The DAB course is set

Digital radio The SRG's prophecy is not coming true: this year's breakthrough for digital radio has failed to materialize. However, there is a lot going on behind the scenes and it would be wrong to speak of a crisis summit.
exaggerated. However, the current situation is likely to make
no one will be surprised when representatives of the
consumer electronics industry with SRG experts about this
how they can work together on DAB digital radio, the designated
successor technology to FM radio.
 
For some of the equipment dealers, it is clear that SRG has so far been too
has behaved passively. "The SRG still needs to take massive
advertising efforts are made to make consumers aware of the topic of
digital radio," says Monika Zander, for example,
Head of Communications at Interdiscount.

Richard Schwarz also speaks of a "modest level of awareness",
who sells digital radios on the Internet. This must be clearly
change, says SRG radio coordinator Marc Savary. "By the end of 2006
at least every second specialist retailer has digital radios in its range
lead."

Spots with little effect
However, it is by no means the case that the SRG has so far done nothing
would have undertaken. The funds needed to promote the new radio technology
The Swiss Satellite Radio department responsible developed commercials for
Radio, TV and cinema. However, these do not appear to have the desired
has had an effect. Digital radio receivers were
Christmas business in 2005 was not exactly a box-office hit, as the
dealers had hoped for.

As a condition for increasing sales figures
Interdiscount spokeswoman Zander a national broadcast coverage with
Digital radio. Radio listeners are also interested in this. Because those who
can receive fewer stations with a new radio than with the
cheap old FM receiver, he sees no reason to switch to the new
technology.

In order to change this unsatisfactory situation, SRG is currently
some. A new transmitter is put into operation almost every week.
taken. "Toggenburg is becoming a paradise for digital radio," says
in a recent press release from Swiss Satellite Radio. Reason
for the paradisiacal conditions in eastern Switzerland is an antenna at
Wattwil, which has been broadcasting digital radio signals since April 28. Eleven
SRG radio stations can now be heard in Toggenburg, some of which
can otherwise only be received via cable or the Internet. This means that the
SRG's expansion plan, which envisages covering the whole of Switzerland by 2009
with an initial digital program bouquet.

In a next step, private radio broadcasters will then also be
go on air digitally. This should have already happened in the current
year should take place. As recently as last August, Pietro announced
Ribi, Head of Swiss Satellite Radio, 2006 was the year of the big
breakthrough. In the second half of this year, the
Zurich, Berne and Basel have already seen the first private
DAB programs can be received.

This forecast has since proved to be wrong. After the
The current state of affairs means that the activation of private
programs by at least one year. The following are now known
Framework conditions for the development of the second digital transmitter chain.

DRS plans Inforadio
At the end of March, the Federal Council discussed the topic of digital radio in detail.
and, as of April 1, issued an instruction for the further
transmitter network planning in force. Accordingly, the second ensemble
radio programs that are not yet available wirelessly.
were broadcast terrestrially. "We would like to use one of these new
Radio DRS with an information program," says Marc Savary,
Radio coordinator at SRG. According to Federal Council directives, the
public broadcasters will receive no more than a quarter of the new
programs. The large remainder is reserved for private broadcasters.

Potential providers are not yet letting themselves too deeply into the cards.
look. Only this much is clear: the Zurich-based media company Tamedia,
the advertising marketer Radiotele and, more recently, the
private radio association VSP have formed a consortium with the SRG.
to promote the "market launch of DAB". At
When asked about specific projects, those involved remain vague. "We
will test under the then known conditions," says
Tamedia spokeswoman Anja Lüthi, "whether the organization of such an event is worthwhile.
program is worthwhile at the present time and whether such a program
can be refinanced by name." Corresponding program ideas and
Projects already exist, but would not be realized at the present time.
communicated, Tamedia continues.

Wait for frequency conference
There is still a lot to do before the new broadcasting slots are announced in the fall.
and coordinated, especially at an international level.
"The further expansion of DAB in Switzerland also depends on the
available frequency resources," explains Alfons Birrer, media lawyer
at the Federal Office of Communications. Which spectrum of the ether for which
purposes, will be used from mid-May to mid-June at the
Regional Radiocommunication Conference RRC 06 in Geneva. "With
what technical capacities we expect in the medium and long term
will only be known after the RRC 06," says Birrer.
  

Nick Lüthi