Media company takes strategic step, but few will listen IRL
NENT Nordic Entertainment Group (formerly MTG) has noticed the Swedish Press, Radio and Television Authority their intention to start the digital radio DAB+ broadcasting from January 1, 2019. According to the license terms, broadcasts must reach 35 percent of the population already April 1, 2019. However, there are no political plans in Sweden to replace FM with DAB as in neighbouring Norway. Rather, there are strategic corporate reasons behind this announcement.
Ministry of Culture submitted a completely misleading document to the EFTA Surveillance Authority.
Norway's migration to DAB does not breach EEA rules was the conclusion of the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) in Brussels, which Oct.10 2018 closed a complaint case concerning the coordinated switchover to digital radio in Norway. However, the Norwegian Radio Listeners Association (NRLF) regrets this decision and is also critical to how the Ministry has informed and misled the Authority.
Two digital standards are officially recommended
The government has invited for comments regarding introduction of terrestrial digital radio in South Africa. Two digital standards DRM and DAB are recommended; in order to be complement to analogue broadcasting. A future closure of FM in the republic is not envisaged.
Will 5G become a threat to DAB?
The new 5G network standard offers great potential for an efficient distribution of media content. As part of a research project, LTE 5G field tests for radio is currently under way in the vicinity of Munich in Bavaria. Large-scale TV transmissions will use the broadcasting mode FeMBMS from a transmitter location Wendelstein (1828 m above sea level) with an output power of 100 kilowatt ERP.
The field test significantly promotes the further technical development in this area and prepares for a link between broadcasting and mobile radio (unicast).
BBC: Beware of the Norwegian experience
Many younger audiences rely on FM services, so removing them would risk losing more young audiences to non-UK streaming services, says the BBC's Chief Technology Officer Matthew Postgate appealing against switching off FM, because of the risk of users migrating to switching to music services such as Amazon Music and Spotify. Analogue radio, strongly driven by FM, remains the UK’s most popular, universal and reliable method of listening to radio. It accounts for 50% of time spent listening to radio in the UK, and is used by 70% of the population.
Another blow to a continued DAB radio introduction
The new public service contract between Danmarks Radio and the government set a 20% reduction of its budget for five years. Around 400 positions will be axed. DR’s six television channels will be reduced to three and three of eight radio channels will be closed. The radio channels to be closed are DAB-only channels (P6 Beat, P7 Mix and P8 Jazz). DR Radio will continue with five channels on both FM and DAB+
