The move to DAB+ is delayed

The Radios want to turn off the FM network, today rather than tomorrow. But it is now clear that everything could take longer than you imagined it a year ago within the industry. Even more money is to be invested in an advertising campaign to promote the new distribution channel DAB+. Meanwhile, the Internet, DAB+ runs.

a year Ago, was optimistic. At that time, the radio industry is allowed to advertise a advertising campaign for DAB+ via the Federal office for communication. This should run until 2022 and 5.5 million Swiss francs of costs, taken from the Serafe-fee pot. Until the end of 2021, the FM network should be history, so the internal goal of the industry. New 7.5 million Swiss francs. In the absence of the Federal Council of the increase.

the change from FM to DAB+ by the German Federal office for communication. A spokeswoman says, "It has been shown that the formation of opinion for the FM switch-off planning is not fixed in the radio industry, and that the FM frequencies may be switched off later than expected." The process could take until the year 2024. Thus, the in the past year, internally formulated goal would not be achieved and on the original announced goal moved.

when, exactly, the FM network's history, by the end of this year, communicated to, as stated by the Federal office.

Internet or DAB+

The Problem: The use of DAB+ is not growing as desired. In February, the Federal office of communications wrote in a message that last fall, 64 percent of all radio minutes, ran through digital channels: 33 per cent via DAB+, and 31 over the Internet; the Rest is still on the analog FM network. What stands out: The use of DAB+ is decreased. Although only one percentage point. But the DAB off+ soon, would have to increase the value. Otherwise, the radio industry is in danger, that you build a network, the less listeners the benefit as accepted.

The radio industry had a good reason, why you pressed on the pace. No later than 2022, the financial support to build a DAB+network. After that, the radio station must assume all costs themselves. And: the network is inexpensive to operate, it needs as many as possible, involved in the radio station. The dissemination, via the Internet, DAB+ now runs, but the rank is not clear where the radio stations tend to be: to cheap Internet. Will be strengthened by this development of the industry itself. In the past fall, we launched the Swiss radio player and rivals graced the own efforts, on DAB+.

The Figures of the Federal statistical office also show that the young audience willing to DAB+-is jumped train. In the fall of 2017, 36% (2016: 22 percent) were heard on the radio minutes on DAB+. A year later, the sobering knowledge: The value in this target group is only 28 percent. FM on the other hand keeps its market share, while the Internet is growing. The Figures show that The ongoing campaign, where the Swiss musician to advertise for the move from VHF to DAB+ is not convincing as imagined in the industry.

For listeners the switch is connected with a purchase of a new device. Anyone who does not buy a Dab+device, remains outside. Last year, 286’200 of these Radios were sold, a total of 4.5 million units. And yet: The usage is stagnating.

Less handset?

A risk is that the transmitter handset to lose. In Norway, it has been shown that a short period of time slumped after the change from FM to DAB+ to the listener. In December 2017 Norway switched to DAB+. Although, depending on the source of the Loss differently estimated, it is clear that now, against 10 per cent less Norwegians listen to the Radio. The policy called for in the Plan. The right-wing populists want to introduce FM. In Denmark, they stopped the move.

In Switzerland, has expressed Roger Schawinski in the last autumn, on the platform of the industry "Persönlich.com" negative to DAB+. He described the technology as an expensive interim solution and said that it would be better to rely on distribution via the Internet. A number of exponents of the radio industry responded, and put the path to Dab+.

Jürg Bachmann, President of the Association of Swiss private radios (VSP), said, "Persönlich.com" that only is to predict which technology will prevail and when. "The radio industry would do well to stay on course. To continue to invest in DAB+, in particular in Marketing for it," said Bachmann. In Parallel, in the world of Internet radios.

EU

be A Problem with the car radios. Still, only 40 percent hearing of all the users on DAB+ in the car. Even if almost all new cars are equipped with DAB+, you have to be retrofitted to old Radios. The cost of money. For a good solution, which convinced the jury in the Test of the "kassensturz", and for 100 francs paid. Tailwind gets the introduction of DAB+ from the EU, where car manufacturers until 2020 will be required to enable the digital receipt in the case of new cars. (Editorial Tamedia)

Created: 30.04.2019, 19:47 PM