Digital and internet radio need not be foes, says digital radio's local backers.

In terms of market penetration, digital radio and internet radio are neck and neck in Australia. While some people see them in direct competition, radio manufacturer Pure is convinced the two fledgling formats can happily live side-by-side.

Pure has been one of the key suppliers of DAB+ internet radios in Australia for the last 18 months and this week it extended its range of FM/DAB+/internet radios. What's really interesting is that Pure internet radio listeners are mostly listening to terrestrial radio from other regions, says Pure international sales director Peter Blampied.

“We see internet radio as very complementary [to digital radio],” Blampied says. “The number one use for an internet radio is listening to streaming live radio, presumably from a different location to where they are.”

That's a promising sign for the future of mass media radio in the face of niche online-only competitors, although it obviously presents challenges for the traditional advertising model.