No farewell to FM in Denmark

DAB opens for commercial radio

Digital radio listening in Denmark has grown. However, an expert warns that the progress is too slow and there will be no farewell to FM 2019. Figures show that 16 % av all public service radio listening is digital i.e. DAB and Internet. Commercial radio on DAB is still unmeasurable.

Feeble Development for DAB in the UK

Mobile phone listening on sharp increase - leaving DAB behind
According to latest Rajar report for the first quarter of 2013 digital radio listening is 34,3 % up from 29,2 % Q1 2012.  Digital listening is mostly DAB but also via digital television and via Internet. Of total radio listening DAB is 22,5 % which is a surprisingly low level considering that DAB was introduced in the UK 18 years ago.

First Digital Broadcast on FM in Norway

Tuning in the DRM+ signal in
Norway (click to zoom in)

Radio Metro: The benefits are superior
Preparations are now on its way for the first test broadcasts with the digital technology DRM+ on a FM frequency in Norway. With some state funding the commercial local station Radio Metro in Trondheim will broadcast on 94,0 MHz.
The Norwegian telecom authority has shown great interest for the project. 

Demise of DTT a Threat to DAB Radio

Demise of digital terrestrial television might become a serious problem for terrestrial radio stations.
An article published by EBU Technical review looks at the prospects for DVB-T and DVB-T2 in Germany, in view of the fact that the future of classical terrestrial TV broadcasting in the country is under discussion and that it may even be terminated before the end of the decade. The article also identifies solutions for media delivery to portable and mobile terminals such as in-car receivers or Tablet PCs which no longer rely on classical terrestrial broadcasting.

AM/FM Radio Continued Standard in U.S. Cars

No progress for on-air digital radio
AM/FM radio continues to be “the king of all media” in the car, but expect smartphone connectivity to grow in-vehicle, according to Arbitron SVP Marketing. AM/FM radio leads over other in-car audio options at 84% of drivers who had “ever” used this option, compared to 63% who used a CD player and 29% who used an iPod/MP3 player. Fifteen percent said they listened to satellite radio, followed by online radio at 12% and digital HD Radio at 3%.

Internet to replace terrestrial platform

Germany may give up on digital terrestrial television
The withdrawal by private German free-to-air commercial broadcaster RTL from digital terrestrial could be followed by more widespread rejection of DTT across the country. This warning came from Ulrich Reimers, a leading broadcasting expert and author from the Technical University in Braunschweig.

Digital Radio shortfall down under

There is a problem with the rollout of digital radio (DAB+) in Australia. Community radio, listened to by a quarter of Australian radio listeners, and providing content generally unshackled by commercial interests will be struggling to keep up with the costs to move to the digital age.  Funding of A$3.6 million (2,8 milliion euro)  per year is required to maintain a digital radio infrastructure for the 37 metropolitan community radio stations that hold digital licenses.

DRM Jockeyed Out of Radio Days Conference in Berlin

Radio Days Europe is an annual event for the European radio broadcasters to be held in Berlin March 17-19. This time an interest for digital radio issues was quite anticipated, especially DAB and DRM as well as the proposed switch-off of analogue FM. Now the DRM Consortium has withdrawn its participation and will not even be present for the connecting exhibition.

Fiasco for Local DAB in Norway

Lobby organisation for DAB got four local blocks
Trondheim, the third largest city in Norway, is now without local commercial radio. Only non-commercial community radio on FM is local. There were one three so-called qualified bidders for 8 local DAB blocks at the auction March 7 but no local interests at all. SBS Radio got one concession and A-Media another. Four concessions including the Oslo multiplex went to Digitalradio Norway which is the lobby organisation for DAB in Norway. Two local blocks were without any bidders.

23 out of 37 local DAB blocks still are without concessions. 31 % of the Norwegians listen to radio via digital platforms but this includes also Internet and television network (DVB-T2).

Digital Local Radio Wants More Government Funding

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia has launched a campaign Commit to Community Radio which they hope will motivate the government for $1.4 million (€1,1m) in additional funding for digital community radio over four years. Community radio in Australia is broadcasting on FM but with initial government funding of $11,1 million (€8,7m) 2008-2012 now also in the DAB+ structure in metropolitan areas. But to be able to continue with DAB more outside funding is needed.

European recommendation: DRM+ for Brazil

Brazil is now considering the choice of digital radio system; the American HD Radio or the European DRM+. As there are more than 4.000 community radio FM stations in the country the choice for small-scale broadcasting is very crucial. In a detailed letter to the Brazilian Ministry of Communications the two pan-European community radio organisations Community Media Forum Europe and AMARC-Europe strongly recommend the choice of DRM+ for community radio in Brazil as well in other parts of the world. 

Read the complete news item
European Community Radio: DRM+ Choice for Brazil 

Gloomy prospects for DAB in Sweden

Consultation without convincing support
The government consultation regarding the proposals of 2012 Public service commission generated a total of 131 responses to the Ministry of Culture. The proposal to let the public service radio company get financing in order to go DAB+ and closing the FM band were commented upon by one fourth of the responses. Only four respondents have observed that it is not only a case of “digital radio” but also establishing a new broadcasting system in a separate new frequency band besides the FM band.

Reviewing the responses closely and weighing in competence related to the issue the government could hardly justify funding or supporting the public service radio to establish a DAB-system as well as trying to close the FM band.