Digital Media Journalists’ Assembly Demands Digitization of Radio Broadcasting – The Survival of Digital Media Newsrooms at Risk

CJA •︎ 06/02/2025

Source: Hina /M.E. Habek
Digital Media Journalists’ Assembly Demands Digitization of Radio Broadcasting – The Survival of Digital Media Newsrooms at Risk
Kristina Slivnjak / HND

The Digital Media Journalists’ Assembly is demanding that relevant institutions urgently launch a public campaign in all electronic and print media, particularly on HRT, to raise awareness among citizens about the digital method of broadcasting radio programs and how they can be listened to, alongside promoting the purchase of digital radio receivers. The current treatment by state institutions threatens the survival of digital media newsrooms, it was stated at a press conference by the newly established Assembly of Journalists of Digital Radio Stations (HND), who expressed dissatisfaction with their status, which hinders their reach to listeners.

Denis Murković, President of the Digital Radio Journalists’ Assembly, said they are requesting the convocation of a thematic session of the Parliamentary Committee for Media to establish a state strategy for radio digitization and to allow local radio stations to transition to digital broadcasting without paying double fees for both FM and digital concessions.

Among other demands, they are asking for access to the Fund for Promoting Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media, as well as participation in local government tenders for subsidizing media content dealing with local topics of public interest for digital radio stations with national concessions.

The Editor-in-Chief of Radio Nacional, Croatia’s first radio with a national DAB+ concession, Zrinka Vrabec-Mojzeš, stated that even after two years from the issuance of the first national, regional, and local concessions for digital radio broadcasting, there has been no promotion or establishment of digital broadcasting, which she considers the future of radio.

“The state has deceived us, as nothing similar has been done for radio stations compared to television, for which a nationwide campaign was organized for their transition to digital broadcasting,” said Vrabec-Mojzeš.

Danijel Berdais, Editor-in-Chief of Radio Tvornica, spoke about the “neglectful” attitude of the relevant authorities towards DAB, while Hrvoje Zovko, President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND), warned that such treatment by state institutions seriously threatens the survival of digital radio newsrooms and announced that HND would support their demands before the relevant institutions.

FIVE DEMANDS FROM THE ASSEMBLY OF DIGITAL RADIO JOURNALISTS (HND)

  1. Urgently initiate a public campaign in all electronic and print media, particularly on HRT, to raise awareness about digital radio broadcasting and how it can be accessed, along with promoting the purchase of digital radio receivers.

  2. Exemption from paying the digital broadcasting concession fee until equal market conditions are achieved with radio stations that broadcast on FM.

  3. Convocation of a thematic session of the Parliamentary Committee for Informatization and Media to determine Croatia’s strategy for radio digitization, considering that significant funds have already been invested in building a transmission network for covering Croatia’s territory with digital signals, but this money has not been reimbursed to the state.

  4. Allow local radio stations to transition to digital broadcasting without paying double fees for FM and digital concessions.

  5. Allow access to funds from the Fund for Promoting Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media, as well as tenders from local governments for subsidizing content by media focusing on local topics of public interest for digital radio stations with national concessions, since they are not on an equal footing with those with FM national concessions and cannot earn revenue from advertising.