Regional Radio's Digital Boycott Looks To Be Coming To An End

After many radio stations ceased digital streaming last year following a copyright dispute, the boycott appears to be coming to an end as a number of stations have recently switched their digital services back on.

According to The Australian, some of the stations that have recommenced digital streaming include Gold Coast's Hot Tomato, Wave FM in Wollongong and KRock in Geelong, among others. 

Last year the radio industry argued that the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) were taking advantage of the stations by asking for an additional payment for streaming, as well as the usual royalty payment for songs played on networks.

Regional stations argued that they could not afford the second payment and subsequently their digital streaming was switched off.

It has been reported that some radio stations have returned to digital broadcasting due to the decline in the numbers of listeners that eventually switched to stations that did broadcast digitally. 

It is expected that fellow regional radio stations who joined in on the boycott within Grant Broadcasting, ACE and Southern Cross Austereo will soon follow suit.

The Music has contacted PPCA for comment.