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Australia - Current situation - History

13.08.2015

Commercial radio stations in the metropolitan capitals have signalled their intention to start focusing on sales for DAB+ only stations, with the announcement of DAB+ digital only station listener numbers releasedin August 2015 by GfK in a DAB+ Digital Radio Report.

For the first time since the launch of DAB+ digital radio broadcasts in 2009, audience numbers for commercial radio DAB+ only stations have been released showing the Top 10 Commercial DAB+ only stations and the Top 3 Commercial DAB+ only stations by market.

The report is an average of results from surveys 2, 3, and 4 this year and shows the total DAB+ audience is now at a high of nearly 3.2 million people (3,164,000) across the five state metropolitan cities.  The extra DAB+ only stations have attracted 1.36 million listeners each week in the five capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. 

This is in addition to the more than 2.2 million listeners who listen via DAB+ to their favourite AM/FM stations. Overall, 24.1% of the population in the metropolitan capitals are now listening to local radio via DAB+ digital radio broadcasts.

Joan Warner, chief executive officer of CRA and WorldDMB’s VP Asia Pacific has said: “DAB+ only stations deliver more content to target audiences which not only adds choice for listeners but also gives advertisers new opportunities to speak to specific listener groups.”

“The digital radio market has matured and there is an appetite for targeted advertising, the DAB+ numbers are now comparable to multi-channel digital television and networks are able to offer advertisers niche opportunities and further monetise DAB+ digital radio.”

Adam Lang, Chair of Commercial Australia (CRA) and COO of Macquarie Radio Network was quoted at the launch of the DAB+ listening figures as saying We are releasing these figures now to highlight two important achievements. Firstly, the development, popularity and ongoing success of DAB+ broadcast technology and devices in Australia. Secondly, to highlight that the radio industry’s innovation and investment in a plethora of additional free to air DAB+ only broadcast stations is also proving popular with listeners”

Free to air DAB+ digital radio launched in the five metropolitan capitals in late 2009. There are now more than 45 extra DAB+ only stations on offer in the five metropolitan capitals, including targeted formats such as sport, talk and news, children’s programming, country, chillout and dance music and short term pop-up stations focused on events or particular seasons.

Sales of DAB+ devices have reached more than 1.9 million*. Twenty seven vehicle manufacturers in Australia are now including DAB+ digital radio and 276,822 vehicles with DAB+ have been sold**.  With the addition of the number of vehicles sold with DAB+, it brings the total number of DAB+ devices in the market to over 2.2 million.

Commercial radio will join the ABC, SBS and community radio on the recently announced Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia to plan the rollout of DAB+ to regional Australia. 

The GfK DAB+ Digital Radio Report – 1, 2015 can be found at www.commercialradio.com.au .

Source: *GfK MarketScope Q2 2015 Report.  **Glass's Automotive Business Intelligence June 2015.

 

Regional Rollout

The Australian Government  released in July a report, prepared by the Department of Communications, on digital radio services in Australia. The Digital Radio Report recommended the establishment of a Digital Radio Planning Committee for Regional Australia, to be chaired by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, to focus on the rollout of digital radio to regional areas.

The Government expects that the Planning Committee would give priority to the licensing of permanent digital radio services in Canberra and Darwin, where trials have been underway since 2010, before planning the rollout in new areas of Australia.

The report also recommended that the Government should provide a simpler, more flexible process for planning and licensing of digital radio in regional Australia. The Planning Committee may provide an appropriate forum to develop proposals to simplify the regulatory framework.

Commercial Radio Australia is pleased to note the signal of support for regional DAB+ rollout in the report.  

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*.  Twenty seven vehicle manufacturers in Australia now include DAB+ digital radio and nearly 277,000 vehicles with the technology have been sold. 

The report is available at: https://communications.gov.au/publications/digital-radio-report

Australian broadcasters continue to work with phone companies and receiver manufacturers to include screen based DAB+ receivers in their devices and to promote additional functionality to encourage support for hybrid capabilities in infrastructure and receiver devices.

Twelve of the planned repeaters are on air in the five mainland capital cities, infilling the single high powered transmission. More repeaters are planned for Melbourne.

Between 2010 - 2014 CRA produced a Digital Radio Industry Report, providing the latest information on DAB+.

Click here for the 2014 Digital Radio Industry Report or downloaded from the CRA website andwww.digitalradioplus.com.au. 

 

 

13.03.2015

DAB+ take up is tracking ahead of forecast, with major consumer brands supporting strong sales in a highly competitive retail market. Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) and the public broadcasters are working with the Federal Government on a timetable for regional roll out. The industry is developing a reforecast of costing of regional DAB+ rollout for submission in the current Australian Federal Government budgetary restraints. 

Australian broadcasters continue to work with phone companies and receiver manufacturers to include screen based DAB+ receivers in their devices and to promote additional functionality to encourage support for hybrid capabilities in infrastructure and receiver devices.

Seven of the planned repeaters are on air in the five mainland capital cities, infilling the single high powered transmission. More repeaters are planned.

 

CRA Quarterly update - March 2015

18.11.2014

DAB+ take up is tracking ahead of forecast, with major consumer brands supporting strong sales in a highly competitive retail market. Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) and the public broadcasters are working with the Federal Government on a timetable for regional roll out. The industry is developing a reforecast of costing of regional DAB+ rollout for submission in the current Australian Federal Government budgetary restraints. 

Australian broadcasters continue to work with phone companies and receiver manufacturers to include screen based DAB+ receivers in their devices and to promote additional functionality to encourage support for hybrid capabilities in infrastructure and receiver devices.

Seven of the planned repeaters are on air in the five mainland capital cities, infilling the single high powered transmission. More repeaters are planned.