Digital radio switch 'could be a turn-off for listeners'

THE government could face a major backlash unless it strongly makes the case for the switch-over from FM to digital radio – due by 2015 – peers said today.

The public is happy with the current analogue system and so far unconvinced of the need for change, the House of Lords communications committee warned.

Confused consumers are continuing to buy FM radio sets that may be obsolete – or, at best, of limited use – within years, the peers noted in a critical report. All national and main local radio stations are set to move to digital DAB format only by the end of 2015 under a timetable outlined in the government's Digital Britain White Paper last June.

But the Lords committee found there was "public confusion and industry uncertainty" about the switch.

Compared with the shift to digital TV, where the benefits are well understood by the public, the case for change in radio is "not as compelling", the peers said.