Population:	20.6 million
Coverage:	60%
Services:	65 DAB+
Sales (accumulated):	603,000 devices

Last update: 30-01-2012

As the radio industry marks two years on air of full power digital radio services, official data relating to digital radio broadcasts in Australia was released by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) , showing there are 940,000 people listening to digital radio in the five state metropolitan capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide and 603,000 digital radios have been sold.  

7.6 % of listening to radio is now via a DAB+ digital radio device in the five state metropolitan capitals with Time Spent Listening (TSL) to radio via a DAB+ digital radio device also continuing to grow at nearly 12 hours per week (11 hrs 56 mins). TSL to digital radios has once again outstripped TSL to radio via the internet which is at 5 hours and 56 minutes.

Each market boasts up to 20 new, digital only stations on air. All services have text and slideshow data included in the broadcasts – with many stations having track now playing, news and weather information, as well as advertisements in their slideshow broadcasts. At least one ensemble in each city is broadcasting an EPG – with the other ensembles expected to follow within the next twelve months. In addition DAB+ regional trials have commenced in Canberra and Darwin and a trial is planned for a retransmission of the Canberra services inside Parliament House.

Australia's DAB+ broadcasts currently cover its major state capital cities with all commercial and national public radio stations and their associated multi-channels in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth on air.

Coverage is currently at 60% of the population, or around 12 million people. Low power DAB+ trials were launched in Canberra in July and Darwin in August 2010. Planning is based on achieving robust indoor and outdoor coverage using VHF Band III spectrum.

On 5th August 2011, there was an announcement by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that the DAB+ digital radio trial licences in Canberra and Darwin have been extended for a further 12 months.

The scientific licences issued have been extended to allow for further coverage measurement, testing of local terrain impairments, receiver analysis, staff training and continued trials in different climatic conditions.

Commercial Radio Australia chief executive, Joan Warner said: “The DAB+ trials in Canberra and Darwin are providing imperative information to regional broadcasters and assisting the radio industry to develop digital radio channel plans for all regional areas.”

In this country there are

• Regional multiplexes: 13 Regular and 2 Trial

CRA reports 65 stations broadcasting on DAB+ in Australia, with up to 20 DAB+ only. There are currently 13 metropolitan multiplexes and two trial regional muxes on air broadcasting nearly 170 services between them, with each multiplex delivering up to 15 services.

Some stations in Australia are using slideshow and EPG, and all deliver dynamic scrolling text. 

What are Event or Pop Up digital radio stations?
Event or Pop Up stations are digital stations that exist for a short period of time or that change into another concept. Like the station - The Main Stage which celebrates artists' like Lady Gaga and Kylie Minogue during their tours of Australia, or Elf Radio playing Christmas songs throughout the festive season. Digital radio allows for flexible niche programming that can highlight an event, a festival or artist - the possibilities are endless.

DAB+ Radio Stations

Sydney - 2GB, 2CH, 2UE, 2DAY, TRIPLE M, Sky Sports Radio, WSFM, MIX 106.5, 2SM, NOVA, CLASSIC ROCK, Radar, The Main Stage, Barry, NovaNation, Koffee, The EDGE, WSFM Plus, Classic Hits Live, The Crack, Gorilla, Zoo Super Digi, Sky Sports Radio Digital, ABC, SBS and some community stations.

Melbourne - MIX, GOLD, SEN, 3AW, MTR, FOX, MAGIC, TRIPLE M, NOVA, CLASSIC ROCK, Sport 927, Radar, The Main Stage, Koffee NovaNation, The EDGE, Barry, MyMp, Aussie, The Buckle, Gold Plus, Classic Hits Live, ABC, SBS and some community stations.

Brisbane - 4BC, 4BH, 4KQ, B105, TRIPLE M, NOVA, RADIO TAB, 97.3FM, Radar Radio, The Main Stage, Barry 4TAB Digital Two, NovaNation, Koffee, 4KQ Plus, The EDGE, Classic Hits Live, The Buckle, ABC, SBS and some community stations.

Adelaide - 5AA, MIX, SAFM, TRIPLE M, NOVA, CRUISE, Radar Radio, The Main Stage, Barry, Mix Plus, NovaNation, Koffee, Classic Hits Live, The EDGE, ABC, SBS and some community stations.

Perth - 6IX, 6PR, 96FM, MIX, 92.9FM, NOVA, Radar Radio, The Main Stage,  Barry, My Perth Digital, Hot Country Perth Digital, NovaNation, The Buckle, ABC, SBS and some community stations.

Canberra trial - 2CA, 2CC, Mix 106.3, 104.7 Hit Music, Radar Radio, Mix Plus, my Canberra Digital, Hot Country Canberra Digital and SBS Radio stations.

Darwin trial - Hot 100, Mix 104.9, Top Country Digital and Radio TAB.

November 2011 - Despite one of the weakest retail markets for many years, sales of digital radios recorded their biggest quarterly jump since Christmas 2010. Official data relating to digital radio in Australia was released by Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) today, showing close to 100,000 DAB+ digital radios were sold in Q3 2011 alone, according to the GfK Marketscope report, bringing the total number of DAB+ digital radios sold since August 2009 to 603,932.

These figures also highlight the fact that nearly 500,000 additional digital radios have been sold since July 2010 at which point sales of digital radios were at 150,000.

The recent sales figures include the Father’s Day retail cycle in which 42 commercial radio stations in the five state metropolitan capitals played a series of digital radio Father’s Day ads that focused on the affordability of digital radio, using the tagline “from as little as $59”.

The latest DAB+ radios include colour touch screen, slideshow and interactivity via wifi internet connection.

The first DAB+ trials started in Australia on 1st July 2007. Prior to this, Australian broadcasters had conducted DAB trials in Sydney on L-band since 1998 and on VHF Band III since 2003. Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney launched high powered permanent commercial and public broadcast services in August 2009. Low powered regional trials are currently underway in Canberra and Darwin. There have, in the past, also been DMB trials in Australia but at the present time there is no clear view on where the mobile TV market will go.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is the regulatory and licensing authority. There are currently no regulations on coverage requirements, but there is a quota for Australian music and video services are prohibited.

Other key points of the digital radio legislation in Australia are that there is no cost for the spectrum for incumbent commercial broadcasters and no new entrants are allowed for six years from the start date. First right of refusal is given to commercial radio broadcaster consortiums to operate multiplexes. There is an entitlement to a minimum of 128kbit/s (1/9 multiplex) and a maximum of 256kbit/s (1/5 multiplex).The legislation covering digital radio requires a review by 2011 to consider issues such as the availability and price of receivers, the coverage characteristics of various digital radio technologies and whether any adjustment to the regulatory framework is necessary, including the specification of subsequent start dates for digital radio in further markets. The Government has indicated that it will reserve spectrum for digital radio regionally after analogue television switch-off by 2013.