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

5.1 Overview
5 
CONCLUSIONS
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
The
findings
of
this
research
project
capture
a
snapshot
of
the
Irish
radio
market
and
how
it
is
facing
up
 to
 the
 transition
 to
 digital.
 The
 research
 gathered
 the
 viewpoints
 of
 radio
 operators,
 statutory
decision‐makers
 and
 the
 radio
 users/listeners
 themselves.
 It
 was
 conducted
 against
 a
 deteriorating
economic
radio
market
where
a
key
preoccupation
of
most
radio
businesses
was
day‐to‐day
economic
survival
rather
than
future
planning.
Yet
there
are
consistent
and
recurring
themes
which
present
a
range
of
opportunities
as
well
as
challenges
for
digital
radio
planning
in
the
next
5‐10
years.
A
 wide
 range
 of
 participants
 flagged
 a
 policy
 vacuum
 (in
 both
 survey
 responses
 see
 1.5.2
 and
 in
interviews,
see
2.2)
and
the
need
for
a
coherent,
inclusive
and
coordinated
digital
radio
policy.

While
the
RTÉ
digital
radio
trial
and
project
was
recognized
to
have
been
useful,
the
need
for
a
policy‐led
initiative
by
the
BAI
was
identified
as
crucial
in
order
to
provide
an
over‐arching
strategic
framework
for
the
whole
sector,
both
public,
private
and
not
for
profit.

A
key
outcome
of
the
research
was
that
the
 majority
 of
 radio
 operators
 and
 decision‐makers
 see
 DAB+
 as
 the
 best
 long‐term
 digital
 radio
platform
but
equally
identified
the
need
for
centrally‐led
research
and
development.

The
creation
of
an
inclusive
digital
radio
forum
which
would
be
anchored
under
the
BAI
was
widely
supported
and,
it
was
hoped,
would
lead
to
a
new
combined
trial
and
research
project.
One
of
the
gaps
identified
by
the
sector
 with
 the
 RTÉ
 trial
 was
 the
 lack
 of
 information
 which
 flowed
 to
 participants
 during
 the
 trial
period.
A
new
combined
trial
was
seen
as
a
means
of
providing
research
information
on
technology,
costs,
content
and
users.
5.2 Challenges
and
Weaknesses
5.2.1 Economic
challenges
The
 overriding
 challenge
 facing
 the
 Irish
 radio
 broadcasting
 industry
 is
 unquestionably
 the
 current
economic
recession,
which
is
having
a
severe
impact
on
the
sector
and
making
future
planning
and
investment
a
very
challenging
proposition.
The
capital
investments
required
while
not
as
substantial
as
 those
 for
 television
 will
 be
 significant
 and
 there
 will
 remain
 the
 major
 issue
 of
 how
 to
 fund
 a
network
for
digital
terrestrial
sound
broadcasting.

It
should
be
pointed
out
that
a
full
economic
cost‐
benefit
analysis
was
beyond
the
scope
or
remit
of
the
current
research,
and
an
important
priority
for
future
 priority
 is
 to
 identify
 the
 investment
 required
 and
 the
 potential
 benefits
 accruing
 in
infrastructural
and
operational
costs.
5.2.2 Lack
of
role
models
Unfortunately,
in
this
context
there
are
very
few
comparable
examples
of
small
markets
transforming
to
 digital
 with
 reasonably
 significant
 initial
 capital
 investment
 but
 where
 the
 return
 is
 lower.
 
 
 The
prominent
market
examples
of
the
United
Kingdom
for
DAB,
or
Australia
for
DAB+
are
of
a
different
order
of
magnitude
and
are
of
limited
immediate
relevance
to
the
Irish
situation.
Of
more
relevance
is
a
 country
 such
 as
 Denmark
 where
 DAB
 has
 been
 a
 modest
 success:
 measured
 by
 penetration
 by
households,
 Denmark
 overtakes
 the
 UK
 with
 a
 household
 penetration
 of
 30%.
 All
 public
 stations
 in
Denmark
are
on
DAB
including
some
new
digital‐only
stations.
Despite
initial
indifference,
commercial
85