ftm Radio Page - September 11, 2015

Digital platforms uncertain, invest more
“it’s still too early”

As the broadcast technology people sweep into Amsterdam this week for the annual IBC trade show sellers of all the cool stuff are honing their pitches, elevator and otherwise. Broadcasters, of course, want to keep up however uncertain they might be about consumer’s wants and desires. More investment, says one seller of broadcast services, is the best hedge against the vast unknown.

Patience, too, is a virtue, said Broadcast Partners director Robert-Jan van der Hoeven, quoted by Dutch media news portal mediamagazine.nl (September 6). Broadcast Partners is the leading transmitter and tower supplier in the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Last week Dutch Economy Minister Henk Kamp proposed extending commercial radio broadcaster’s FM licenses for five years, caveat being they invest more in the DAB+ platform. (See more about digital radio here)

“We think that DAB+ maybe has a chance in the future but we do not know for sure,” said Mr. Van der Hoeven. “The picture in Europe is very variable. From the DAB lobbies there is a very optimistic image. They could be right. The consumer has, so far, not discovered the benefits DAB+ so you are having a replacement market.”

It’s all about the automobile. With the average automobile in the Netherlands held for 14 years, he said, it’s difficult. “Currently, 10% of new cars are equipped with a DAB receiver.”

While the DAB platform has had success, he warned, “I do not dare say that DAB+ is the successor to FM. It’s still too early.” He’s also not convinced mobile platforms threaten DAB. “As long as data capacity is scarce I don’t expect radio via mobile internet will be a success.”

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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2015)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Germany - Radio Audience (July 2015)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• France - National Radio Audience (July 2015)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Spain - National Radio Audience (July 2015)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Spain - Major Media - Radio (July 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2015))
  public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share

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