Digital's share of radio listening dips

The radio industry's hopes of switching to digital by 2015 suffered a setback today after new figures revealed that growth in listening to digital radio had gone into reverse. Digital radio – including digital audio broadcasting (DAB), digital TV and the internet – accounted for 20.9% of all radio listening in the last three months of 2009, according to Rajar audience figures published today. This was down from 21.1% in the previous three months but up from 18.3% in the last three months of 2008. The government's digital economy bill, currently going through parliament, includes a target date of 2015 for digital switchover, when all national and regional stations will be switched off analogue and available exclusively on digital. But for that to happen, 50% of radio listening must be via digital by the end of 2013. Today's figures are a setback to hopes of reaching that target. Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio once again accounts for the lion's share – 13.7% – of digital listening, up from 13.3% the previous quarter and 11.4% in the last three months of 2008. Digital television's share of listening fell to 3.4% from 3.6% in the previous quarter, while internet listening rose slightly on the previous quarter, to 2.1% from 2%. A total of 17.1 million people listened to the radio via digital in the last three months of 2009, down 3% on the previous three months but up 5% on the same period in 2008. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".