Securing the future of radio

Workshop on Digital Sound Broadcasting in Africa

Patrick Hannon, President, WorldDAB

December 2022
What is DAB+ radio?

• Digital Audio Broadcasting

- digital terrestrial radio
- Band III

• DAB+: ~18 services on a single frequency

1
WorldDAB: international association promoting DAB+ radio around the world

112 members
from 33 countries

2
We organise working groups for our members

Spectrum &
Network Technical Automotive
Infrastructure

• Help new players get started • Maintain / refine standards • Optimise in-car experience

Asia Pacific
Marketing
Technical

• Share best practice • Support for Asia Pac region

3
DAB+ established as core future platform for radio in Europe – and Australia

Established
On the move
Trials Finland

Norway
Sweden
Estonia
Latvia
DK
Lithuania

Ireland
UK NL
Poland
Bel Germany
Not to scale
Czech
Slovakia Ukraine
Austria
CH Hungary
France Slovenia Romania
Croatia Serbia
Italy Montenegro Bulgaria Australia
N Macedonia

Portugal Spain Greece

4
In Africa and Middle East, there has been a step change in interest 2021

Tunisia

On the move
Algeria
Trials
Requests for info

Jordan, Kuwait, Oman,

Qatar, UAE, Bahrain

South Africa

5
In Africa and Middle East, there has been a step change in interest 2022

Egypt
Tunisia

On the move
Algeria
Trials
Requests for info
Mauritania

Jordan, Kuwait, Oman,

Senegal Qatar, UAE, Bahrain

Kenya

Uganda
Tanzania

Zimbabwe
ASBU and ATU
playing key role
South Africa

Lesotho
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 Why DAB+?
#1 Listener & broadcaster benefits

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For listeners, DAB+ offers greater choice
On average, seven times as
National radio services many services – including
different languages
Analogue DAB / DAB+
54
50

32
29 29
22

13
8
5
2

UK Italy Norway NL Germany

Source: WorldDAB, industry bodies

8
For broadcasters, DAB+ offers opportunities to innovate
Brand extensions

Audience has tripled:

1.7 million (Q1 12) to 5.1 million (Q2 22)

Source: RAJAR
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Opportunities to extend reach
LBC expansion – from London to UK

Analogue

• LBC – for 40 years, a London radio station (news / talk)

• Audience 2014: 1.1 million

Analogue plus digital

• February 2014 launched on national DAB+

• Audience today: 3.3 million (3x)

Source: RAJAR/IPSOS MORI/RSMB (Q2 2022)

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Listeners value choice

22 million people
in UK, listen to services not available to them on
analogue radio

Source: RAJAR/IPSOS MORI/RSMB (Q2 2022) – estimated audience for digital only services plus Out of Area FM services broadcast on digital radio

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Incremental reach drives commercial revenues
UK radio advertising revenues, £ million

+34%
702 719
679
613
537

2013 2015 2017 2019 2021

Source: Radiocentre
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Over 100 million receivers (consumer / automotive) have been sold

Cumulative DAB sales:

110 million
Sources: WorldDAB, GfK, JATO, national industry associations
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Consumer receivers are mass market

• Prices from US$20

• Sony, Panasonic, Yamaha

and many more

• In Germany, over 200

models available

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DAB+ offers clearer sound - particularly where FM is overcrowded

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DAB offers “now playing” info, station logos and voice control

• Information about song and artist

• Station logos
- different sizes
- important in cars

• DAB stations can be chosen via voice

commands using phonemes

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New car radios: digital radio as standard

European Electronic Communications Code

• From end 2020, all new car radios in EU & UK

must be able to receive digital terrestrial radio

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All major automotive manufacturers support DAB+

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DAB+ now standard in new cars in Europe

• Almost all new cars in Europe

have DAB+ as standard

Italy UK Germany France* - existing DAB+ markets

100% 98% 94% 91% - markets where DAB+ is not
established

• Never been easier for new

markets to launch
Poland Sweden Spain
96% 94% 94%

Source: JATO, WorldDAB, industry sources – figures for France and Spain expected to be revised upwards 19
 Why DAB+?
#2 Economics, environment and
emergencies

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Three macro reasons for DAB+

• Economics: costs of distribution are

1
lower than FM
Economics

• Environment: energy requirements are

lower than any other platform

• Emergencies: resilience – especially out

2 3 of home
Environment Emergencies

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Economics: cost per service far lower than FM
Annual cost to broadcasters of transmission per service1, US$k

FM DAB+

88

-80% -80%

35

17
7

Regional site Metro site

Source: Total operating costs sourced from broadcasters and network operators
Note (1) Operating costs for DAB+ assumes 18 services on multiplex; opex includes site and tower leases, power, telco, maintenance, monitoring
and support costs 22
Economics: small scale DAB - additional savings

Small scale DAB

• Lowest cost functional approach to DAB
- open source software

• First adopted in UK, Switzerland, Denmark

• Easier to access DAB

- small stations in developed markets
- new countries taking first steps

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Environment: DAB+ is the green solution

• DAB+ consumes significantly less

energy than FM

• BBC study: DAB 33% more efficient

than FM1

• German study (BLM): similar results

https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/publications/research-393-energy-footprint-bbc-radio-environment-impact-sustainability
https://www.blm.de/aktivitaeten/forschung/green-radio.cfm
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Energy consumption: a key factor in switch-off decisions

Norway: 2017 Partial switch-offs

Germany

South Tyrol Long wave

Switzerland: 2024 Italy France
Expect more of these
in next five years

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Emergencies – DAB+ is resilient

• Broadcast radio - reliable in times of

emergency

• Mobile services less robust

• DAB+ receivers now fitted with alarm

features as standard

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Germany proposing DAB+ as part of national warning infrastructure

• Following floods in 2021, German authorities

and broadcasters discuss role for DAB+

• German radio industry publishes proposal

(Sept 2022)

• Proposal submitted to WorldDAB Technical

Committee (Oct 2022)

• Next step: build international alignment

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Key to success is collaboration The Five Cs

Policy &
regulation

Consumer
Coverage Content Cars Communication
devices

Collaboration

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Policy & regulatory levers play key role in successful launches of DAB+

Examples of policy / regulatory interventions

1
Renewal of FM • In return for investing in DAB+ infrastructure, FM broadcasters can be offered
licences automatic extension of FM licences – reduces risk of investment (UK)

2
Relaxation of • Rules about analogue broadcasting can be relaxed, e.g. regulations about
regulation advertising, formats, production – indirect reduction in costs (UK)

3
• Public funding can be used to support roll out of infrastructure – or promotion
Public funding
of DAB+ (France)

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The five Cs
1
Coverage • Coverage of cities, towns and road networks

2
Content • Compelling content proposition – stronger than FM

3
Cars • Due to EECC, penetration will grow steadily (ensure coverage is good)

4
Consumer
• Work with leading manufacturers and retailers
devices

5
Communications • Sustained promotion (on FM and other media) is essential

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Conclusions

1 DAB+ established as core future platform for broadcast radio

2 Significant benefits for listeners, broadcasters and society

3 Receiver market is mature – now is the time for action

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Thank you

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