MEDIA

Government report argues against switching off analogue radio

Michael Bodey

THE AUSTRALIAN - JULY 08, 2015 4:51PM

The commercial radio sector has welcomed the release of a Digital Radio report released by the Department of Communications recommending the continued rollout of digital radio services.

The report finds “definitive views on the future of digital terrestrial radio cannot be made” in the short-term and says Australians will rely on a combination of analogue, digital and online radio technologies, and digital will not replace analogue in the “medium term” because the market for AM and FM services is “robust”. But it recommends the continued rollout of digital (DAB+) radio in regional areas, subject to the desire of individual broadcasters.

Commercial Radio Australia CEO Joan Warner welcomed the support for regional DAB+ rollout and the recommendation for the establishment of an industry planning group. “This means that regional Australians will not suffer a digital divide in relation to free to air broadcast radio but will eventually be on an equal footing with their metropolitan counterparts,” she said.

The report recommends the continuation of analogue (AM and FM) services but easier licensing of digital radio in regional Australia, prioritising permanent digital services in Canberra and Darwin.

The onus on whether commercial, national (ABC and SBS) or community broadcasters roll out digital radio signals should be an individual decision for the broadcasters though, not regulated, the report said.

It recommends the Australian Communications and Media Authority be responsible for determining where and when digital radio services are rolled out and it chair a Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia.

The report also hints the federal government is unlikely to underwrite the rollout of digital radio across regions, which the CRA estimated in 2013 would require $500 million of government funding. The report says this is a “significant cost to the public purse, and will not deliver to government the revenue benefit of the “high value spectrum to the market” released by the digital TV switchover.

It says no date should be set for switching off analogue radio, as has been done in some European markets, at this time. Indeed, “Listenership of analogue radio services continues to increase steadily” and the report proposes investigating whether analogue services can be enhanced, such as improved AM coverage metropolitan areas or FM spectrum being freed in regional areas for new analogue radio services or the conversion of existing AM services to FM, potentially in lieu of the rollout of digital services.

The report accepts the take up of digital terrestrial radio services is growing “slowly but steadily” aided by the increased availability of digital radio receivers in motor vehicles and more digital transmitters increasing coverage of the services in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. But it notes “at present, DAB+ radio services cover up to an estimated 0.4 per cent of geographical Australia.”

Digital radio delivered over the internet has also become an alternative digital radio technology of choice, it says, while it cautions against introducing the DRM digital format to Australia and finds overall there is no “need for any changes to the allocation of spectrum for digital terrestrial radio.”

The CRA says since the launch of DAB+ digital radio in metropolitan Australia in late 2009, “DAB+ digital radio listening continues to outperform expectations, with 3.2 million people or nearly 25% now listening to radio each week using a DAB+ digital radio in the five metropolitan capitals.”

The report also recommends a deregulatory push in which the government “should consider” allowing narrowcasters to provide digital radio services in metro markets.

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QUOTE: The CRA says since the launch of DAB+ digital radio in metropolitan Australia in late 2009, “DAB+ digital radio listening continues to outperform expectations, with 3.2 million people or nearly 25% now listening to radio each week using a DAB+ digital radio in the five metropolitan capitals.

In the USA, we use In Band On Channel "IBOC" digital radio. Basically extra sidebands around the analogue signal. On AM, you hear it as hash surrounding an analogue station. Few people have bought into it.

Government report argues against switching off analogue radio

Thanks for that article.

DAB is my normal all-day radio receiver, when not on vintage devices.

Sad that in USA, the home of digital communications innovation, the power of the National Association of Broadcasters has crippled digital broadcasting by forcing the govt to go with a system that leaves incumbent broadcasters in total control of the new digital channels, so excludes new programmers.

