The future of RTE Radio 1 LW

When RTE closes 252, they should give the facilities to Radio North and/or Radio Star Country. They have kept going on Medium Wave for a long time. They sell most of their air time to hellfire preachers, so there must be a good market for that sort of stuff.

http://www.radionorth.net/listenlive.htm

http://radiostarcountry.com/schedule/

It's slightly less painful than listening to the old pirates who used to read out lists of the price of tins of beans and sliced pans from local shops.

Now we are waiting for the backlash from the public after announcing the closure of DAB radio, just like the tore when RTE tried to close Long Wave in 2014. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Sam Russell wrote: »

Lidl have a DAB+ radio on offer next Monday 8th March for €34.99. Unfortunate timing for them.

I think its truly sad, they need to immediately pull them from stock, no point. Only thing is they will have FM, I'm quite surprised about the pulling of DAB.

Mickey Mike wrote: »

I think its truly sad, they need to immediately pull them from stock, no point. Only thing is they will have FM, I'm quite surprised about the pulling of DAB.

Oh I don't know - Tesco have been trying to flog DAB radios in places like Wexford, Waterford, Carlow and rural Cork for years even though there's no local transmitters. They eventually get severely discounted and somebody must buy them, maybe to sell in Dublin?

If the LIDl one has FM and/or Bluetooth, and it gets discounted, it might be interesting.

Deleted User wrote: »

Sure every Currys all over the Island sell dab radios, I laugh when I go into the one in Carlow and that's all you see and there no DAB to be received it's funny.

Therein lies the root of the problem. RTENL still thinks the world ends at the M50. No one in their right mind is going to buy a relatively expensive radio for a service that doesn't exist. Like so many RTE efforts it was strangled at birth. :mad:
Even for cars with DAB fitted, I doubt the average user even knows if they are listening to DAB or FM. Or gives a damn when it comes to that.

You would think with all the wealth some people have in this country, not just millionaires but billionaires, that they have no interest in saving some of our natural history. It would be absolutely fabulous if they put RTE Gold MW 567kHz, surly to god someone somewhere might have a go. The word should be spread, these people are going to die millionaires anyway. But if this transmitter comes down, well that's it then.

Archive from RTE Newsletter 2006


RTÉ Radio – 80 years on, the original "wireless" goes digital

RTÉ Radio is to launch a series of trials that will signal the beginning of its move into the digital age. The trials will also mark the 80th anniversary of Irish Radio.

Beginning 1 January 2006 and for approximately three months, RTÉ will test DAB Digital Radio in an area covering Greater Dublin and the North East – selected for its high population and building density. Assuming the trial is a technical success, RTÉ Radio will then seek to apply for a full broadcast licence in this area later in 2006.

Radio’s primary platform today is the familiar FM wireless broadcast which is cheap, mobile, easy to use and universally available. RTÉ remains committed to FM as a core platform while DAB is a "best fit" for the next generation of radio. DAB retains the advantages of FM, while offering immediate and tangible improvements to the listener and the sector:

• More channels and choice – DAB offers room for existing and new services.

• Low cost receivers with auto-tuning and pause/replay facilities – no need to fiddle with tuning dials, stations appear on a menu – and you can "rewind" live radio.

• Enhanced listening experience – no interference or hiss; additional programme text etc.

• Compatibility with FM – the majority of DAB radios also receive FM; so the listener keeps their existing channels.

• More efficient use of spectrum – more stations fit on the dial.

On the 1 January 1926, the station 2RN was launched on behalf of Radio Éireann by Douglas Hyde. Since then, RTÉ Radio has grown to offer 4 channels: RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ 2fm, and RTÉ Lyric fm. These channels are broadcast over the airwaves, on satellite, cable and the web. This growth reflects the diversity of audience demand and the availability of new technologies.

In early 2004, RTÉ Radio decided that it was time to step-up planning for digital radio. FM Radio has remained substantially unchanged for the past 40 years and we are now entering a period of rapid development. Our European neighbours, especially the U.K., are moving on digital radio. This challenges the entire Irish radio sector to keep pace, but also, to lay a clear path. So, it is a key element of RTÉ’s strategy that successful national implementation of DAB will require the co-operation of all those involved in the sector – other broadcasters, policy makers, regulators, retailers etc.

