Australian digital radio rollout underway

Work on the rollout of a digital radio network across Australia is underway, says Commercial Radio Australia, the body that represents the country’s commercial radio broadcasters.

It said comprehensive coverage reports on the first 11 commercial radio licence areas were now complete. The reports, undertaken by consultants Gibson Quai-AAS, were carried out for the five major capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, as well as six other population centres.

The reports identify the planning and transmitter requirements for achieving at least 95 percent population coverage for digital radio in these areas and will assist in the development of detailed project costing.

"Since the Government announcement in October 2005 of a framework for digital radio policy, the commercial radio industry has moved to commence the massive and expensive business of planning for the rollout of digital radio across Australia," said Joan Warner, chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia.

"Our focus over the next 12 to 18 months will be on four key areas – technical and resource planning for the digital network; investigating a more spectrum efficient audio coding for Australia; cooperating with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on spectrum planning; and working with the Federal Government on the development of legislation," Ms Warner said.

"We remain extremely optimistic about the potential of digital radio and on track with the rollout of metropolitan digital radio networks in two to three years time."

Source: Media Network, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union

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