Minister engaged in discussions with colleagues about digital radio

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Australia will have to wait for digital radio, despite plans for
complete digital television coverage by 2013.

The switchover to digital TV would be complete by December 31, 2013,
federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy told the Australian
Broadcast Summit in Sydney.

At the summit, he announced a $37.9 million strategy to drive the
digital transition.

But Senator Conroy told broadcasters that a policy announcement on
digital radio was still under discussion within federal cabinet.

"This is a very tough set of economic circumstances the government is
in. People shouldn't underestimate the challenges we have here at the
moment," he said.

"I'm still engaged in discussions with my colleagues about digital
radio, I'm just not able at the moment to make any announcement about
that."

Senator Conroy said the announcement of new money for digital
television should bring joy to broadcasters.

"The analogue to digital switchover could well be the largest change
on the national scale since the introduction of decimal currency in
1966," Senator Conroy said.

"It will affect every household and every TV receiver in the nation,
including those in VCRs and other recorders."

The government has allocated $1 million over two years to research
digital reception problems.

It has also allocated $4.8 million for a digital tracker to assess
issues such as public awareness of the switchover, intention of
households to convert and actual conversion rates.

The sum also encompasses $8.5 million to the Australian Communications
and Media Authority to undertake switchover-related projects and $16.9
million for the digital switchover taskforce, Senator Conroy said.

The taskforce will coordinate the switchover with the Department of
Broadband Communication and the Digital Economy.

"The government digital switchover taskforce ... will work with the
industry advisory group on a range of issues, including the provision
of reliable information to consumers when purchasing digital
equipment," Senator Conroy said.

The first meeting of the advisory group would convene on April 9 this
year, he said.

"The Australian government is committed to digital television and this
funding will help drive a smooth transition," Senator Conroy said
earlier on Wednesday.