German Radio Pioneer Warns Against FM Closure

Photo: FFH nh

Media policy statement at radio award ceremony

The journalist and editor of the magazine Focus, Helmut Markwort, has received  the "German Radio Award 2014" for his services to the German private radio sector. Markwort is one of the pioneers of private radio in Germany and the founder of HIT RADIO FFH 1989. 
- In the acceptance speech on stage in Hamburg for the Deutscher Radiopreis 2014 Helmut Markwort took the opportunity for a statement against a switch-off date for FM in order to force the transition to digital radio:

DAB Radio Venture Scrutinized by National Audit

Might end efforts to introduce the DAB system in Sweden

After a preliminary study since April 2014 Riksrevisionen - the Swedish National Audit Authority - has set on a review of government involvement in digital DAB radio, which is planned to replace FM radio 2022.  A central question is if the taxpayers will get their moneys' worth. Will it be efficient to constructe a new infrastructure for radio? In the preliminary study there have been indications that different alternatives are not sufficiently considered as well as the consequences for the society and the citizens.

HD Radio On Trial in Norway

All-digital mode gives unexpected range of reach. Challenge to DAB+ and DRM+

An up to day successful trial with the U.S. digital radio technology HD Radio (IBOC) has started in Oslo managed by the Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLR). The station is Radio Nero on 98,7 MHz.

In contrary to the standard setup for HD Radio in the U.S. with the main channel in both analogue and digital mode this transmission is all-digital. Because of this the range of reach - with no signal loss - is surprisingly good even with this 100 watt transmitter in Oslo.

Swedish Broadcast Provider Makes Major Investment in FM Radio

Upgrade of the national FM network indicates less belief in the future for DAB+

The state-owned radio- and television broadcast provider Teracom has signed a contract with GatesAir in Cincinnati USA for a network-wide FM upgrade.Teracom selected GatesAir Flexiva transmitters, and the initial rollout phase will conclude in the first quarter of 2015, with installations scheduled for one dozen of its 30-plus FM stations. The remaining installations will conclude in 2016. - This investment indicates that Teracom is counting on that the FM network is not going to be closed for a for-seeable future.

Commercial Radio in Hamburg Rejects DAB+

Limited interest for DAB radio on the local market

The two major privately owned radio stations in Hamburg - Radio Hamburg and Alster Radio - abstain from applying for DAB+ license at the local state media authority.

The CEO of Radio Hamburg Carsten Neitzel says that the sale of DAB receivers is in no proportion to the annual sale of 200-250.000 FM receivers in Germany.

DAB Radio in Norway: The Lobby Gets Its Own Local Radio Association

Big Radio Business Leaves The National Local Radio Association

A new association for local radio in Norway is set up in opposition to the long established Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLR).
The NLR chairman says that the new organisation is set up in order to split the radio sector and is de facto an organisation for promoting the DAB radio system. The suspicion is that the two major commercial radio networks is behind the new organisation.