Parliament of Second Largest State in Germany Says Farewell to DAB+

Asking for a market-driven transition to a more modern technology

The Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) state parliament wants to end the promotion of the terrestrial transmission standard DAB+ for digital radios. A request from the liberal party FDP was unanimously adopted on June 19. The resolution recommendation calls on the state government jointly with the federal government to switch off DAB+ in favor of other standards such as 5G. Last year DAB was questioned by Auditors and business in Lower Saxony.

Problems For Commercial Radio Abandoning the FM Band

Head of Bauer commercial radio in Norway replaced. DAB still a flop.

The CEO of Bauer Media in Norway for six years, Lasse Kokvik, has promptly left his job, without having another one in the pipeline. The new boss Jim Receveur, is CEO of Bauer Media Danmark, will retain his role as CEO of the Danish part of the company. Bauer is one of two commercial radio networks in Norway. Main channel is Radio Norge but Bauer is also operating another seven channels in the DAB network. The rapid change of throne occurs as the economy for Bauer's Norwegian operation is deteriorating while many listeners reject DAB radio. At the same time, Bauer is profitable in the neighboring countries, where they still broadcast on FM.

The Inconvenient Truth About DAB. Does the Norwegian Government Know?

Radio organization demands objective facts on the table.

Did the Norwegian government, and in particular its Ministry of Culture, take into account the market-related and technical deficiencies with the DAB system before a political decision was made, the radio organisation Kringskastingslaget (the Broadcasting Team) asks in a letter to the government. From where in Norway and abroad have independent facts been obtained besides what has been provided the DAB stakeholders NRK, Norkring, Bauer, MTG and Digitalradio Norge as well as the European lobby organization WorldDAB.

DAB Radio Should Be Removed from Frequency Band in Sweden

Obsolete system without future demand waste of frequency resources

The Swedish public service radio is well set for the future with its distribution via a robust FM network and mobile/fixed broadband. The choice, like Finland, completely remove DAB radio from VHF band III (172-240 MHz) should be easy says the Public Service Council (PSR) in its consultation response to the investigate report Radio spectrum use in the future - Frequencies in the service of society. The PSR can in all respects support the investigation analysis for continued importance of the FM network which for emergency and security policy reasons cannot be replaced by other systems for EAS (Emergency Alert System).

49 Shades of Grey - Why DAB Will Not Survive as Platform for Future Radio

Market and technical deficiencies presented in a new report

The Public Service Council in Sweden has released a 17 page report by a Nordic Radio Workgroup  DAB facts 2019 - Crucial problems and disadvantages with the digital system DAB  for terrestrial sound broadcasting. This report puts a finger on a sore point. As a transmission and listening platform DAB is in many parts inferior to other systems as the global standard FM or the global expanding mobile and fixed broadband platform. For the first time most DAB deficiencies and shortfalls are presented in an international report  independent from any stakeholder. 

BBC Extending 5G Radio Broadcast Trial in Scotland

Listeners very satisfied with range of stations and reception quality.

The BBC’s ground-breaking 5G broadcast radio trial in the rural community Stronsay, Orkney, has been extended until the end of September 2019. The trial began in February this year with residents in Stronsay becoming some of the first people in the world to receive live radio broadcasts over 5G mobile networks.

British Government Will Review Digital Radio

Will focus on growing challenges by online audio delivery

A new review of digital radio has been announced by Margot James, Minister for Digital and Creative Industries.James has confirmed the Government’s support for the radio sector and announced that the DCMS will collaborate with radio broadcasters and the supply chain on a review and programme of work to ‘ensure a healthy and vibrant digital future for UK radio’.                                   (Photo: Radio Today)

FM Radio Extension in Norway. Another Setback for DAB Stakeholders

Media Authority proposes local radio may continue until 2026. But minority radio in metropolitan areas might be wiped out.

A transition from FM to DAB will cost close to NOK 1 billion.

A local FM broadcasts ban by 2021 would reduce media pluralism, according to the media authority Medietilsynet. In a report commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, it is recommended that the 198 local radio stations, both commercial and community radio, may continue on FM for another five years. The future of local radio has involved many Norwegians. The Media Authority has received views from over a hundred organizations, stakeholders and listeners in connection with the work on the report. But now the ball is at Stortinget - the parliament -which will take a decision soon.

Switzerland: FM Radio Switch-Off Delayed Until 2024 - If Ever.

The radio industry hesitates. DAB listening is not increasing.

Switzerland has so far been the only other country, after Norway, who planned to switch-off  FM radio. But now FM seems to continue for five years. Much because the Internet becoming the most important radio platform. A spokesman for the telecommunications authority says to the Zürich daily Tages Anzeiger that there now appears to be opinions that the radio industry has not yet taken decisions on planning for FM shutdown and that the FM frequencies can be shut down later than expected, in 2024. Thus, the previous objective is missed to close in 2021. 

Netherlands Setback: More Radio Stations Leaving DAB Network

Too few listen to DAB radio. Dutch rather go online.

LX Classics and Hotradio Hits have left their broadcast positions in the national multiplex MTVNL. There is a great dissatisfaction with digital terrestrial radio on the distribution side in Holland. The transmitter network is too expensive. Above all, the real listening is too limited in order to justify the investments. The radio stations begin to focus on a future on the Internet. (Satellifax)

Population Said to Be Satisfied with Radio in Norway

DAB lobby tries to manipulate political opinion 

A recent study commissioned by,the Media Authority (Medietilsynet) claims that the majority of the population is satisfied with radio in Norway. There is no government assignment that forms the basis of this study, but it seems to be an informally ordered survey carried out in collaboration with NRK, the P4 group (NENT) and Bauer Media. The telephone survey covers 1,000 people, thus claimed to represent a population of 5 million. The survey is published just in time for an upcoming proposal about the future for local radio on FM.                                             (Pic: VG Oslo)

The DAB Backlash: Only Half of The Population Now Listen to Radio

Record low radio listening in Norway confirmed by government audience research

Only about half of the population listened to regular radio (FM, DAB or local radio), Internet radio or both daily in 2018. It is a record low. The average listening was 1 hour and 8 minutes, according to the Norwegian Media Barometer survey for the authority Statistics  Norway (SSB) - This is both the lowest proportion of radio listeners and the lowest listening time we have measured during the years the survey has been conducted, says Emma Castillo Schiro, responsible for the Norwegian Media Brometer 2018.