Long referred to as a sea serpent, digital terrestrial radio is finally getting its head above water. Tuesday, October 12, twenty-five stations access a national broadcast by DAB + (Digital Audio Broadcasting). All along the Paris-Lyon-Marseille axis, cars and stations equipped with the necessary technology can receive the six public stations (Fip, France Culture, France Info, France Inter, France Musique et Mouv ‘), and ten -nine private stations (RTL, Europe 1, RMC, Fun Radio, BFM Business, Skyrock, RTL2, etc.).
Among the latter, we find a new station, AirZen (Mediameeting group), two installed media avatars (BFM Radio and Skyrock Klassiks), and two independent radios which access national broadcasting for the first time: Latina (Group 1981) and M Radio (Espace Group). All have complied with the call for applications procedure launched in 2018, which provides for 40% coverage of the territory at the end of 2020, then 50% at the end of 2022.
“Everyone is embarking on this system, a sign that the major national players have confidence in it”, welcomes Roch-Olivier Maistre, the president of the CSA, who is resolutely committed to his promotion. “DAB + allows digital sound quality, which has a big advantage in terms of comfort on the move – frequencies no longer start to sizzle –, it provides additional information to the auditor, etc. “, praises the senior official. Another advantage, more unexpected: “The DAB + broadcast being a little more powerful, a single transmitter can broadcast thirteen signals, instead of just one. It therefore uses a little less bandwidth. “ While the FM band was saturated, this new possibility should “Give oxygen to the sector”, concludes M. Maistre.
Help to bear the costs of double distribution
This enthusiasm has not always been appropriate, as digital terrestrial radio has long been synonymous, for the market, with increased competition to be delayed as much as possible. As of today, the antennas will broadcast messages promoting this anonymous and free service (unlike Internet radio), while a majority of players in the sector are preparing to form an association, in order to support communication campaigns. The Ministry of Culture could encourage them by providing a million euros. Sirti, a union of independent radio stations, some of which got involved from the first experiments in 2014, is asking for help to bear the costs of double broadcasting (in FM and by DAB +).
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