Unscrupulous DAB Introduction Will Kill Local Radio in Norway

Sharply reduced state aid to local radio, community and minority radio.

The poor must give to the rich. A successful initiative by the DAB lobby.

Despite strong protests from the local radio community, the rules for state aid to local radio changed dramatically by a decision of the Ministry of Culture. Half of the aid that previously earmarked for program production and minority radio will now be earmarked for a transition to DAB radio. Also state support to the local radio federation has been reduced by two thirds.

First Digital Radio Station in Arab Emirates

Reach out to expat Indians in the Gulf States

The world’s first Malayalam-language digital radio station is now broadcasting from United Arab Emirates. Pravasi Bharathi 810 AM is also the first digital radio station in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Mobile market surpasses 1 billion subscriptions in India

Increasing mobile broadband will change radio listening

Towards the end of 2015, India reached 1 billion mobile subscriptions, joining its neighbor China by becoming only the second member of the 1 billion club, according to global analyst firm Ovum. In a new forecast report it was found that comparisons were inevitable, though China reached this milestone almost three years ago. 

Sharp Increase for Online Radio by Smartphones

9 out of 10 young smartphone owners listen online in the U.S.

The stand-alone radio receiver will fade away. Smartphones are increasingly changing the way U.S. consumers access information and entertainment. The share of smartphone users who utilize their device to listen to online radio has increased by double-digits in recent years.  According to a recent Pew Research Center survey listening to music and shopping on the go are especially popular among smartphone owners ages 18-29:  

87% have listened to an online radio or music service on their phone, compared with 41% of those 50+, while 73% have shopped online through their mobile device vs. 44% of older users.

   World Radio Day 2016

Dead and Buried - Parliament Confirms Rejection of DAB Radio in Sweden

Public radio continues on FM and will push for extending its remit to include digital radio online.

The Constitutional Standing Committee (KU) in Riksdagen (the Parliament) has processed the government missive regarding the 2015 National Audit review of digital radio in which the proposal for a transition from FM to DAB+ in 2017-2022 was rejected. After a short debate and without objection from any of the eight political parties Riksdagen today appended the missive to the protocol. This marks the end of 24 years of efforts to replace FM with DAB in Sweden.