Digital Britian... where does that leave us?

As a student radio stations I'm beginning to wonder where the DAB switch over will leave us little people. Let me just say firstly, that our station is online currently, as like many of the smaller stations. However we've had hopes of raising funds enough to put our station on FM for major events like Freshers Week and the annual 24hour broadcast we do for charity.

So we cant miss what we've never had right?
Well not really, there was real hope to be able to afford the hefty £2000 for 2 weeks for freshers fair, thats one of those things that would majorly affect our station for the whole year, what better then to hit the new guys with FM when they havent yet unpacked their TV and their internet hasnt yet started working. Hit them with FM which they can easily get on their phones and give them the guidance they need.

Switch over isn't so much of a problem, as James Cridland said, the smaller commecial and community stations will continue on FM, but when switch off kicks in, how on earth will all our little stations survive. Its going to exterminate all those stations who have been breaking even, with volunteers and generousity. Where are they going to go? How on earth will they be able to afford DAB and whos going to advertise on a station that only hits the internet.

I'm thinking about Express FM now, a community station in Portsmouth, I've been there a few times, they have 5 paid staff and the rest are volunteers, listening to them their main aim is to be completely local, they have travel bulletins as often as possible and play music that will please many age ranges but think heart more then radio 1. They are there for the community, for everyone to get involved and make radio. I'd hate to see them disappear because they can't get onto DAB.




And hang about... whats going to happen to all the adults who arent planning on changing their car anytime soon, not able to afford to upgrade their cars to DAB and only have a tape deck. We're going to leave them in silence??



Its the big getting bigger and the small getting smaller.
I love the BBC, but seriously... they are the only ones that haven't got to worry about their pockets too much to be on DAB..

Now I feel very hypocritical, listening to Radio 1 on my Dad's DAB set...

C'est La Vie

Emma


P.S. Welcome to the first ranty post of my more Radio orientated blog, if you've accidently stumble along this when you've meant to read about my day out at the park etc go to thetricktosurvivinguni.blogspot.com Thanks muchly Emma xx