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AM/FM radios are ubiquitous. The trend for regional AM stations has been to convert to FM.
The trend to convert from AM to FM has been endorsed by the ACMA and is the current policy. A "google" search of regional stations converting from AM to FM is "a la mode".
Most regional broadcasters will not support other kinds of modulation systems such as HD radio, a proprietary technology https://radioinfo.com.au/news/can-the-hd-radio-experience-be-of-use-in-regional-australia-nabshow/ nor DRM+, a non-proprietary technology.
That is despite for example DRM+'s ability to carry several audio signals on one carrier as well as text, and emergency alarm signals over long distances especially over the MW and SW bands. Note VHF is line of sight. Yes there have been rare occasions of analogue VHF Channel 0 NZ received in Sydney. That is rare and broadcasting over long distances on VHF is unreliable.
AM and FM radios are ubiquitous at home, at work and in the car. It would be futile for a regional AM broadcaster to DRM+ let alone AM to DAB+ because there would be no listeners!
Unless there is a mandate in legislation to convert AM and FM to DRM+ such as the legislation to convert mandate analogue TV to DVB, the trend is for regional AM stations to convert to FM such as 2BS and 2XL to name a few. 2GN's conversion is another station to follow that trend.
Thank you,
Anthony, there's no willpower to start a digital conversion, Belfield in the land of the Wangal and Darug peoples of the Eora nation.
The problem with the AM band, regardless of the modulation scheme used, DSB analog AM or digital is that the frequencies are very low, in the order of only hundreds of kiloHertz. The wavelengths are very long, which makes the actual tuning and antenna infrastructure complex and alien to many broadcast maintenance engineers. It's difficult to find technicians that properly know how to maintain AM transmitter sites. They're very dangerous as well and the risks of electrocution are very high. That is one of the main reasons why VHF and UHF broadcast transmission is very strongly preferred today. It's far safer, and the transmission infrastructure is generally cheaper and simpler to install and maintain.