Ian Dickens leaves DRDB

Hats off to Ian Dickens, who is stepping down today as Chief Executive of the Digital Radio Development Bureau. Over the past five years, Ian has overseen the success of DAB digital radio in the UK and provided a model for other countries to follow.

The DRDB is a consortium of public service and commercial broadcasters. Under Ian's guidance, they worked together as a team to collate market intelligence and provide support to retailers and manufacturers, as well as to extol the advantages of digital radio to consumers.

When Ian joined the DRDB in June 2002, digital radio had very little traction in the UK. The few available DAB receivers were expensive and only stocked by specialist retailers.

As we approach the end of 2007, there are well over 8000 shops in the UK selling more than 300 DAB products. More than 70 per cent of the population is aware of DAB and well over six million sets will be sold by Christmas.

That growth has been built on a successful marketing and communication strategy which has placed the consumer centre stage. As Ian told the EBU in June, “technologies, services, products, and retailers live or die by the consumer’s hand.”