Digital Radio On The Rise

For anyone who thought digital radio (DAB) was a dead duck and going the way of the initial digital AM, then a reassessment is needed.

Figures have just been released showing the
number of people listening to radio via digital radios has reached 3.5 million
per week in the five metro capitals. These figures were announced in the first
quarterly report according to GFK by Commercial Radio Australia in the DAB+
Quarterly Update.

This equates to 24.2% of people in the five
capitals where DAB+ is available.

In other figures interpreted from this, 1.5
million more people listen to radio on DAB+ via radio as against streaming, and
are listening twice as long.

For the DAB+ unaware, the format is used to
simulcast existing AM and FM stations. Examples include a country music station
broadcasting in Sydney, Melbourne Brisbane and Adelaide and ARN have rebranded
Mix ’90s and ’80s to PureGold ’80s and PureGold ’90s and Capital Radio’s Hot
Country stations has been rebranded to KIX Perth Digital and KIX Canberra Digital.

For new car buyers, 21 manufacturers now
supply DAB+ radios in new vehicles including Jeep, Toyota, Jaguar, Ford and
Audi among many others. More than 153,000 DAB+ enabled vehicles have now been
sold in Australia. You can now even buy a marine version and choose from over
400 portable DAB+ devices.