BBC radio chief: we won’t force listeners to go digital

Tim Davie, the BBC’s radio chief, has said that digital radio switchover cannot be forced by the radio industry and called for all radio manufacturers to continue to produce sets with both FM and DAB receivers in them. 

 

Speaking today at a digital radio event held in London, Davie, the BBC’s director of Audio and Music, said: “I do support, and I know this isn’t everyone’s view, pressure now to say that if we are selling consumers new radios they should have both digital and FM [receivers] in them. My view is that’s the right thing to do. 

“We should be selling radios with DAB and FM ]access] so they are future proof.” 

Davie, who was in the running to replace Mark Thompson as the BBC’s Director General before his BBC colleague George Entwistle was announced as the new chief last week, told The Telegraph: “If there is a clear chance of digital switchover in the future – then it makes sense for people buying new radios to create sets which contain FM but also benefit from DAB.” 

“I don’t think switchover is about forcing people to do what they do not want to do. It has to be earned…However, the case for digital switchover has become clearer over the last year.” 

The Government is due to make a decision next year about whether to set a date for full digital switchover from FM to DAB.

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(Source : The Telegraph, UK)