The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced its intention to acquire the .radio Top Level Domain name (TLD) for the global broadcast radio community.

The 21 TLDs, already in use – including the likes of .com, .co, .org and .net, as well as national TLDs – can be expanded by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN), the world authority that maintains and regulates web addresses. The body’s present invitations for further TLDs closes on 12 April 2012. The EBU Executive Board plans to to apply for the .radio TLD, as well as .eurovision.

At present, the .tv domain is being used bt TV related companies as an ’industry relevant’ TLD but this is actually the country domain for the islands of Tuvalu. Although a contentious approppriation – viewed as exploitative by those sympathetic to the islands’ vulnerability to flooding – there is no legislation preventing anyone registering a .tv domain. If successful, the EBU’s application will give the radio broadcast industry a more legitimate internet identity.

Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its domain name in 2000 for a reported US$50m in royalties over a 12-year period. The Tuvalu Government presently  receives a quarterly payment of US1m for its use. 

The EBU application has the backing of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) and other relevant bodies, and would allow the EBU to create an international internet-based platform for radio broadcasters. The EBU believes that closer networking would strengthen broadcasters’ voice as an media sector.

’The EBU’s acquisition of this TLD will serve a greater good, bringing tangible benefits to radio broadcasters and listeners everywhere,’ says EBU President, Jean-Paul Philippot. ‘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 5.5bn listeners.’

EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre adds that the EBU’s aspirations would ‘communitise’ radio as a broadcast medium and protect it from outside interference: ’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.

At the time of writing, there is no indication of likely cost of registration of the new domain names.

More: www.ebu.ch