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ftm Radio Page - January 13, 2017

Losing the signal, audience or plot?
let's go to the phones

DAB radio supporters from around the world gathered, figuratively at least, at the Stormen Bibliotek in Bodø, northern Norway, for the official switching off of FM radio transmissions. There was even a countdown. Norway has become the first country to further transition to DAB (digital audio broadcasting) by erasing FM.

Norwegian authorities have stood by their decision amidst grousing from commuters, auto dealers, some broadcasters and neighboring countries. FM switch off might have happened earlier had the government not put it on hold pending impact studies and a shift from the original DAB standard to newer DAB+. DAB supporters, some with a financial interest, hope other countries will quickly follow suit. (See more about digital radio here)

All public broadcaster NRK radio channels are now available through DAB+ multiplexes. Privately owned national channels P4 and Radio Norge will follow. Local stations are exempt from the FM shut-off for five more years. (See more about media in Norway here)

“We managed the same transition to television 5 or 6 years ago,” said NRK director general Thor Gjermund Eriksen, quoted by Aftenposten (January 11). “It was not any easier when all television viewers had to have a decoder. Then we had the same kind of discussion and turmoil in advance as we have seen around the transition to DAB.” Digital TV converter boxes cost about €25 while those new DAB+ radio receivers run from €100 to €200 in Norway.

FM shutoff in Norway is trickling down; northern regions first, NRK channels in Oslo in September followed by private national channels in December. NRK has 21 people manning the phones for calls from listeners not finding their favorite channels.

Broadcasters ordered closed for speaking
the climate worsens

Paradise FM became the latest radio broadcaster in Gambia shut down late Sunday night (January 8) when officers of the National Intelligence Agency knocked on the door and told employees to turn out the lights and everything else. Earlier in the day the station broadcast interviews with ruling party and opposition spokespersons. The security agents were acting on orders of the Communications and Information Ministry, reported South African news portal news24.com (January 9). Station employees were told to contact the Ministry for further information.

The midnight closure of Paradise FM follows shutdowns of Teranga FM, Hilltop FM and Afri Radio, all privately owned, since the first of the year. Afri Radio was allowed to resume broadcasting but only music. Teranga FM station manager Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay was convicted of “sedition and spreading false news” last November. He has since fled the country. The closed radio stations operated in or near the capital Banjul, broadcasting on FM in local languages. (See more on media in Africa here)

Elections in Gambia turned out long serving president Yahya Jammeh in December. He conceded at first to opponent Adama Barrow then changed his mind. The country’s army continues to support Mr. Jammeh, who seized control in a 1994 coup. The Supreme Court is set to rule this week on cancelling the election result and holding a new one. The 2016 Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) press freedom index ranked Gambia 145th in the world, between Bangladesh and Malaysia noting "a climate of terror around anything remotely to do with journalism.”

Oldies not goodies as broadcaster’s music rights cut off
rights fee could triple

Since the first of the year a bit more than half the programming on the Bulgarian public radio (BNR) has changed. Gone is new music and foreign music. BNR is having a dispute with music rights administrator Musicautor, which, of course, wants more money or the public broadcaster can continue with classical and folk music. On New Year’s Eve BNR was forced to use a recording of the Bulgarian national anthem recorded before 1945.

Musicautor concluded a rights agreement with private radio broadcasters association ABRO in November after nearly two years of negotiations. BNR was not, obviously, included. Media regulator Council for Electronic Media (CEM) called a meeting of those involved last week to mediate an agreement. Other meetings are scheduled for this week. (See more about media in Bulgaria here)

“There is increased use of music,” said Musicautor lawyer, quoted by capital.bg (January 5). “We want a corresponding increase in payments to artists.” The agency wants a different rights fee calculation model and notes that BNR pays less for music rights by percentage of revenue than other public broadcasters in the EU Member States. BNR paid about BGN 500,000 (€255,600) last year and the Musicautor demand would raise that to BGN 1.7 million (€870,000).

The Musicautor demand is “not based in economic reality,” said BNR director general Aleksander Velev and the contribution from the Bulgarian state budget is fixed and ad revenues are difficult to project. He added that meeting the music rights fee increase would “cost” the broadcaster one regional radio channel. BNR operates two national and seven regional radio channels.

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