India 'a major success' for DRM consortium

The decision taken by All India Radio (AIR) to take up digital radio broadcasting using the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) system was today described as "a major success" for the DRM consortium. The 2009 General Assembly of the DRM consortium being held in Erlangen, Germany, was told that the Indian public broadcaster had started making significant investments in DRM technology and had purchased transmitters and other equipment. AIR has already started DRM digital shortwave services to Europe using a powerful shortwave transmitter. The broadcaster is expected to roll out a major plan on providing DRM digital radio services in the medium wave band. The ABU's Technical Director, Sharad Sadhu, said that the sentiment prevailing at the meeting was that a large scale implementation phase of DRM digital radio had now dawned, given the steps taken by several governments and broadcasters to set up transmission infrastructures. Mr Sadhu told the Assembly that in the Asia-Pacific region, the emphasis needed to be put on DRM in the medium wave band. "Given the large area coverage required for national radio services, we believe that DRM in the medium wave band would provide an optimum solution, particularly in the larger countries," he said. One of the latest DRM digital radio sets, unveiled at the General Assembly, provides a full set of DRM applications, including text, data, slow scan images and graphics. The radio set has a 5-inch colour LCD screen which makes it suitable for all DRM "radio with pictures" services.

Thursday 26 Mar 2009
(Source : ABU)