Digital radio 'to reach 40% UK homes by 2009'
Digital radio is on course for a 40% household penetration in the UK by 2009, according to a five-year forecast released by trade group the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB).
By then, 20m digital radios are expected to have been sold, up from 1.2m at the end of 2004, and the retail market for digital radio receivers will be worth £456m, up from £87m in 2004.
DRDB chairman Ralph Bernard, also executive chairman of GCap Media and an early investor in digital radio's development, said: "The latest figures from the DRDB show that DAB Digital Radio continues its healthy climb to mass market penetration in the UK. It is encouraging news that consumers are continuing to buy new receivers to enjoy the new digital stations on offer."
Digital radio is expected to be boosted by an increasing number of car manufacturers installing digital receivers in new models. This is expected to grow from 15,000 units in 2005 to 702,000 in 2009.
Earlier this week former culture secretary Chris Smith, now Lord Smith of Finsbury, called for more DAB frequencies as well as a reconfiguration of existing services to enable a fully digital future for UK radio.
The DRDB is funded and supported by the BBC, Digital One, GCap Media, EMAP Digital Radio and MXR (owned by Chrysalis, GMG, GCap Media and UBC).
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