News

Jerry Ibbotson looks at the reasons behind Norway’s decision to go fully digital, and asks whether it could be a sign of things to come in other countries such as the UK.

The chairman of the ARD Radio Commission, Nathalie Wappler Hagen, emphasised the importance of radio in the digital world. This is reflected in the radio content that ARD offers, the daily (Mon-Fri) reach around of 38.5 million people, which now includes those listening to digital stations.

Market researcher GfK has asked people in Switzerland about their radio listening behavior. Radio is no longer analogue, but digital. Digital radio now accounts for 54% of all radio listening in Switzerland.

Mike Hill, the MD of Radioplayer, explores what Norway's digital switch over means for the rest of the radio industry.

The importance of teamwork stretches to the implementation of digital radio, according to the EBU’s Media Intelligence Service (MIS). The organisation’s annual update on digital radio advances in Europe suggests that stakeholders working together is the better indicator for success when making the move to digital radio.

The European Broadcasting Union’s Digital Radio Week offered insight into the present state of the radio industry. David Fernandez Quijada, from EBU, unveiled the results of the latest EBU survey on the industry. According to the research, 85 percent of people all over Europe listen to radio at least once a week. Marcello Lombardo, EBU project manager, also unveiled the results of an impressive study that for the first time, analyzes in detail the cost associated to both broadcasting and user consumption of radio on three different platforms — FM, DAB and the internet.

In Germany, listening to radio is an integral part of everyday life, and digital radio is continuing to grow. Already one in five Germans own a digital radio, while 12 per cent of respondents in a recent GfK and ZVEI survey are planning to acquire a DAB+ enabled device in 2017.

In Germany, listening to radio is an integral part of everyday life, and digital radio is continuing to grow. Already one in five Germans own a digital radio, while 12 percent of respondents in a recent GfK and ZVEI survey are planning to acquire a DAB+ enabled device in 2017.

Digital radio is gradually coming to Africa. Despite the cost, some countries are already introducing this technology, which should make it possible to reach more listeners, by giving them a better quality of listening.

Several countries in Europe are considering the transition to the all-digital DAB+. The biggest change for listeners is getting DAB+ in the car, Jean-Marc Dubreuil, from WorldDAB said "If you have an audio input on your car radio, you add a small module in your car, an antenna, and your radio becomes digital. The quality of listening is much better. It's a dream! The adaptor costs between 100 and 150 euros."