At the Swiss Radio Days today Swiss Digital Migration (DigiMig) working group presented it’s research on digital radio listening. Focus is the extent of digital radio listening in Switzerland.
Radio listening is 45% digital.
According to the research, 45% of all radio listening now is through digital channels. These digital channels refer to radio listening by means of DAB+, internet radio, computer, tablet, smartphone or TV.
Internet Radio and DAB+ are equally important
The two digital channels DAB+ and internet radio are almost equally popular. DAB+ usage is just a bit over half of the digital radio consumption. Young people choose digital radio more often than than older age groups, picking up expecially on internet radio.
Further findings and information
- Digital radio listening is lowest in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland.
- The figures for German and French-speaking Switzerland are equal.
- Bit more than a quarter of radio listening at home and at work is via DAB+.
- Analogue channels important for in-car listening.
- By the end of 2019 all FM stations are to broadcast digitally on DAB+.
- From 2020 onwards, the radio stations intend to cease FM broadcasting gradually.
- By 2024 ceasing FM broadcasting is expected to be completed.
Our take on that:
Big Like.
Sources:
About Swiss Digital Migration working group (DigiMig)
In the spring of 2013, the radio industry joined forces with OFCOM to form the Digital Migration (DigiMig) working group. In addition to OFCOM, it comprises representatives of the VSP association of Swiss private radio stations, the RRR association which represents regional radio stations in French-speaking Switzerland, the Unikom union of non-commercial local radio stations, Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR, the automotive industry, and other sectors.
The working group’s report is intended to serve the authorities and the radio broadcasters themselves as a basis for defining the Swiss radio sector of the future. It puts into practice the digital radio broadcasting strategy which the Federal Council drew up as long ago as 2006. This stated that, as the last analogue element of an otherwise digitised radio world, FM had reached its capacity limits. Its technical potential has been exhausted, and there have been no unoccupied, usable FM frequences available in Switzerland for many years. All SRG radio stations and more than half of those that are privately owned are already broadcast via DAB+ in parallel with FM. Some stations are exclusively digital.