| DIGITAL RADIO |
Our round-up of activities and events in the domain of digital radio.
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EBU ACTIVITIES
WorldDAB's Drive to Digital wrap up
The yearly WorldDAB Automotive event has taken place at Autoworld in Brussels on 11th May 2016. 150 delegates from automotive industry, radio equipment manufacturers and broadcasters participated in these discussions of the digital radio deployment progress, manufacturers solutions and current challenges. Helen Boaden, Director of BBC Radio, mentioned in her keynote the recent creation of the European Digital Radio Alliance, an initiative from broadcasters and the EBU, gathering leaders from radio companies to drive forward the digital agenda and support hybrid DAB/FM.
On the car integration front, the chicken-and-egg situation with digital radio is now over and all car manufacturers provide solutions for Digital Radio reception. The remaining effort is on having digital radio integrated in cars, rather than being optional. Already 80% of new car sales in the UK include digital. For all those cars already on the roads without digital then an aftermarket solution can be used. This is an important matter in countries where FM switchover is planned, such as Norway switching off FM next year. Simplicity of use of digital radio in the car could be also improved, for this reason, WorldDAB is starting a new taskforce to give best practices. Hybrid Radio is also the way to smooth the integration of broadcast with IP in connected cars, adding new services on top.
The EBU was represented by Mathias Coinchon.
Presentation are available for download from 17th June 2016. Here |
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DIGITAL TRANSITION
European Governments Call for the Accelerated Rollout of DAB for Vehicles
European Government Ministries, car manufacturers and the radio industry gathered in Brussels to push for further adoption of DAB digital radio in the car.
At WorldDAB’s Drive to Digital, aEuropean event, government officials from Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands were joined by the French media regulator and senior representatives from the broadcast and automotive industries in calling for a European vision for DAB digital radio.
At the event, it was revealed that 56% of European citizens are now able to receive DAB / DAB+.
Progress is most advanced in countries with national DAB coverage – Germany, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark. These seven markets collectively account for 60% of all European new car sales. With France and Belgium now taking their first significant steps in the roll-out of digital radio, established DAB markets are expected to soon account for nearly 80% of new car sales in Europe. Press release |
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DAB+
Digital Radio: SSR develops its DAB+ offer
Starting the 15th of November 2016, radio listeners in Switzerland will benefit a larger DAB+ offer. Radio stations currently broadcasted in DAB will only be available in DAB+ and new stations will be available nationwide. This move is part of the digital switchover strategy scheduled to begin in 2020. Source (in French) |
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DAB NETWORK
Belgium on the move
The government announced today the funding of €5.4m “for DAB+, the future of radio”. Operators will now focus on building out the network, and marketing digital radio to listeners. The full development of the network in French speaking Belgium is anticipated to take ten years with a project budget of €12.6m. During the development, radio stations will simulcast in FM and DAB+. Commercial availability of DAB+ is expected to start in 2017. Source1 (in French) Source2 (in French)
The Flanders region in Belgium seeking to switch off with FM radio within the next five years, according to a report from De Standaard.
At the same time Flemish Media Minister Sven Gatz has unveiled a plan that will see the region switch to DAB+ digital radio, which he anticipates will provide more room in the spectrum for additional channels. With current radio licences set to expire next year, new FM licences will be issued on the condition that stations commit to DAB+ transition, in line with the report. If full DAB+ coverage is achieved by 2022, FM stations will be shut down when half of all listening is done over DAB+. Source |
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RADIO LICENSES
Netherlands - Government plans extension of FM licences and DAB promotion
The Dutch government has decided to extend commercial FM radio licences for another five years. The stations will pay a fee for the extension and must agree to continue efforts on the switch to DAB+. An external analysis from Kwink Group for the government found that the extension would not hinder or slow the digitisation plans. The government is still working on the terms of the extension, including the price, and will start a consultation on the issue. The decision applies to national stations, while the government is still working on the digitisation plans for regional radio stations. Source |
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AROUND THE WORLD
New roadmap for digital radio in Denmark
A new timetable for the deployment of digital radio has been agreed in Denmark, with a full transition to DAB+ by October 2017, accompanied by a government funded national information campaign. Source (in Danish)
One year of digital radio in Austria: DAB+ makes terrestrial radio fit for the future
The first pilot year of DAB + in Greater Vienna has been very successful. In the second pilot year 16 stations will be on board. Source (in German)
Digital radio in Czech Radio Pilsen
Czech Radio was launched in Pilsen on DAB digital radio. Source
New campaign to promote digital radio in Italy
A new marketing campaign has launched in Italy to help promote DAB+ digital radio. The advert will be broadcast on both national and local commercial radio stations and coordinated marketing activities involve 12 national broadcasters. Source (in Italian) |
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Upcoming events on digital radio
Click on the image to see the full calendar
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