New President of Local Radio in Norway Wants To Keep FM

National Organisation: a possible digital transition should be implemented over a longer period with state subsidies

Svein Larsen MD of Radio Metro is elected to President of the Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLF) with an overwhelming vote, but not with any support from SBS Discovery Radio.

Larsen don't want to keep FM and a digital transition should be over time instead of a set switch-off. For digitalization local radio will also need state subsidies. Larsen says that the authorities have been too much concentrated on the major broadcasters leaving local radio behind.

Biggest Growth in UK Digital Listening Is Online

After 19 years with DAB radio still major listening platform is on FM
Digital listening hours for Q1 2014 increased with 2,3 % to 36,6 % of all listening from Q1 2013 according to Rajar. DAB - introduced in the UK 1995 - has the biggest share with 24 % of the 379 million hours of digital listening in Q1. Share of listening via digital television network is 5 %.

The biggest growth in digital listening once again is through online and apps, which share of overall listening is now 6.4%, up 27 % year on year. As the uptake of smartphones and tablets continues, this percentage is expected  to increase and be the main driver of digital listening in the future according to experts. However, the analogue FM platform is still dominant with 60 % of all radio listening in the United Kingdom. More: Rajar Data Release

Politicians urged to revise commercial radio regulations

On-air radio want to come on level with digital radio on-line
British parliament is being urged to relax commercial radio regulations as the platform faces competition from digital services such as Spotify, Deezer and iTunes. Chairman of the All Party Group for Commercial Radio, Andrew Bingham MP, wants new rules to be introduced that create ‘a more level playing field’. In contrast to digital services on line, commercial radio is required to comply with rules on music content, local production and license renewals.