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.
Declining on-air broadcasting market and debt pile possible sales factors
Arqiva responsible for the UK's television and radio transmitter towers, four Freeview multiplexes and numerous DAB multiplexes is up for sale. Its chief executive, telecoms industry veteran Simon Beresford-Wylie, is targeting growth in the mobile market as revenues from broadcasting are in long, slow decline. Today the company has a near monopoly over UK transmission towers.
Broadcasters and authorities demand operators to activate new smartphones
Commercial broadcasters research unit PILOT has observed the activation of FM reception capabilities in popular smartphones since 2012, and has reported its findings throughout the period.Then the percentage of smartphones with FM reception capability was in the single digits. Now however, an important milestone has been reached. In the third quarter of 2016, the number of top-selling smartphones sold with FM reception capability enabled by at least one carrier has for the first time matched those sold without FM capability.
BFBS will continue on FM, satellite and online.
Forces radio station BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) will come off the national digital radio multiplex Digital One in March after carrying out analysis over the costs. The station says to RadioToday that it can no longer justify the cost of the platform, but the radio service will continue as normal with no job losses.
Norwegian government close to a national broadcasting failure.
In the balance before February 8: Trøndelag and Geneva.
After starting the switch-off of FM transmitters for nationwide radio in Nordland county January 11 many listeners had sparse or no DAB reception at all. Quite different from what the public service broadcaster NRK has promised. There are strong indications that DAB will not be complete and sufficient replacement for FM. Now the government has to decide upon a switch-off postponement for the rest of the country. But the official picture of the switch-off is still bright with pomp and circumstance.
New Swedish emergency system will interrupt FM radio listening
Ambulances in Stockholm are testing a system that interrupts in-car audio systems to warn drivers that they need to get through. The solution was developed by students at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. It broadcasts a voice warning, while a text message also appears in the radio display. It uses an FM radio signal to jam drivers' speakers and stop music playing according to BBC News. It will be able to alert cars with their FM radios turned on
and also interrupts Bluetooth connections.
No DAB for U.S. commercial radio. Will never turn off FM
The Norwegian parliament’s forced turn-off of many FM analog radio stations in favor of digital audio broadcasting (DAB) is causing not just static, but outright anger. Opinion polls indicate 66 percent of Norwegians oppose the shutdown, with only 17 percent in favor. The angst stems from the fact that the shutdown could leave tens of thousands of people without access to some of their favorite free and local radio stations. On the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) policy blog Christopher Ornelas, Chief Operating Officer, asks if it could happen in the United States.