In about 1990, an NAB engineering and technical committee in fact recommended that USA go with the emerging Eureka 147 DAB system, the parent of DAB+, the de facto world standard. The US radio network proprietors then forced NAB to reverse its position and go with the inferior sideband system that Wa2ise has described. There was a similar push from commercial broadcasters in Australia, but fortunately the regulatory authorities here, and non-commercial broadcasters, resisted. Even so, commercial broadcasters were allowed to keep control of most of the multiplex channels on DAB roll-outs.

Because it works by multiplexed broadcast, what DAB technology really needs is a third-party transmission organisation that leases channels to broadcasters - similar to what occurs now in telecommunications, in parts of AM and FM broadcasting, and with the developing NBN for digital broadband.

I've never known a government with the guts to stand up to broadcasting proprietors. The broadcasters' tried and true tactic is to delay any adverse decision until close to an election, then go full tilt with un-subtle threats until it is taken off the table. Works every time.

Maven

I've never known a government with the guts to stand up to broadcasting proprietors.

Shades of AM network emperor David Sarnoff of RCA who successfully opposed the introduction of FM throughout his reign.

QUOTE: AM network emperor David Sarnoff of RCA who successfully opposed the introduction of FM throughout his reign.

I wonder if, Sarnoff asked Armstrong if he could make a noise free radio. And when Armstrong came up with FM, Sarnoff said "I wanted a noise free AM radio receiver!". And if Armstrong was on his game, he could have told Sarnoff that FM would make an excellent soundtrack for TV sets. But that would only happen in some alternate universe far far away...

AM radio is a quasi-monopoly for the lucrative automotive market segment. And anything that approaches a monopoly these days is very valuable! So I am intrigued by the HD/IBOC conspiracy theory.

AM radio will be with us till doomsday its all crap anybody going to switch off the signal - sorry its not going to happy - there is more chance of little grey men being real after the 1947 Roswell flying saucer crash. ( People must believe in the tooth fairy - yeah sure AM turned off sure look out a lump of cheese just landed from the moon too )

Digital is crap its go no carrying power it's like FM 60ks out of a major city using FM guess what you have lost the lot - and digital look you may as well go back to the childhood phone 2 tin cans and a piece of string for all the good that is.

Be all that as it may, Anologue won't vanish because 1 strong reason above all others, thats the fact we got 100's of thousands that live in all the bush areas of Australia.

Where Fm and Digital are just no good anyway - turn off AM you'd have a human wave of agro so large heading for parliment house ( to hang Abbott- they should hang him anyway we are overdue for a good ole sunday lynching - and I mean nobody is going to miss him )

The crowd carrying the noose would be that big it would make the 1939 Nuremburg Nazi marches look like a boy scouts parade .

You just can't say to 1 million plus living in remote areas and smaller bush towns of Australia guess what folks we the bigotts at large / govvy - the imbeciles at the top ! No more radio we going to turn it off !

No sorry it just won't wash the enormity of the people decide -------------not the imbeciles in Government - they don't know shite from clay!

I doubt the govvy be so stupid in upsetting the ways of the bush folk - dare take away there AM !!!!! -no--- real bad move and it would cost the govvy a whole swag of votes which they really can't afford to lose !

Nobody will touch AM
a) cost to replace it with something else is just to big.

b) nobody has the coin anyway ( joe hockey is crying damper and food vouchers ) so where does he get the coin from to do it? - no turn it up )) fat joe can't pay for AM'S demise or otherwise , joe's not got 2 bob to spare at present time, nor for the next ten years coming.

c) no, you'd upset far to many people
d) why would any govvy do it anyway? I mean there is no coin in it for them , so why would anybody bother ?------------it works ok anyway - ''if it works leave it alone'' . why would any sane person even consider changing a system that's worked just fine for 100 years ?

There is nothing to be gained in tossing AM / only grief can come from it ( ok we do have a moron infested govvy at present that are quiet capable of making monumental f---------k ups ) lets just hope they don't try play signal changes because I do believe that would seal thier fate, they'd be scrap heaped & shit canned.... for years to come.

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Steve.