In a world first, Australian commercial radio broadcasters and the public service broadcasters are putting competition aside on August 6, 2009, when more than 40 different radio stations hold a simultaneous outside broadcast in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide to promote digital radio.
The event billed as “Radio United” will see the highly competitive commercial sector broadcasting side by side with their commercial counterparts and public service broadcasters to promote the benefits of digital radio. “As an industry we will be speaking to this audience about digital radio in a unique event. We are inviting listeners to come to the outside broadcast in each city, meet many of the top radio personalities and listen to digital radio,” said Joan Warner – chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia.
This is the biggest thing to happen to radio broadcasting since, well since it started and potentially this mass unification could give the boost to Commerical Radio Australia, who over the past few months in news has also announced a drop in ad revenue.
Digital radio is free – all you need is a new digital receiver – no subscription fees or signing up, just tune in. Listeners can go to the website www.digitalradioplus.com.au and type in their postcode to see if they live in an area where they can receive digital radio or where they will be able to buy a digital radio.