The European Broadcasting Union is hoping to create an internet domicile for radio broadcasters on a global basis. It is seeking on “a robust basis” to acquire the Top Level Domain (TLD) name .radio for use by radio broadcasters everywhere. It is endorsed by numerous other global broadcast organizations, and among the members you will find several major US broadcasters and the NAB.
The .radio suffice would be usable instead of the usual .com, .net and .org currently in use by most members of the radio business.
EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot stated, “The EBU’s acquisition of this TLD will serve a greater good, bringing tangible benefits to radio broadcasters and listeners everywhere. Our application includes the firm, written support of the EBU’s seven sister unions, representing the interests of around 50,000 radio stations with a potential reach of some 5.5 billion listeners.”
The sister unions cited by EBU are all members of the World Broadcasting Unions organization, and include Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU); Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU); African Union of Broadcasting (AUB); Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU); International Association of Broadcasting (IAB); North American Broadcasters Association (NABA); and Organizacion de Telecomunicaciones Iberoamericanas (OTI).
A number of major US broadcast companies, including all four major television entworks, are member of NABA, and the National Association of Broadcasters is an affiliate member of NABA. CPB and NPR are listed as associate members.
Referring to the TDL application which must be filed with ICANN by 4/12/12, EBU stated, “This application, which has the full backing of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) and other relevant bodies, will stress that the .radio TLD would allow the EBU to create an internet-based platform where the world’s radio broadcasters could assemble. Closer networking ‘under one roof’ would also bolster their position as an indispensible media sector, whose development would be accelerated by new radio services.”
EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre added, “The EBU wants to ensure that the world’s radio community has fair, reasonable access to a domain name that could bring unique impetus to the entire sector. The EBU would administer the .radio TLD in a neutral, reliable and not-for-profit way; it would be regrettable if it fell into hands that do not represent the entire radio community.”
