12 years of trial now coming to an end
Broadcast provider Kordia must wrap up its DAB trial by June 30, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says. MBIE oversaw the technical aspects of the trial. The government must now decide whether to green-light the technology. According to National Business Review Kordia has written to Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran asking for her to overrule MBIE and extend the trial. But as things stand, the curtain is coming down on perhaps New Zealand's longest-running technology trial. Globally, there are still only a few countries with established DAB broadcasting.
Smartphones ultimately the major media platform
In India, 337.0 million people, or more than a quarter of the population, will use a smartphone in 2018, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast.
The number of smartphone users in India will grow by close to 16% this year—the highest growth rate of any country in the world broken out by eMarketer.
DTT provides better coverage than DAB.
SBS is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio, online, and television network. SBS operates four TV channels and eight radio networks. SBS Radio broadcasts in 68 languages and is available on all platforms including podcasting. SBS Radio has now launched two new digital radio stations – SBS PopAsia, SBS PopDesi and a refresh of SBS Radio 3 on the digital television network (DVB-T2).
FM radio is secured until 2030. The Baltic Sea region will be DAB free.
January 2020 is the start of a new ten-year license period for the commercial radio in Finland. There will be seven national FM licenses, with a coverage of at least 75 percent of the population. In addition, eleven partially national radio networks (at least 40% in household coverage) are announced as well as a number of regional and local states. Among other things, there is room for AM and also eight stations in Helsinki.
Digital radio in France is overwhelmingly online
According to the French magazine La Lettre Pro there are 51.000 OTA radio stations globally. 97% of the 12.299 radio stations in Europe are FM or AM. 11.827 broadcast on FM, 276 on AM (long and medium wave). Digital terrestrial radio only 353 on DAB and 881 on DAB+
Sales are not impressive, not even in Norway
The WorldDAB organisation reports that almost 12 million DAB receivers were sold in 2017 in Europe and Asia Pacific, a new record for yearly sales. Almost half (5.9m) of the sales were for automotive devices, with key markets showing a significant increase in the number of cars sold with DAB fitted as standard.
