I was browsing the overseas newspapers on my iPad and spotted something on the front page of yesterday’s Daily Telegraph in the UK.

Check it out – bottom right:

With the launch of 2oceansvibe Radio, I am naturally drawn to articles like this – especially when they’re on the front page. Really interesting stuff here – it seems the Brits will be turning off the old-school analogue FM radio signal, and switching entirely over to digital by as soon as 2015 – making way for a far wider variety of content for listeners, including internet radio stations.

I zoomed into the article:

This was further reiterated by The Telegraph, who confirmed:

Digital listening, which includes internet, digital TV and DAB, accounted for 20.1 per cent of all radio listening in the first three months of 2009, according to the most recent Radio Joint Audience Research data. DAB remains the most popular digital platform accounting for 12.7 per cent of all digital listening.

This makes perfect sense. We’ve seen it ourselves at 2oceansvibe Radio and we’re gonna see a lot more, especially now that heavyweight Radio DJ Richard Hardiman has moved over from KFM to 2oceansvibe Radio.

With SA’s new uncapped broadband, it seems more and more of you are tuning in at your desks and at home. We’ve received tons of great emails – it’s very cool how some of you are broadcasting to the entire office (through some descent hi-fi equipment I am told)!

That’s gonna really come in handy when we start broadcasting from 8am EVERY WEEKDAY, live from the Cape Quarter Lifestyle Centre, in full view of the public!! Come and visit us from 26 July!

Digital Radio = superior sound and wider variety. And you’re not restricted to content controlled by men in suits, dictating what your DJ says and what he/she plays. Imagine, a radio station where the DJ is allowed to get sidetracked! Why is that such a foreign concept? A radio station where you’re allowed to continue the conversation..

From other stats that we have received, it looks like a large number of you have realised how easy it is to tune in from your cars! We must congratulate all of you out there who have realised how easy it is to do it via your iPhones, Blackberrys and fellow smart phones!

BTW, current broadcast settings allow streaming data usage of less than 20Mb of data per hour.Listeners have confirmed that the data bundles they have on their phones (Vodacom is R190 for 600Mb a month) make it all too easy! Nice guys, very smart!

Click here for The Daily Mail’s coverage of the demise of FM radio.

Click here for more at the UK’s Financial Website of the Year, This Is Money.

+ TheTelegraph.

+ The Guardian.

+ Financial Times.

* Don’t forget we are only broadcasting from 8am to 10am on Friday mornings for now. BUT, by 26 July we will be LIVE EVERY DAY FROM AT LEAST 8am to 12noon with Richard Hardiman..

Thanks to all the sponsors who have made this possible – Cape Quarter, Marshall Music, Digicape, Net Dynamix and Mabu Vinyl..

[thanks johnny]