SYDNEY � The Australian Broadcasting Corporation hasannouncedthat it will extend permanent DAB+ service to Canberra, Darwin and Hobart. Digital radio was launched in Australia in the capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in 2009.
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The CEO of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said commercial broadcasters were working closely with the ABC and SBS on the regional rollout plans. �We�ve been aware for some time that local listeners in regional areas are extremely keen to have DAB+ services introduced and we are working closely with the public broadcasters to make this happen,� she said.
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Commercial broadcasters Capital Radio and Canberra FM have been running trial digital radio services in Canberra for some years and Grant Broadcasters has also been on air in Darwin on a trial basis. Commercial and public broadcasters are now working on the coordination of launch dates, with permanent digital radio services in Canberra and Darwin expected to start in 2017 and Hobart in 2018.�
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�The radio industry is committed to a digital broadcast future via DAB+ combined with and complemented by online. This is especially important in terms of spectrum efficiency and operational costs,� said Warner. �
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Figures recently released show that 3.6 million Australians, or 27% of the population in the five capital cities, listen to digital radio via DAB+ devices each week. There are 2.9 million DAB+ digital radio receivers in market as of September 2016 including 758,000 DAB+ equipped new cars now on the road.�
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