[BC] UK trends

[Clive Warner]

A friend in the UK business just sent me an extract from the latest OFCOM report:

- Clive



Radio: As digital radio grows in popularity, 8% of commercial radio sector listening is now to digital-only stations across DAB, digital television and the internet. Since the beginning of 2003, both AM and FM listening has fallen by 4 percentage points. Digital listeners also listen to radio for longer - 28 hours per week compared to 24 hours for all listeners . For the first time, revenues from radio advertising were matched by internet advertising (?0.6 billion in early 2005). In 2004 the radio industry began to respond to changes in ownership rules brought in by the Communications Act; during 2004, more than one in ten analogue radio licences changed hands. 

Ofcom Senior Partner, Strategy and Market Developments Ed Richards said: "This report shows that UK households are now accelerating into the digital age. In parallel, industries formed over decades are being reshaped by digital broadcasting and broadband with every month that passes." 

The Communications Market 2005 report is available online at

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/cm05/.