The Belgian radio sector is calling on the European authorities to make FM and DAB+ radio receivers compulsory in all new vehicles registered in the European Union, maRadio.be, RadioZ, La Craxx and Digitale Radio Vlaanderen said in a joint statement on Thursday.
Faced with the emergence of new-generation vehicles without a radio system, the organisations fear that "universal, free and non-discriminatory access to information" will no longer be guaranteed.
"By removing the FM/DAB+ receiver, manufacturers threaten to transform free and direct access into a closed environment, monetised by the tech giants," warn Belgian radio stations, while 95% of audio listening in the car is devoted to radio according to the latest CIM study.
Revision of the European Electronic Communications Code
Belgian radio stations are taking advantage of the revision of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) and the presentation of the Digital Networks Act to the European Commission to demand European harmonisation.
The organisations stress that in the event of a crisis, "radio is a key tool for mass communication and the dissemination of information of general interest, contributing directly to the warning and protection capacities of the population".In conclusion, the "maintenance of terrestrial reception in vehicles helps to preserve media pluralism, European cultural diversity and access to independent editorial content, while limiting the risks of dependence on dominant digital intermediaries," say the radio stations.
