Photo: Kieran McGeary
Coimisiún na Meán has announced its support for a new DAB trial set to begin in April of this year.
The one-year-trial will expand the diversity of services available for Irish audiences and test DAB+ technology in the Republic.
Speaking at the Radio Days Conference in Dublin today, Coimisiún na Meán’s Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner, Aoife MacEvilly said: “By supporting this innovative new DAB+ trial and facilitating the broadcast of new digital services for Irish audiences, Coimisiún na Meán continues to demonstrate our strong commitment to pluralism and diversity on Irish radio.”
An Coimisiún says it has approved content provision contracts for this trial, ensuring the availability of a diverse and varied mix of voices, opinions, and sources of news and current affairs, as well as music programming.
The DAB trial will facilitate a simulcast of existing radio services while also allowing a variety of new services such as niche and era-specific music services and new speech programming covering various genres such as social affairs, sports, youth-targeted topics and children’s entertainment.
Just yesterday, Onic (the new name for Wireless), announced 10 services will be part of the multiplex.
The new trial will be operated by FáilteDAB who were issued a trial licence by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg.