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Who gets control of analogue radio and tv waves when the switch to digital happens?

  • 25-01-2010 8:55pm
    #1
    Jackovarian
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 344 ✭✭


    Within the next few years the big switch will happen, and probably all local terrestrial stations will go digital soon afterwards.

    Will it be a case of use it or lose it for the Broadcasting Commision of Ireland?

    At the moment they aren't awarding any new A.M. licences. A.M. is dead in Ireland so to speak. Once the switchover to digital happens F.M. will follow the same route.

    Though for amateur radio broadcasting A.M. is pretty daunting, what with giant antenna's and such. But FM on the other hand, now thats very useable.

    So... The same question can be said for VHF and UHF.

    Surely the BCI can't maintain a stranglehold over radio waves?


Comments

  • #2
    copacetic
    Subscribers Posts: 16,610 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    comreg will sell it off to commercial businesses. search for the 'digital dividend'.

    They certainly aren't freeing it up from commercial use so that amateurs can use it.


  • #3
    Fuzzy Clam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,293 ✭✭✭Fuzzy Clam


    Jackovarian wrote: »
    At the moment they aren't awarding any new A.M. licences. A.M. is dead in Ireland so to speak. Once the switchover to digital happens F.M. will follow the same route.
    They may issue new licences for AM/MW if prospective bidders were serious. The current "winner" of an AM licence has little chance of getting it on air.
    A previous applicant who was granted an AM licence (in Limerick ?) never made it to air.
    If restrictions were relaxed, it may even be possible to operate a reasonable sized transmitter (say up to 50 kW) to serve a region with a chance of making a return.

    There's little point in predicting the death of FM here as it's way in the future yet.
    It's possible though that it may go the way that's proposed in Britain. That is, National and Regional/ Local stations go DAB, and RSL/ community stations stay on FM.


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