Government review recommends no timetable to be set on switch off of analogue radio
A government review of Australian radio has recommended no timetable should be set for the switch off of analogue radio, with the report suggesting broadcasters should be allowed to choose the mode they deliver radio services in.
The Digital Radio Report considered whether regulatory changes are needed to allow easier licensing of digital radio in regional areas.
The report found no “definitive views on the future of digital terrestrial radio” could be made as “significant rollout uncertainties and challenges”, particularly in regional Australia, remain.
“Australia will continue to rely on a combination of complementary analogue, digital and online radio technologies to deliver radio services to all Australians. Digital terrestrial radio will continue as a supplementary, rather than a replacement, technology in at least the short to medium term,” the report said.
Here’s a better idea – dump digital radio entirely and use the spectrum for something else.
Why would people pay hundreds for a (decent, stereophonic) receiver when they already have one (thrown in with a CD player) ?
Not to mention the appalling coverage that digital offers.
Digital portable radios are over-expensive and are pretty fragile when it comes to being transported. They’re also fiddly to operate..
Love the channel options with DAB+ but the coverage is terrible even living in the city centre. Reception is very fiddly. At least with FM radio, if reception is not great you can at least still hear some of the station signal but with DAB+ if signal is weak it cuts out completely. Also feel sorry for folks living in country areas – they have zero DAB+ access and this decision not to have a timetable means networks will unlikely rush to cover country areas.