Royal Academy Rejects DAB Radio

A severe setback for proposal to switch-off FM in Sweden 

The renowned Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) has promptly rejected DAB digital radio in response to the proposed roadmap for a transition to DAB+.

The "Digital Radio Coordinator" commissioned by the former center-right government presented her proposal Dec 1. The plan consists of a mutual launch, extension of the licenses for commercial radio actors to broadcast analogue and a conditional shutdown of FM transmissions 2016-2024.
However, the proposal has been mauled by the public opinion in the press and social media and widely criticized by experts outside the DAB sphere of interest. 

Proposal for a Transition to DAB+ Meets Widespread Doubt in Sweden

Thumbs down for a roadmap with a FM switch-off.
Public funding will be crucial. Set for a political decision autumn 2015.

A Digital Radio Coordinator has for a year worked together with the public service radio and the commercial radio industry to produce a roadmap on how to digitalize terrestrial radio, not why. The plan consists of a mutual launch, extension of the licenses for commercial radio actors to broadcast analogue and a conditional shutdown of FM transmissions. However, the proposal is not welcome with enthusiasm by the public opinion.

FM Capability in U.S. Smartphones Rises

FM radio in smartphones bundled with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on a “connectivity” chip

With the release of the NextRadio smartphone app now preloaded on some 30 devices, NAB Labs is seeing progress on the availability of FM in devices compared to two years ago. However, data shows that while FM chips have been present in nearly all of the top-selling smartphones in the U.S. in the past two years, their software and hardware integration levels still varies.

Broadcasters Question DAB Venture in Denmark

DAB Technology in Doubt - Online Radio Might Take Over 

Copyright organizations join the critics

Some of the major private radio broadcasters together with the music copyright organizations are skeptical that DAB should be the future digital platform in Denmark. This is expressed in a letter to Folketinget - the Danish Parliament. Among the signatories is surprisingly SBS Discovery (at present behind the DAB efforts in Norway and Sweden).

The signatories fear the development of a technology which nobody believes in  any longer and that nobody would venture a political decision to stop it or change strategy. They point to the fact that DAB/DAB+ has a limited use in Europe and presents no clear advantages for the listeners.

Public Funding Inevitable for DAB Radio Survival

Citizens forced to pay for DAB+ introduction via taxes and licenses

The state funding of digital radio in Norway is being covered up

Public funding of DAB in Norway is estimated to 3 billion kr NOK. The public service broadcaster NRK or the Ministry of culture has not been able to present more precise sums. Adding to this the households are estimated to pay 2 billion NOK for new receivers.
A recent inquiry from Poland to the Ministry of Culture reveals the lack of interest by stakeholders to present the costs of the whole introduction and who is going to pay for it.  The DAB introduction has not yet been presented in an open and democratic way to the citizens of Norway.

India to Introduce Latest Mobile Broadcast Technology (updated)

Photo: Open Channel ApS

Public service plans to broadcast 20 free DVB-T2 Lite channels and radio on mobile phones 

Television broadcaster Doordarshan plans to start broadcasting directly a bouquet of 20 free-to-air television channels in partnership with private media on mobile phones from next year. The service on mobile phones is being planned in Mumbai and Delhi to start with.

Doordarshan will use DVB-T2 Lite technology which can be accessed through a dongle at present. Target is to start with all free-to-air channels operating at our DTH platform, said Shri Jahwar Sincair, CEO of Prasar Bharati, the public broadcasting company operating Doordarshan and All India Radio.