The EBU (European Broadcasting Union), will launch a new Top Level Domain name “.radio” in 2017, and radio stations will get priority access.
The EBU is launching a new .radio Top Level Domain name
The .radio domain will be available to a number of companies in the radio industry, but the EBU believes that “radio stations should be the focus of this new space on the internet.” Therefore, radio stations will get priority access if they make their requests during the pre-launch phase, which runs from May 3, through July 5. According to the EBU, if “…a radio station and a web radio request the same domain, the radio station will be allowed to purchase it (providing it resembles the station name).”
- Radio broadcasting stations
- Unions of Broadcasters
- Internet radios
- Radio Amateurs
- Radio professionals (journalists, radio hosts, DJs, …)
- Radio-related companies selling radio goods and services
Members of the remaining categories will have to wait until the launch phase, that is scheduled to start around August 17. You can read more about the .radio domain and the specifics of the launch on the EBU’s website. You should also check out Radio World’s recent article on some of the challenges and unanswered questions.