Digital radio sets hit half million
The number of digital radios sold in Australia has now passed the half million mark, Commercial Radio Australia has announced.
According to the industry body, 508,462 digital radios have now been sold since the service launched two years ago. The numbers are based on information provided by retailers to analysis firm GfK. They do not include car radios and some units sold online.
In the most recent quarter covered by the GFK Marketscope report, 71,233 digital radios were sold.
Last week’s Nielsen ratings survey suggested that 7.6% of radio listening now takes place on digital sets.
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DMG, Austereo, 2GB, 2UE and ABC stations sound great on digital. The ARN stations (including Mix 80s) and 2SM (including Gorilla and Zoo) sound dreadful. It has something to do with the digital spectrum.
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Great, but digital radio’s are totally useless to people outside the major capital cities.
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Ummm… is there some other device sold/given away that somehow contributes to these figures?
HDTV tuners?
Cars?
Some type of phones?
Not being glib or dismissive (though I did make up a fake name to amuse myself), I just don’t know a single person who knowingly has one.
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Hi Anna,
The GFK figures are based on reports from retailers.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
In which case, it’s about time the cost of receivers came down. Still far too high. And they need to be standard features in new cars
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Gotta agree with nickatnights what is going on with WSFM on digital they sound much better on FM than digital.
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Anna,
I own one, but then I don’t know you, so perhaps I don’t count.
I also still have a stereo AM receiver I bought in (I think) 1982. It has been in continuous use since then, still works perfectly and gives a very good AM sound. Of course, stereo AM was a complete dud, even though new cars were fitted with receivers. It could never compete with standard FM.
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Most radio listening is done in the car, so digital radio is not going far with BMW the only company offering it. I heard digital was a ploy by CRA to keep out competition unlike NZ which has more radio stations per head than any country in the world. Six commercial FM stations in Sydney – 20 plus in Auckland to say nothing of dozens of low powered ones. FM is far better signal than digital – but why ABC702 and RN stay on AM is a puzzle.. And ratings system must be questionable when AM stations are still on top. They may be better on digital but I’ll stick to FM.
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