So what exactly is happening to the analogue radios that dealers are collecting as part of Digital Radio UK’s (DRUK) Radio Amnesty push to sell DAB?
 
I set out to discover the truth because sending radios to Southern Africa may give our industry a rosy glow, but is just plain cruel if there are no batteries to power them.
 
A friend who worked over there once told me how children - who can't afford food, let alone Duracells - collect flat batteries that tourists have thrown away in the hope of coaxing a little life from them.
 
That was why Trevor Baylis invented the wind-up radio.
 
I first asked DRUK chief executive Ford Ennals who told me last week "batteries are provided with the radios by the Children's Radio Foundation charity”. But he couldn't give any more details.
 
I tried to ask the US-based Children's Radio Foundation but my email was returned as undeliverable.
 
DRUK spokeswoman Lisa Kerr then explained:
 
“The batteries for the radio amnesty are being generously donated by Amazon. As an on-line retailer, Amazon is unable to collect trade in products so, as their donation to the charity angle of the scheme, have decided to donate the batteries.  Because we're not sure yet how many radios will be handed in and how many of those will be able to be reconditioned for use in Southern Africa, we don't yet know how many batteries will be needed, however, we are confident that the donation from Amazon is of appropriate magnitude."
 
A spokeswoman for the BBC elaborated: “We have full confidence in the Children's Radio Foundation. It is not a large charity but it is one of few that can make a difference to children's education through radio.
 
“When we started planning the logistics for the Amnesty, we had to consider donating battery led devices only.  Many of the radios will be used in villages where there is no electricity and any mains led devices would have to have to be fully safety tested.  We were also aware that many devices handed in would probably not have the correct cables.  I totally understand that batteries are expensive in S Africa and it was therefore essential that we were able to provide batteries by a third party.  Amazon kindly agreed to contribute a large number of batteries to this scheme as they are unable to accept any trade-in products due to their online activity only. “
 
So I then asked Amazon how many batteries would be supplied and for how long? Amazon initially ignored the key question and just referred me to its website for general information.
 
Click here for more info

I persisted and an Amazon spokeswoman then added: “This activity is linked specifically to this year’s Radio Amnesty. In collaboration with Uniross, we will be providing batteries to power radios collected as part of this amnesty but are not breaking out the numbers involved.”

I really don't know what that means. But I do know it will do our industry, the BBC and Digital Radio UK no favours if in a year or so we hear sad stories of radios in Africa lying silent because the battery supply has run dry.

Barry Fox