RTBF Radio stops AM broadcasting

Digital Audio Broadcasting, or DAB(+), is the new black for radio, also in the South, as since November 2018, most of the French-speaking commercial radio stations are digitally broadcast too. Taking into account this new developement, RTBF has decided to stop the AM analogue broadcasting of their programmes. FM therefore is the only analogue broadcasting system that "survives", but currently only ± 10% of radio listeners claim to use DAB, exclusively or not (Source: CIM Establishment Survey 2018). Although listening in AM is not reported, it is generally agreed that the audience for that kind of radio has become negligible.

Whole HBO catalogue on Telenet

Telenet announced that until 2021 their new contract with HBO their clients would be able to access the entire HBO programmes library, meaning that fi all seasons of 'The Sopranos', 'The Wire' and 'True Blood' will be available via Telenet. For the consumer, this improves their experience: until 2018, only new episodes from HBO were available via Play or Play More, but used to disappear after that.

No fast forward possible in time shift viewing ?

Time shift viewing has become significant in our country. In 2018, ±20% of viewing time by adults 18-54 years was not live (more in Flanders, than in the French-speaking part of Belgium, as shown in the graph below):

In time shift, most of the advertising time (at least 80%) is fast forwarded, resulting in less revenues for TV channels, as ad viewing is only reported -and paid for- while it occurs at normal speed. So it has been argued, especially in Flanders, that access providers should disable the fast forward options when TV content is viewed in time shift on their boxes. "Commercial suicide" replied Telenet, that is both media owner (SBS) and access provider (63% household penetration in the North). Such an obligation would be unique as far as we know, but it seems very unlikely to happen.

See also (enclosed) our Seen from Space graph on ad viewing, live vs time shift.

Adserving audio ads on QMusic & Joe

Starting Jan 1, 2019, Medialaan radio starts an “ad served audio“ offering. It means thier stations will be able to insert pre-roll and mid-roll audio ads. In a first stage pre-roll will be enabled for high frequency campaigns.

DAB+ deployed in French speaking Belgium too

Since Nov 15, most of French-speaking private radio stations are available in digital audio broadcasting or DAB+. No visible change so far, as DAB+ coexists with analogue FM broadcasting. DAB+ is expected to provide listeners with a more comfortable experience and more choice, as digital broadcasting allows more radio stations to air their programmes. Until now, only RTBF did use the DAB broadcasting.