One of the worlds' leading experts on digital radio and DAB+ has said that Australia is a better position to take advantage of the benefits of digital radio technology than the UK because we rely less on Government sponsored broadcasts. He also praised the effort that commercial radio was putting into the technology.
Anthony Sethhill, is the CEO of Frontier Silicon a UK technology Company that supplies 80% of the processor in DAB digital radios. He was in Australia to attend the recent Australian Communications and Media Authority conference on the management of the radiofrequency spectrum.
During his visit here has also called on the Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy to fund immediately the role out of digital radio for organisations like the ABC. He has also said that the government should stop engaging in the blame game and set out a framework and funding for digital radio in the same way that they have done for HD TV.
"For digital radio and DAB + to be successful in Australia at least 80% of the population have got to be able to access the new digital service. The government has to take action immediately to implement a framework for this to happen" he said.
He added "In a question to your Communications Minister I asked him what he was going to do for digital radio because all he is doing right now is blaming the previous government for lack of a plan when it appears that he also lacks a plan. What they need to do is set a plan, work out how the plan will be funded, test it and then set a date to switch off analogue radio in Australia in the same way that they plan to switch off HD TV in 2013".
