Digital radio accounted for 45.5% of all radio listening in the third quarter of 2016, according to a new report from regulator Ofcom. This marks an an increase of 3.6 percentage points on the same period last year.
The report finds that the availability of digital radio has improved slightly on 2015. Local DAB digital radio services are estimated to reach around 90% of homes and 76% of major roads. The national DAB services from the BBC are now available to 97.3% of homes while national commercial services are available to 91.5% of homes. Just over three quarters of UK homes can receive the new Sound Digital services. Digital television services which carry digital radio reached 99% of homes.
Attributes most closely associated with digital radio were ‘clear and high-quality sound’ and ‘a wider choice of stations’. The most popular way of receiving digital radio is with a DAB set, followed by digital TV and the internet at 8% of all radio listening.
The number of new cars sold with DAB digital radio included as standard is now 85%. More than four in ten adults have digital radio in a vehicle.
Although 95% of homes have digital television, which normally includes digital radio stations, just 57% of UK adults have a digital radio set in their home. The highest take up of digital radio is in the South of England, whilst Northern Ireland and Ceredigion showed the lowest rate of take up.
The Government stated in 2010 that it would consider whether to set a date for digital radio switchover when 50% of all radio listening is via digital platforms and when digital radio reaches 90% of the population and all major roads.
More than half of non-digital radio homes unlikely to purchase new set
When those who don’t own a DAB digital radio were asked whether they would be likely to buy one in the next 12 months, 58% said it was unlikely, very unlikely or that they were certain not to. A further 30% of respondents said they didn’t know. More than half of those unlikely to buy a digital radio in the next year said they had ‘no need for the service’. Four in ten were ‘happy to use the existing service’.
The number of digital radios sold in year to Q3 2016 is broadly similar to the previous year. Of the total number of new radios sold in the last year 34.8% were capable of receiving digital radio.
More than half of listeners to BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 4, Classic FM and talkSPORT use an analogue radio, while a majority of listeners to BBC Radio 5 live used digital radio.
The Digital Radio Report is Ofcom’s seventh on the state of digital radio in the UK.
The report uses data from Ofcom’s own licensing information, retail sales (from GfK), Ofcom Technology Tracker research data, Society of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and Rajar – the body which performs the quarterly radio listening analysis.