DAB Proposal Facing Negative Press Opinion

A headless radio adventure

The Swedish Government's proposal to allow public service radio to go DAB+ and "switch-off" FM 2022 has met an indifferent or a very negative response in Swedish newspaper editorials and op-eds. It is very difficultnot possible to find any supportive opinion regarding the choice of the DAB-system in media. Here is some opinion.

Have you ever heard of the shift from 3G to 4G and around the corner the 5G technology? The transition from FM to the web will manage for itself when times come. But to scrap FM in order to force everyone to buy a DAB receiver is headless writes chief editor Christian Dahlgren in Corren major daily in Norrköping.

Digital Radio in the FM Band

DRM+ tests in France and Norway presented

At the DRM Consortium webinar (seminary on the net) DRM: The Flexible Way from FM to Digital the recent tests of DRM+ in France (Brittany and the Riviera) and Norway (Trondheim) on FM frequencies were presented in detail.  

Green light for DAB+ in Sweden. But no state funding. (Updated)

Dim outlook for a "switch-over" 2022
Alternative to DAB to be found for local radio

The Swedish government has proposed to the Parliament that the public radio gets green light to start DAB+ with a "switch-over" date in 2022. However, no extra state funding or extra tv license funding is on the agenda. This means that Sveriges Radio (SR) will have to finance the DAB distribution costs by loans and development of new channels necessary to expand from four FM channels to 12 DAB-channels by its own regular budget. To be able to do this SR will have to streamline administration and cut down staff in other parts.

Commercial Radio Leaving German DAB+

Lounge.FM the Austrian broadcasting network operating also in Germany has been broadcasting in the national German DAB+ multiplex since 2011. Lounge.FM will now give up DAB+ because of the uncertain financial outlook regarding DAB+ in Germany. Lounge.FM will continue to broadcast for Germany on Internet. In Austria Lounge.FM is broadcasting on FM and via cable.

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.