13 June 2014

Commercial Radio Leaving DAB+ in Poland

Public Radio At Risk Going DAB Alone
The Polish commercial radio community says it will suspend its work with Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji (KRRiT), the media authority, on the transition to DAB+. 
KRRiT has received a letter signed by broadcasters from Group RMF, Radio Group Agora, Radio Group Time and Eurozet about the requirements of their engagement in the working group and the technical subcommittee. The signees complained that their opinions have been ignored. 

11 June 2014

British motor journalist looks beyond DAB radio

DAB radio: dead on arrival?
Slowly, slowly we're seeing more digital radios in cars. But the glacial pace is allowing smarter alternatives to catch up, writes Nick Gibbs in the motor section of the British newspaper Telegraph. With still no switch-off date for analogue AM/FM radio announced and new technologies closing fast, there’s a serious concern that all the (predominantly taxpayers’) cash still being spent on broadening the network will be for nought.

839 New Commercial FM Stations in India

Third Phase of an auction for commercial radio in June
The government of India has issued a request for proposals from companies that want to participate in the country’s e-auction under Phase-III of the licensing process for commercial FM Radio . The auction is now being held after the new government took office in June and will feature 839 FM channels in 294 cities. 

3 June 2014

DAB+ Not the Future for Small-scale Broadcasters

FM still the preferred broadcast platform - with DRM+
as future digital choice, according to European 'green paper'
The retention of FM radio is strongly defended and a transition to the DAB system is rejected for Europe’s approximately 9.000 small-scale broadcasters. A complete stand-alone DAB+ structure cannot survive on a free market without significant public funding (taxes or TV license income) in most European countries. A new report – a green paper – commissioned by the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) questions the credibility of DAB system, highlights the preference of DRM+ as a digital choice and with DVB-T2 Lite as a possibility as well as the importance of online listening for future radio.

2 June 2014

Would Google become the Global Broadcaster?

Broadband Satellites a Game Changer in the Spectrum Struggle
Google is planning to spend more than $1 billion on satellites that will offer internet access worldwide from space. Google will begin with 180 small satellites that will orbit the Earth at a lower altitude than most other craft. The project could have a great impact on the global struggle for spectrum in the UHF band, which television broadcasters increasingly are losing to mobile broadband operators. Besides expanding space for video distribution online radio might get almost unlimited access via the satellite network.

17 May 2014

New President of Local Radio in Norway Wants To Keep FM

National Organisation: a possible digital transition should be implemented over a longer period with state subsidies
Svein Larsen MD of Radio Metro is elected to President of the Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLF) with an overwhelming vote, but not with any support from SBS Discovery Radio.
Larsen don't want to keep FM and a digital transition should be over time instead of a set switch-off. For digitalization local radio will also need state subsidies. Larsen says that the authorities have been too much concentrated on the major broadcasters leaving local radio behind.