Speaking to launch RTÉ Radio’s digital tests, Adrian Moynes, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio said "There is an opportunity for the radio industry as a whole to bring the benefits of digital radio to listeners. Radio has a unique place in the lives of the nation and must adapt to retain that engagement as other platforms and services develop."

Other planned advances by RTÉ Radio in 2006 include further development of its recently started podcast programme and expansion of the already extensive variety of radio content available on www.rte.ie .

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Technical brief:

There are many new digital technologies available, and in development, for the transmission of audiovisual content. In general they can be broken into three overall systems or platforms:

Terrestrial, (i.e. over the airwaves)

Satellite

Broadband/Cable

We are seeing a great deal of growth in the number of platforms and services available. What is likely in future is that the same content will be available on a wide variety of platforms. The listener will choose the platform that suits their lifestyle, pocket or listening preferences – at the moment of listening.

Radio at present is a robust and almost ubiquitous technology. The simple device that provides sound at the touch of one button remains the mainstay of radio listening and commands an enormous amount of our attention as a nation – average 270 mins per day per capita. Thus it is certainly important for RTÉ to occupy a variety of platforms, so as to meet the listener where and how they want to listen, but it is also vital that radio, and particularly RTÉ Radio as a public service broadcaster, maintains a core "primary platform" that is cheap, easy to use, highly mobile, available to all and unique.

In considering the technologies that might fit these criteria, DAB emerges a clear winner. Critics will argue that there are more efficient coding systems and that there have been difficulties in some areas, such as the U.K. with indoor reception. They also charge that the quality of DAB is in some cases worse than FM.

In order to deal with these issues it’s necessary to say a little about how DAB works. Unlike conventional radio signals, where one signal carries one channel, a single DAB transmission (or multiplex) can carry between 6 to 10 channels. The quality of each channel is therefore determined by the number of channels overall, i.e. fewer channels equals higher quality. In the U.K. there has been considerable debate on this issue between those who wish to see the highest quality possible and those who argue for more choice. What is known is that surveys repeatedly show that the average listener buys a DAB radio for the additional channels it offers rather than the quality per se. DAB is therefore an enabler of benefit to the listener rather than an end in itself. This is not to say that the quality of DAB is poor – even at a reasonably mediocre bit rate level (e.g. 128kbps) there is still a clean stereo signal with little or none of the interference or "hiss" commonly experienced on FM.

Difficulties with indoor reception have been acknowledged by the U.K. network operators but this has been much more a result of spectrum planning at an international level than of faults in the technology itself. These issues are currently being addressed throughout Europe and can be overcome in Ireland.

Finally, the question of the efficiency of the system is an extremely complex one. There are other technologies such as DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) and DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld) that, have the potential to compete with DAB in different ways. Because we are entering the digital arena, it is likely that all of these technologies will improve continuously for at least the next thirty years. So, the process of selecting a digital radio platform can give rise to the sort of anxiety experienced by anyone entering a shop to buy a digital camera – there is always something new, something better just over the horizon. It’s important to note however, that many of these technologies address different markets and can therefore be complementary to DAB. The selection of DAB as a primary platform does not preclude the development of other platforms, such as DRM.

The only way to resolve this issue and to reach decision is to ask what best suits the listener and the broadcaster now, while also providing great possibility for future development. The alternative is that the simplicity of radio becomes diluted by a confusion of digital platforms and offerings.

DAB is the only technology available that fits the bill in this respect. The technology is robust, well tested and it is possible to buy a receiver in the U.K. now for as little as £40 stg. It is also worth noting that, for all its supposed faults (and a very slow start!), DAB listening rose spectacularly in the U.K. last year (165%) and now represents 5.5% of all radio listening. It’s likely that this will accelerate further in the next few years.

In summary DAB maintains the many advantages of FM while offering new benefit to listeners and broadcasters. The key to its successful introduction will be to emphasise this continuity. Though listeners will require a new radio to hear DAB, most of these radios also offer FM and it will be important to encourage listeners to think of the purchase as an "upgrade" rather than a completely new system.

Oscarziggy wrote: »

Has work started on the new tower yet ?
From the planning application - Quote "Within 6 months of the commissioning of the 48m communications tower,the existing 296m high tower shall be dismantled and removed from site at the developer's expense".

I don't know, I hope they take pictures and video the dismantling of the TX, it has been idle for 13 years, no one, group or company bothered with it, the same thing will apply with the Clarkestown TX and that won't be long.