Radio fans will be able to carry on listening to FM and AM radio stations on older devices in cars and at home until 2032, ministers announced yesterday.
New legislation will mean another delay in scrapping the analogue signal.
Media regulator Ofcom will renew all commercial analogue licences – which had been due to expire in 2022 – for another decade.
Nearly 60 per cent of all radio listening is now done through digital but analogue still has a loyal listenership of millions who tune into FM and AM.
Analogue had been due to begin turning off in 2015 but this was put on hold as a result of slower than expected take-up of digital radio.
A switchover date was then due to be looked at once digital accounted for half of all listening – a target hit in 2018.
Yesterday's announcement came after the Government had to decide what to do when a number of national analogue licences, including those for Classic FM and TalkSport, expire in 2022. (Daily Mail)
New legislation will mean another delay in scrapping the analogue signal.
Media regulator Ofcom will renew all commercial analogue licences – which had been due to expire in 2022 – for another decade.
Nearly 60 per cent of all radio listening is now done through digital but analogue still has a loyal listenership of millions who tune into FM and AM.
Analogue had been due to begin turning off in 2015 but this was put on hold as a result of slower than expected take-up of digital radio.
A switchover date was then due to be looked at once digital accounted for half of all listening – a target hit in 2018.
Yesterday's announcement came after the Government had to decide what to do when a number of national analogue licences, including those for Classic FM and TalkSport, expire in 2022. (Daily Mail)
