You have to wonder at what point we call bullshit on digital radio and decide to leave it to die in peace. According to the perennially jolly Pete Blasina, digital radio has suffered yet another launch setback, this time because the ABC and SBS weren’t ready. I mean, come on… it’s only been planned for what – five years now?Last we heard, the launch date was set to be May this year, and some of the commercial radio stations may stick to launching digital radio channels in mid-May in capital cities. But the official rollout has been put back until August.
Even with an extensive educational campaign, this is going to be one hell of a tough sell for the digital radio peeps. I don’t know anyone who’s keen on dropping money on a new radio just because it’s digital, and I hang out with geeks and early adopters. Any of you guys thinking of proving me wrong?
Hirsty
March 3, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I’ll be giving this a shot. The enhanced audio is all that really interests me though. Oh yeah and a digital radio with hdd and usb out port ;)
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March 4, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Well I hope the Australian experience is better than that of us pioneers of digital radio, the UK. I have 3 working DAB radios (2 have died already), two of which get good reception, but only if they sit in a specific place in the room and you don’t stand near them, and one that can’t pick up a signal at all.
Add to that the fact that most stations broadcast in mono – the argument from the trade bodies being most people only have “kitchen” radios so why bother with stereo – and in a low quality and you have a disappointing experience. Plus the number of stations is not that great: where I live I can pick up about 20. Compare that to the radio on my Sky TV satellite box, where there are about 200 channels in good quality stereo, and the interweb, especially Spotify, and digital radio seem unnecessary.
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