This is probably only of interest to the UK Empeg/Rio community.

Should you want to preserve the quality of digital radio, you might write, as well – I think it’s self explanatory.

I have to-day sent the following message to the listed recipients:

<a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
Cc: <a href="mailto:[email protected];">[email protected];</a> <a href="mailto:[email protected];">[email protected];</a>
<a href="mailto:[email protected];">[email protected];</a> <a href="mailto:[email protected];">[email protected];</a>
<a href="mailto:[email protected];"

I have also sent it to Gerald Kaufman at his parliamentary site, and to my local MP

“Minister

Much of my enjoyment is derived from listening to BBC radio, so much so that I was an early adopter of Digital Audio Broadcasting receivers, of which I have two, at a not inconsiderable expense.

The publicity promised us crystal clear CD quality broadcasting; but as time goes on, and with your sanction, the BBC has added a number of irrelevant/minority stations and services and, in order to fit them in to the bandwidth available, has lowered the quality of transmissions.

It is now at a point where it is a fact that my analogue, FM reception is both superior and more reliable. In other words I have invested £600 in a damp squib, others have invested much more – and it would seem to be under false pretencies.

It should shame the BBC that DAB transmissions are now at a higher quality on Classic FM, than they are at the BBC. The policy adopted in Germany and across Europe is one of a higher quality still. Radio4 appears to now be in mono throughout the day at a quality comparable to the old medium wave transmissions.

If this state of affairs is allowed to continue, it is going to be very hard to convince the public at large that moving from analogue to digital radio is worth the effort – and then what price digital television?

Would it not be better if the BBC were to maintain its original commitment to quality and introduce its other services as and when further frequencies become available? I have no argument with providing a greater variety of broadcast stations, in fact I applaud it, but should they not all be available to the general public in the quality and with the geographical spread promised.

If action is not taken now, it will be many years before the AM/FM frequencies can be cleared for other uses.”