Digital Radio Mondiale™ (DRM) and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Conclude Successful DRM Digital Radio Trial and Workshop

The Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium and the Indonesian public broadcaster, Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), held a most comprehensive DRM30 digital radio trial and workshop in Jakarta, between 24th and 27th of March. This was one of the most comprehensive such events ever organised by the Consortium. The technical presentations on the first day were perfectly illustrated by the medium wave trial organised the next day at the Bogor station, about 60 kilometres south of Jakarta. The practical discussion of the excellent trial results on the 26th and the exploration of all DRM options and benefits completed the picture. On the last day of the workshop a discussion on the best way to introduce DRM countrywide and the possibilities of producing single or multi-standard receivers in the country completed a very successful event.

Mr Sunarya Ruslan, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of RRI Indonesia, hailed the DRM, RRI joint endeavour as most significant: "In our country of over 13,000 islands and about a quarter billion people we want to have radio broadcast services that are economical, easy, and mobile. They need to offer the same good quality to Indonesian citizens, whether they are in big or small cities, near or afar. Good sound, good programmes and available and affordable receivers for everyone is the aim now."

Mr Muhammad Rohanudin, Technology and New Media Director of RRI, was enthusiastic about the ease of adapting the existing analogue infrastructure (in Bogor) in record time in order to carry digital programmes in simulcast or pure digital. He declared the DRM sound quality "spectacular" and thought that "DRM can provide an option for RRI to reach every corner of the country, if all stakeholders work together."

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Consortium Chairman, was delighted to see that the event involved RRI but also  spectrum specialists, representatives of the government, of private broadcasters and receiver manufacturers. "The DRM trial and workshop", she said, "demonstrated that DRM offers the coverage, multi-platform content, excellent audio quality, extra features and cost savings that really fit with RRI's aspirations. DRM is made for Indonesia and Indonesia is made for DRM."

(Press Release)