Strong signal for digital radio

DIGITAL radio is fast becoming a mass-market proposition, accounting for about half of all portable radio sales, High Street retailers say.

Launched in the late 1990s, digital radio has been slow to take off because of ignorance of the benefits and a dearth of cheap sets.

But leading electronics retailers Dixons, Currys and Argos are enjoying a noticeable pick-up in sales as new products are launched.

'Sales of digital radios are currently tracking at around 50% of the portable radio category by retail value,' Dixons said. 'We would expect volumes to grow with the introduction of new products such as the forthcoming Roberts range. The stock proposition has also improved significantly and we're seeing healthy levels of customer demand.'

The pick-up is also good news for media companies such as UBC Media, the AIM-listed digital radio broadcaster. UBC chairman Michael Peacock provided an upbeat assessment at the group's annual meeting in London today. 'Consumers have responded with enthusiasm to the launch of affordable DAB (digital audio broadcasting) radios,'' he said.

Peacock said measurement of digital listeners would begin later this year. He expected this would boost audiences for the group's Classic Gold Digital network.