British FM Licensing Indicates Switch-Off Is Far Off

Share of DAB radio services has stagnated since 2007

British media authority Ofcom has published a consultation on the duration of analogue radio licences, and is proposing a new policy that means these licence durations will be set at 12 years. Ofcom could use its existing powers to revert to 12 year licence terms for analogue stations, instead of offering 7 years as at present. This relates to the re-award of those FM or AM licences not on DAB.

Listeners and Consumers Against Digital Radio Switch-Over Criteria

In 2010 a Digital Radio Action Plan for UK was launched to plan a Digital Switch-Over (DSO). The Minister was clear that the needs and concerns of radio listeners will be absolutely central to our approach to DSO. Two criteria were set that would trigger radio DSO. 50% of radio listening must be to digital devices and there had to be a major improvement in coverage to match that of FM and to ensure good reception especially on major roads. At the end of 2013 government pulled back from in principle commitment to DSO. The Consumer Electronics Group CEG, including VLV, did not accept the 50% figure.

FM and DAB Should Operate Side by Side

UK commercial radio debating the future of radio

At the Westminster Forum on the future of the UK radio industry DAB lobby organisation Digital Radio UK’s Ford Ennals said that radio should be united for a digital future, with more choice and national and local coverage buildout. The future for radio is digital but it is also collaborative. Big and small, local and national working together to ensure radio does remain competitive and relevant in a multiplatform digital age.

However, Phil Riley, the founder of UK commercial radio group Orion Media, said a radical new approach should be adopted embracing a “multi-platform world”, in which FM/AM and DAB operate side by side for at least the next decade. Phil calls on the Government to delay the “Flawed” switchover policy.

Kiss FM leaves the nationwide DAB + multiplex in Germany

Private radio cannot go DAB without official funding 

The nation-wide distribution of the Berlin private radio stations Kiss FM on the national DAB+ network is terminated prematurely on March 31 2014. Kiss FM will continue broadcasting on VHF (FM), cable and on the Internet and mobile applications the company FOM GmbH & Co. KG announced.

EBU Shocked By Swedish UHF Band Decision

The EBU today expressed serious concern at a Swedish government decision to reallocate the 700 MHz spectrum band to "other forms of use" from 2017, since such a fast switchover will jeopardize the integrity of television services in Sweden. Television will now have to partly return to the VHF Band III, which is also utilized by DAB radio. 

Swedish Television To Leave Upper UHF Band

Mobile Broadband taking over. DAB Radio to share the 200 MHz band with terrestrial digital television.

The Swedish government today decided that the UHF frequency band 694-790 MHz should be assigned solely to mobile communications from 2017.
Broadcasters now have three years to migrate from this space to 470-694 MHz and also coming back to the VHF band III 174-240 MHz.