Digital radio may soon reach regional areas around Australia with the commercial radio industry pushing for a broader reach of all Digital Audio Broadcasting Plus (DAB+) broadcasting services, which currently stretch solely to major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.
Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) is set to launch the ‘We Want Digital Radio’ campaign, which urges listeners to support the expansion of digital radio to areas beyond the current metropolitan reach, as the Border Mail reports.
CRA CEO Joan Warner emphasises that digital radio offers a better quality sound, greater interactivity and greater choice. Thanks to the five state capitals and two regional trials in Canberra and Darwin, the rotation of 37 new digital radio stations proves analogue radio is remarkably outdated.
“Analogue broadcasts are increasingly compromised by multipath interference and man made noise,” Warner reveals. “Analogue restricts the ability of radio to multichannel and offer more diversity and new features, which will allow radio to maintain its relevance in a digital world.”
The success of the rollout and promotion of digital radio is shown in CRA’s own 2013 Digital Radio Report, which was released last week, revealing that almost 1.5 million people or 11.6% of radio listeners listen to digital radio each week.
Sales of digital radios also saw a jump during the 2012 Christmas and New Year retail period, recording the biggest quarterly jump since its launch, which included around 153,187 devices being sold in the Oct-Jan period. “…The latest figures are proof positive that Australians have embraced digital radio. Even without the impetus of a switch off date, DAB+ digital radio uptake continues to increase.” – Joan Warner, Commercial Radio Australia.
The report reveals “ensuring digital radio is available to regional markets remains a priority” and after much planning the concurrent digital radio awareness radio campaign will be launched with CRA stressing listeners to ask their local Federal members to support digital radio for all Australians.
The CRA has also submitted a cost effective funding proposal to the Federal Government based on complex planning and cost modelling and includes a plan for infrastructure improvement of transmission towers and also includes the sharing of multiplexes by public service and commercial broadcasters.
Ms Warner says “the latest figures are proof positive that Australians have embraced digital radio. Even without the impetus of a switch off date, DAB+ digital radio uptake continues to increase.”
Remarkably, Commercial Radio Australia’s Digital Radio Report fails to mention the countless community radio stations Australia-wide that currently dominate the regional market, and recent news that community radio stations are running the risk of being shut off completely due to serious government funding cuts to the digital radio sector.
A striking omission of community radio’s popularity within regional areas is disappointing seeing as it plays a vital role in providing a voice for communities that aren’t adequately serviced by other broadcasting sectors.
According to a McNair Ingenuity study last year, 1 in 4 Australian radio listeners turn to community radio stations every week for services that aren’t offered on commercial radio stations, including specialist music, Indigenous media, multicultural and ethnic language programs, religious, educational and youth services, print disability reading services, and community access programs.
The news of CRA’s campaign for digital expansion also comes in the light of as many as 37 community radio stations Australia-wide are facing the fact that they may no longer be able to broadcast without Communications Minister Stephen Conroy committing adequate funds to the Digital Radio Project.
Federal Government funding cuts in last year’s budget resulted in a $1.4 million shortfall which, unless reversed in the upcoming May budget, will see many digital stations axed.
Representatives from community radio stations across the country set aside a day of action calling for support to their ‘Commit To Community Radio’ campaign on March 13th, which eventually saw as many as 20,000 signatures signed on their petition in 24 hours.
It seems both commercial and community radio broadcasts must fight for their right to stay on the digital wavelength with each campaign garnering support around the country, alongside the impending digital future of Australian radio that’s still on the horizon.
