Ofcom runs around like Alistair Darling

Channel 4's decision to kill off its DAB plans have led to an echoing cry of "Nooooooooooo" from the South Bank of the Thames; Ofcom is rushing to organise an emergency plan to rescue DAB. Currently the plan consists of a flipchart with 'sell to Icelandic bank?' crossed through.

Turning off the radio: Channel 4 axes radio plans

Even the most generous of observers had started to doubt that all of Channel 4's wide-ranging radio plans would ever get much off the drawing board, but it's still something of a shock that they've pulled the entire project.

Yes, even the E4 Radio which had, up until now, still been forging ahead to go on air in Spring next year.

The Channel 4 chief executive, Andy Duncan, who was previously a big champion of Channel 4's radio ambitions, said: "We've taken this decision very reluctantly.

"We've pursued our radio plans in good faith and continue to believe DAB has a strong future and that we could make a return from radio in the medium term.

"Frustratingly, our plans have been overtaken by a drastic recent downturn in our revenues and we will have to forgo this future profit stream.

"We can no longer afford the short-term investment necessary given that we are having to cut so deeply across all parts of the organisation."

There might be something political in this - Channel 4 has been sniffing round getting cash from the public purse in one form or another, and it would have been hard to justify why they should get a slice of licence fee cash while pouring millions into a non-core project.

Effectively, though, this is the start of that DAB radio by your bedside becoming obsolete: with only the BBC showing any interest in investing in DAB, unless there's a miraculous change in the economic climate, the future of digital radio is now looking more and more as part of the internet.

Bob Shennan must be slightly less than thrilled, having quit running Five Live to take on the job at the head of Channel 4 Radio last year. Gone, and not a second transmitted.

Channel 4 Radio: Waning enthusiasm?

According to "executive sources" quoted in MediaGuardian, Channel 4's management is getting slightly cold feet about the expense being lavished on the yet-to-launch radio wing:

Senior channel executives accordingly held a meeting on Friday to consider options and the board, chaired by Luke Johnson, is to take a hard look at the policy decision to invest in digital radio at its April meeting.

Substantial doubts within the channel about the wisdom of pressing ahead have emerged among programme commissioners, who are worried about the march into a new content sector, while two senior sources at the company say the advertising department are concerned about their lack of expertise in the area.

It's hard to see how DAB could withstand a further blow to its dignity if Channel 4 decided to abandon its recently acquired multiplex. The official line is still upbeat, but Horseferry Road is starting to drop hints that it'd quite like some sort of "cross-industry" approach if it's going to press ahead with DAB. More of the licence fee, then, Luke?

Core removed

The DAB radio line-up is looking somewhat ropey today as The Core ceases broadcasting, replaced by that old standby for when Radio 5 didn't have anything to transmit, BFBS. Although The Core has been closed by GCap as part of its failing digital strategy, its website would make you think they've just run out of space:

We're sorry to announce that Core will be coming off-air at the end of Friday 11 January. We are making way for a new national station on DAB from this Saturday, and we will stop broadcasting online at the same time.

Oh, yes. We bet the Squaddie Service was desperate for that frequency.

Also gone is Oneword, a couple of weeks after Channel 4 bailed out of joint ownership; their berth on the DAB line-up is currently piping out birdsong. Their website says goodbye:

Oneword Radio - Update

Unfortunately Oneword will no longer be broadcasting from Saturday 12th January. We are genuinely grateful to all our listeners for their loyal and continued support over the last eight years.

The Core failed because it wasn't distinctive; Oneword failed because it couldn't afford to be distinctive. With that in mind, is Channel 4 really sure about the money it's committing to its radio adventure?

Channel 4's DAB handout

Good news from Ofcom this morning: Channel 4 have beaten National Grid Wieless in the bid to run the second national digital radio multiplex.

Of the two bids, Channel 4's was, at least, the most interesting, and we're sure we can even learn to love, erm, Virgin Radio Vulva. Sorry, Viva.

A truly global chart show

It'll be interesting to see what sort of chart the link-up between Channel 4 Radio and Last FM will bring: the pledge is a truly global chart of what people are listening to, although the charts last.fm currently publishes aren't really that interesting: people are listening to the Arctic Monkeys and The Beatles.

There's a further promise that the link-up will offer:

The strategic alliance will see the parties working to identify new opportunities for music exploitation on digital platforms. Last.fm will be able to track and share the music that all 4Radio DJs are playing, allowing listeners registered on Last.fm to interact with shows and compare their own music taste with that of each DJ.

Although, to be honest, you could do that by listening to the shows, couldn't you?