Sales of digital radios reached 346,400 during December 2004, bringing the cumulative total for 2004 to 837,500, according to official sales figures released today by the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB).
The latest data collated by electronic industry auditor GfK, reveals that the overall total of DAB products in UK is now 1,272 million, confirming previous industry expectations that digital radio sales by the end of 2004 would easily meet the one million target set by the DRDB at the beginning of the year (see
UK Digital Radio Homes Triple In 2003).
The results surpass the 1.2 million forecast that the DRDB made in their Five Year Forecast, published in October (see Digital Radio In The UK Set For Boom Time By 2008) and indicate that digital radio penetration is quickly becoming established in the UK.
Commenting on the results, Ian Dickens, chief executive of the DRDB told MediaTelINSIGHT: “The results are encouraging and exceed expectations made at the beginning of the year. We put a huge amount of work into our five year forecasts and these results show the forecasts are working. There is also a encouraging consumer take up in digital radios.”
The DRDB has also forecast that, by 2008, 29% of UK households will own a digital-enabled radio, and that DAB radio penetration is expected to grow by 1200% by 2008. The popularity of DAB digital units is expected to spur the total market value from £90 million to £500 million, citing a 448% increase.
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