Digital Radio for Ireland: Competing Options, Public Expectations - BCI

There
will
be
a
period
of
awareness
building
for
the
introduction
of
a
new
digital
platform
and
it
may
be
some
time
before
it
is
commercially
viable
‐
commercial
operators
need
to
obtain
an
incentive
in
order
to
ensure
that
the
migration
does
not
threaten
their
sustainability
in
the
short
term.
[Dublin Rock Radio Limited - Phantom 105.2]
Given
the
transmission,
reception,
marketing
and
audience
transition
costs
involved
a
4
year
extension
is
not
incentive
enough
to
move
the
industry
as
a
whole
quickly
onto
any
one
platform.
The
benefit
of
such
an
incentive
is
also
relative
to
the
remaining
balance
of
the
original
license;
a
license
recently
issued
or
reissued
would
have
14
years.
An
acceptable
period
in
which
digital
radio
should
and
will
come
into
its
own.
However
a
station
nearing
the
end
of
it's
license
period
would
have
less
than
half
that
time
to
make
a
successful
play
for
a
share
of
digital
audience.
[Communicorp Group Limited]
Fig
1.9:
Incentive
for
Digital
Migration
(Commercial
Sector)
The
majority
of
commercial
operators
believe
radio
businesses
need
to
be
given
incentives
to
make
the
transition
to
digital
radio
and
beyond
the
proposed
six
year
licence
extension
in
The
Broadcasting
Act
2009.
Asked
what
other
incentives
could
be
given
the
commercial
sector
to
enter
the
DAB
market,
suggestions
included
technology
and
content
grants
to
assist
the
transition
and
incentives
for
new
and
innovative
content
or
use
of
the
digital
spectrum.
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