A DAB Radio Superman Haunts Colombia

El transformador de la radio

Why is the Norwegian government supporting promotional campaigns abroad?

The DAB system has a hard time getting an impact around the world. Canada left DAB many years ago and today HD Radio is the digital platform for terrestrial radio in North America and Mexico. But DAB interests will not give up the Americas. A central figure in the Norwegian lobby last week lectured at radio conferences in Medellin and Bogota in Colombia. He presented slanted graphics and exaggerated statements including withholding important truths about DAB and FM in Norway as well as in Europe.

National DAB Radio for Swedish Public Broadcaster Not In Sight

Applying for continued supplementary broadcast permit 2020.

Sveriges Radio (SR) seeking permission to broadcast national digital radio (DAB) has been interpreted by some as the public broadcaster has a go-ahead for a national DAB network. However, SR does not intend to make  any changes to the present DAB regional coverage or channel offerings with a renewed broadcast permit starting 2020. The application for a national DAB permit which the company has submitted is a ”to be prepared for any political decision on digital radio". No such political considerations are currently on the table at the Ministry of Culture. Nor is it likely that any proposal indicating tax financing a DAB built-up will have a chance of surviving in the parliament (Riksdagen) before the next 2022 election.

Norway: Big Losses for National Radio and Television. DAB Radio Disaster

                                          Picture: Oppland Arbeiderblad

However, Local radio on FM is healthy

A new report from the Media Authority shows that for the first time, that national Norwegian television and radio channels has experienced a sharp fall in advertising revenues of more than NOK 200 million. 2018 is the first year we see advertising revenue fall. Loss from the peak year 2017 is NOK 212 million, or 4.7 per cent, says Mari Velsand, MD of the media authority. 

The commercial radio sector with only one source of funding is more exposed and vulnerable than the television sector.  It is reported that radio channels which  broadcast on DAB exclusively have large operating deficits and that many lose more than they earn from broadcasting on DAB.

Heavy Cuts For Irish Public Service Company RTÉ

200 employees are laid off. Closing the DAB radio network. 

Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), one of the world's oldest public broadcasters, must save an additional € 60 million in 2020-2023. RTÉ has ​​cut costs by 23 percent over the last ten years, but still has a poor economy due to reduced revenue from the TV fee. Five radio channels will be gone, but RTÉ is investing for a future on-line.

Disastrous Low DAB Radio Listening in Norway

Local radio on FM biggest threat to transition scheme

The transition from FM to DAB in 2018 for national radio presented a well expanded choice of channels by the three actors; public broadcaster NRK and commercial companies Swedish NENT and German Bauer. But radio listening did not increase, instead the audience was fragmented and advertising revenue decreased. In the national DAB bouquet of radio channels, 70% have less than 2% listening some have so few listeners, hardly possible to measure. The parliament now will decide to protect the two commercial companies from local competition on FM in the four big cities (Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim).

Finland: Radio Industry Wants FM as Standard in Cars

EU directive on car radio challenged

In 2020, an EU requirement is that car radio receivers in new passenger cars should be able to receive and reproduce radio services provided via digital terrestrial radio broadcast. In Finland, which has opted out of DAB already 2007, the radio industry wants a requirement for FM receivers. In a joint statement, public service company Yle, the commercial radio organization Radiomedia and the media organization Medialiitto write that the EU directive must be supplemented when it is implemented as a law in Finland

Parliament of Second Largest State in Germany Says Farewell to DAB+

Asking for a market-driven transition to a more modern technology

The Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) state parliament wants to end the promotion of the terrestrial transmission standard DAB+ for digital radios. A request from the liberal party FDP was unanimously adopted on June 19. The resolution recommendation calls on the state government jointly with the federal government to switch off DAB+ in favor of other standards such as 5G. Last year DAB was questioned by Auditors and business in Lower Saxony.

Problems For Commercial Radio Abandoning the FM Band

Head of Bauer commercial radio in Norway replaced. DAB still a flop.

The CEO of Bauer Media in Norway for six years, Lasse Kokvik, has promptly left his job, without having another one in the pipeline. The new boss Jim Receveur, is CEO of Bauer Media Danmark, will retain his role as CEO of the Danish part of the company. Bauer is one of two commercial radio networks in Norway. Main channel is Radio Norge but Bauer is also operating another seven channels in the DAB network. The rapid change of throne occurs as the economy for Bauer's Norwegian operation is deteriorating while many listeners reject DAB radio. At the same time, Bauer is profitable in the neighboring countries, where they still broadcast on FM.

The Inconvenient Truth About DAB. Does the Norwegian Government Know?

Radio organization demands objective facts on the table.

Did the Norwegian government, and in particular its Ministry of Culture, take into account the market-related and technical deficiencies with the DAB system before a political decision was made, the radio organisation Kringskastingslaget (the Broadcasting Team) asks in a letter to the government. From where in Norway and abroad have independent facts been obtained besides what has been provided the DAB stakeholders NRK, Norkring, Bauer, MTG and Digitalradio Norge as well as the European lobby organization WorldDAB.

DAB Radio Should Be Removed from Frequency Band in Sweden

Obsolete system without future demand waste of frequency resources

The Swedish public service radio is well set for the future with its distribution via a robust FM network and mobile/fixed broadband. The choice, like Finland, completely remove DAB radio from VHF band III (172-240 MHz) should be easy says the Public Service Council (PSR) in its consultation response to the investigate report Radio spectrum use in the future - Frequencies in the service of society. The PSR can in all respects support the investigation analysis for continued importance of the FM network which for emergency and security policy reasons cannot be replaced by other systems for EAS (Emergency Alert System).

49 Shades of Grey - Why DAB Will Not Survive as Platform for Future Radio

Market and technical deficiencies presented in a new report

The Public Service Council in Sweden has released a 17 page report by a Nordic Radio Workgroup  DAB facts 2019 - Crucial problems and disadvantages with the digital system DAB  for terrestrial sound broadcasting. This report puts a finger on a sore point. As a transmission and listening platform DAB is in many parts inferior to other systems as the global standard FM or the global expanding mobile and fixed broadband platform. For the first time most DAB deficiencies and shortfalls are presented in an international report  independent from any stakeholder. 

BBC Extending 5G Radio Broadcast Trial in Scotland

Listeners very satisfied with range of stations and reception quality.

The BBC’s ground-breaking 5G broadcast radio trial in the rural community Stronsay, Orkney, has been extended until the end of September 2019. The trial began in February this year with residents in Stronsay becoming some of the first people in the world to receive live radio broadcasts over 5G mobile networks.