The DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau) produces a monthly news bulletin designed to keep all those in the DAB digital radio chain informed and updated on the latest developments in the industry.
Product News
UK manufacturer Goodmans has announced the launch of the world's first mass-market DAB digital radio range, including the first products integrating a DAB digital radio tuner and CD player. Goodmans is also the first to offer DAB products powered by both battery and mains, making DAB truly portable for the first time.
The GPS280 and the GCD200ACTIVE will both be available in leading UK retailers from November. Both products offer AM/FM/DAB and CD and operate via both mains and battery power. The GPS280 is a portable stereo system expected to retail for around £130, while the GCD200ACTIVE is a personal CD player with radio and matching Active speakers selling at around £160.
The arrival of the first truly portable DAB products to hit the mass market has been received with enthusiasm by the radio industry and consumers alike.
Goodmans has also announced it will bring out an In-car CD head unit with DAB digital radio and a separates hi-fi tuner with DAB early in 2003. www.goodmansdigital.co.uk
Facts and Figures
Sales in the UK of the EVOKE-1 from PURE Digital continue apace. At £99, the most economical DAB product on the market is making positive noises in the consumer press. It recently featured in the "Ten Best Radios" list in The Independent; a "toys to have fun with" page in The Guardian; and a "Hot Gadgets for Girls" feature in the Daily Star. All are national daily newspapers delivering a total readership of more than 1.28 million people.
New Services
- The BBC Asian Network launched as a national digital audio broadcasting channel on October 28. Until now the Asian Network has been available in the Midlands and the North on medium wave frequencies.
The station will broadcast a mix of speech and music to second and third generation Asians. Its sharp, contemporary tone and content is designed to reflect the issues that matter to British Asians. This is the fourth in five planned new national DAB services from the BBC. The final station, BBC7, launches in December. www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio - Freeview, the new UK terrestrial digital television service from the BBC, Sky and Crown Castle launches on October 30. It will include a lineup of commercial and BBC digital radio channels. A recent study of 14,000 Sky digital subscribers showed that 25% of viewers tuned in to radio stations via their television. www.bbc.co.uk/digitalradio
The DRDB is about to launch a whole raft of new initiatives designed to make DAB digital radio the "must have" gift this Christmas. See next month's news bulletin for details of an exciting new on-air radio campaign, a big retailer incentive promotion, a new direction in POS for retailers, a re-launched B2B website, a brand new consumer website and a telephone hot-line for consumers.
Look out for an eight-page colourful supplement to our regular portfolio of electronic information, coming to you by post from the DRDB in early November.
DAB digital radio will have a presence - via either editorial or advertorial - in publications covering almost all consumer media sectors in December or January (i.e. Christmas issues).
In addition, competitions will run on local radio stations and in some consumer monthly magazines (such as Esquire) promoting digital radio receivers.
The DRDB continues to gather marketing data via a leading sales tracking company and a data collection card inside the box of every DAB digital radio sold in the UK.
Technology
Three leading UK media companies have agreed to launch the world's first DAB digital radio Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) network. Capital Radio Group, UBC Media Group and Chrysalis Radio will launch the EPG on London and MXR regional multiplexes and will carry all Capital and Chrysalis Radio services. Future Capital Digital and MXR multiplexes will also carry the service. The potential audience at launch is over 22.5 million.
Listeners to Capital Radio and Chrysalis Radio's DAB digital stations can access exclusive text, graphical and interactive programme-related content directly from any EPG-enabled DAB digital receiver. The EPG also provides a schedule of future programmes, enabling listeners to quickly and easily listen to or record their favourite shows. Software upgrades for a number of existing PC-based DAB receivers will be available free of charge, and portable EPG-capable devices are expected from 2003. www.ubcmedia.com
Joint DRDB/IMDR visit to Hong Kong and Korea
Representatives from the DRDB, Digital One and the German DAB industry body, the IMDR, visited the Far East for the Korean electronics show and the Hong Kong electronics show in October.
Interest in DAB digital broadcasting is high in the Far East and the team identified a total of 15 companies manufacturing equipment, with six of these being new to the market. These are largely in addition to the ten manufacturers already in the UK market this quarter.
Low cost volume manufacturers in China in particular see DAB as an opportunity to make more technical equipment with higher margins.
The team met with seven companies in Korea and 17 in Hong Kong in order to determine the status and issues facing manufacturers of DAB receivers. One-to-one briefings presented the latest market information in the UK and Germany to support DAB development.
ENDS
The Digital Radio Development Bureau is funded and supported by BBC, Digital One, EMAP Digital Radio, CE Digital, MXR, Capital Digital and Now-Digital. The DRDB's task is to ensure digital radio's wide accessibility and swift adoption in the UK with consistent and effective marketing.
If you have any news you would like included in the next DRDB news bulletin, please email mandy@drdb.org
If you do not wish to receive future copies of this news bulletin please email mandy@drdb.org
Mandy Green
Press and Publicity Manager
DRDB
The Radiocentre
77 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DU
020 7306 2636
07973 184995