DAB lobby arguments about the lack of broadcasting space now forgotten
The telecom agency PTS has now informed about industry efforts to develop new FM frequencies for commercial radio. The priority for the agency was to open frequencies for at least three national networks. This project has now succeed and PTS will now continue to develop regional and local frequency spectra for FM radio. The idea of a transition from FM to DAB in Sweden seems to be a dead issue by now.
Reduced listening for public radio from start of FM switch-off.
NRK claims DAB is a success.
Since the closure of the FM network began in Nordland county February 8 and later continued in Trøndelag, Møre and Romsdal NRK now noticeably has fewer listeners, as measured in week 7, with a daily share of 45.7%. It is far less than in the corresponding time in 2016, when it reached 48.6%. The closure will continue gradually throughout the country and ends in December. Local radio continues on FM (except in the largest cities). Continued widespread skepticism and irritation among Norwegian radio listeners, who are more vulnerable to change than in the other countries which are introducing DAB radio.
Soon converting transmission to DRM
Radio Pakistan has started work on converting its transmission to state-of- the art DRM technology to make its broadcasts clearer and cost-effective. Director General, Radio Pakistan Khurshid Malik visited the project at Broadcasting House in Islamabad where he was briefed about progress on introducing DRM technology. He was informed that this technology enhances quality of broadcasts to perfection.
Association leaving federal government digitalradio board
The private commercial radio stations, which are part of Verband Privater Rundfunk und Telemedien e.V. (VPRT), has rejected the "Action Plan for the Transformation of Radio Broadcasting in the Digital Age" as non-marketable and also left the Digitalradio-Board of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). VPRT demands that the regional states now act in the sense of diversity protection in the dual system.
Pressure is mounting on Apple to follow Android platforms
The new FCC chairman Ajit Pai has advocated for the activation of FM radio receivers built into nearly every smartphone, as part of opening remarks he made at the Future of Radio and Audio Symposium in Washington DC. Pai cited the NAB study that found only 44% of the top-selling smartphones in the United States had activated FM receivers as of last year. The vast majority—94%—of the non-activated smartphones are iPhones, according to the study.
Lack of consumer demand might kill DAB+ in the Netherlands
The government’s multi-million euro campaign to get people to switch to DAB is failing, according to public broadcaster Nos. Radio sellers and car dealers report few people switching to the DAB+ system, even though the government wants everyone to have made the change by 2017. Economic affairs minister Henk Kamp wants to increase competition between broadcasters and says there is more room for new players using DAB+ to replace FM. But Internet seems to be the stumbling block.
