In uk.d-i-y, harrogate wrote:

.................................? My statement was - and as far as I can
see does still say - that Radio 4 being broadcast in mono on DAB (whilst in
stereo on FM etc) shows the standpoint of the controlling organisation -
'never mind the quality feel the width' - pack as much in as you can and
ignore the feelings or interests of your customers.

It's the factual basis of your claim which Dave is taking issue with.
In my DAB listening, I certainly hear some transmissions on R4 in
stereo - quite distractingly so given the particular layout of the
speakers I listen on (some drama soundFX recreate the glorious days of
Steam Radio as they pass unctiously from panned-hard-right to
panned-hard-left. Always in that direction, too: clearly the BBC's
ideological bias showing again. The Torygraph ought to point out that
dastardly plot...). And the Archers gives me Ruth spatially separated
from David. So, at least *some* R4 programs reach *my* DAB set in
glorious stereo.

I wonder how long they would last in the real world with that view?

In the Real World, compromises on quality so as to address the mass
market are common as muck and cheap as chips. You want a premium product,
expect to pay a *hefty* price premium. The market driver for DAB seems
indeed to be variety rather than broadcast quality: sorry, but the hi-fi
quiet-room listening audience seems to be a (small) minority. The Beeb
caters to that minority in some cases - Radio 3 concerts are allegedly
broadcast in a higher bitrate than most - but seems to exercise at least
defensible "real world" judgment in its use of the spectrum it gets;
at least to this licence-payer's cloth ears!

Stefek