The Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) has claimed that the UK’s £45 million (€67.75 million) market is going to double by the end of the year.
There are currently 547,000 digital radios in use in the UK, and this is hoped to expand to 1 million by 2005.
Why the sudden jump? One theory is that personal stereos and portable music systems equipped with digital radios are about to hit the market, rapidly increasing the installed base. As the cost of integrating a digital tuner into consumer electronics declines, many more audio devices that featured analogue only tuners will get digital ones by default.
The DRDB is a trade body funded and supported by the BB and commercial radio operators, with a remit to ensure the swift adoption of digital radio in the UK, so you can imagine that they’re pleased at this proposed sudden spike in uptake.