029/06 4 April 2006
Digital Radio to be introduced by 2009
Digital radio services – which will offer consumers more choice, better sound quality and innovative new services - will commence in Australia by 2009, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, announced today.
“In October 2005 I gave a commitment to Australian radio broadcasters and their listeners to develop the necessary legislative and planning structures to implement digital radio as soon as possible,” Senator Coonan said.
“I am pleased to announce the next steps in the implementation process which will result in services commencing in the six state capital cities by 1 January 2009.”
The introduction of digital radio requires amendments to the existing radio broadcasting and transmission legislative and regulatory arrangements.
New licence categories will be defined and legislation will be required to implement the six-year moratorium on the issue of new commercial digital radio licences in the Broadcasting Services Band.
The moratorium will commence from the start date for services in the state capital markets, and the multiplex licensees will need to achieve specified rollout and coverage requirements in these markets by the end of the moratorium period.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority will have the power to plan and licence digital radio services and to oversee digital radio rollout including the development of Digital Radio Introduction Schemes.
The Schemes will set out the technical, and other, requirements broadcasters must meet for the implementation of digital radio.
The commercial broadcasting sector has expressed a desire to control the multiplexes used to deliver commercial digital radio services. The framework includes an option to allow them to do so, in conjunction with community broadcasters should they choose, and the legislative amendments will provide for this.
The introduction of a multiplex for the transmission of radio broadcasting raises unique competition issues that are not present in analogue.
“Accordingly, the legislation must ensure open, efficient and generally give non-discriminatory access to digital radio multiplexes and proposals to achieve this have been developed in consultation with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission,” Senator Coonan said.
“A decision on whether specific funding assistance for the participation of the national and wide-coverage community broadcasters in the initial service rollout is necessary will be considered as part of the 2007-08 budget process.”
“This will provide the opportunity for a number of technical issues relating to their rollout to be considered in more detail and for the scope for them to share facilities with commercial broadcasters to be explored.”
The Government’s policy framework to guide the introduction of digital radio in Australia was announced on 14 October 2005.