about the idea that, in a few years' time, the government may pull the plug on FM, and make everyone have to listen either through DAB or through tellies or through the internet?
Tom:
That's fine, but are they going to make the reception better? At the minute, I cannot get my local station, which is the reason I listen to FM, but if they take away the FM, are they going to make the reception any better on the DAB?
Pete:
Now, given that there's a lot of discussion at the moment about the FM switchover, we are going to be devoting some time to this in the coming shows. So if you're listening to this and you have an opinion, maybe you don't fancy the idea of having your car radio ripped out so you can get a DAB radio in for a few hundred quid, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Please get in touch via the website, which is www.frequencycast.co.uk.
Now Kelly, on that subject, do you have a DAB digital radio?
Kelly:
No, I don't.
Pete:
Why not?
Kelly:
Why would I need one?
Pete:
Do you listen to radio?
Kelly:
Not unless I'm kind of online listening.
Pete:
OK, so you do listen to digital radio a bit, but not with a DAB radio?
Kelly:
No, it is digital radio, and it's usually when I'm meant to be at work, and I've plugged in.
Pete:
Don't worry - I won't tell anyone!
Transcript continues: Remote Heating Control: Month 2
Listen to FrequencyCast Show 79 - Digital Radio Switchover |
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