Within the UK in 2010 there exists some controversy about exactly when the switch over from analogue to digital for radio should finally take place. As part of the continuing effort by the radio industry to push the development forward and further into the public arena, the latest intative on behalf of the industry promoted by the RAB involves a radio amnesty scheme.
Manufacturers and Retailers.
The amnesty scheme has been developed by the BBC, with Digital Radio UK, the commercial radio sector and digital set manufacturers and retailers. It’s a simple offer of unspecified discounts on certain new digital radio models, if the buyer trades in their old analogue sets. The manufacturers involved in alphabetical order are:
- Alba
- Bush
- MagicBox
- Panasonic
- Philips
- Proline
- PURE
- Roberts
- Sony
And the retailers who are taking part in the scheme and will offer buyers discounts on new digital sets if they trade in their old analogue sets include :
- Argos
- Comet
- John Lewis
- Tesco
- And other independent stores.
It’s envisaged that the offer will be effective for the end of May to the end of June 2010, and will be promoted on-air on over 100 commercial radio stations.
The Advertising Campaign and Promotion.
A nationwide marketing campaign supporting the promotion is also in place and includes an advertising campaign produced by the London based advertising agency AMV.BBDO The agency is the biggest UK advertising agency in terms of billings, and named Agency Of The Year by the industry magazine Creative Review. The radio campaign itself includes the well known voices of celebrities :
- Stephen Fry
- Noddy Holder and
- Gabby Roslin.
The BBC are also promoting the scheme with promotions on BBC Radios 2,4 and 7 and the mainly sport focused and speech based radio station BBC Radio 5 live, along with in-store point of sale information in supporting retail stores.
Support for Africa.
A major part of the Radio Amnesty scheme is that in exchange for the discount consumers receive on a new digital radio set, their old analogue set will, according to the promotion, be re-conditioned and given to needy children in Africa, or appropriately re-cycled.
The charities involved in the amnesty are:
- Radio Fix - who will recondition the portable analogue radios
- The Children's Radio Foundation
- UNICEF
The charities will receive support for the work they are involved with in Southern Arica.
The Switch to Digital
The timing of the scheme ties in not only with the radio industry’s digital coverage of the World Cup 2010 but other summer sporting and music events being broadcast at the same time. It’s also the industry’s aim to focus consumers' minds on the eventual switch to digital. A switch some say ultimately in time will mark the end of analogue radio as the television sector in the UK is also starting to experience in 2010.
The switch to digital from analogue is spearheaded by Digital Radio UK with consultation and co-operation from the BBC and the commercial radio sector, and as demonstrated by the Radio Amnesty promotion, together with the radio set manufacturers and retailers.
Digital Radio UK's stated mission is to “accelerate digital listening and build out digital radio coverage; working with the radio industry, Government and Ofcom.” The organisation is jointly funded by the BBC, the commercial radio industry, and the digital provider company, Arqiva.
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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