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Ireland's radio future is digital, but there is no urgency to invest in the technology to make it happen, according to a new report.
The report from the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Forum was commissioned by the Minister of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands to examine various broadcasting policy options for the introduction of digital radio in Ireland.
While the report's conclusions were fairly certain, claiming that the future of the radio industry here will be on a digital platform, with DAB the most likely technology to be used, it said there was no urgency for Ireland to invest in DAB. However, the report did say that it is important that preparations and planning for the introduction of digital radio begin now and that an appropriate framework should be developed.
The report also advised the department to establish a Digital Radio Forum to co-ordinate initiatives and research into digital radio and it said there would be more certainty in the industry in two year's time.
DAB (digital audio broadcasting) technology offers crystal-clear sound to radio listeners on AM or FM within its transmission area and most European countries have already launched the technology alongside existing analogue broadcasts, but Ireland has yet to do more than run a pilot service.
Analogue radio signals are subject to many kinds of interference on their way from the transmitter to the radio receiver, caused by mountains, high-rise buildings and weather conditions. But DAB uses these as reflectors creating multi-path reception conditions which improves receiver sensitivity. It selects the strongest regional transmitter to offer a stable and clear service, ideal for car drivers moving through different areas of coverage.
A DAB radio usually has a small screen to display the name of the station, the song or any other additional information. The technology could also be used to transmit pictures, videos or data.
DAB is broadcast on the terrestrial network and requires listeners to buy new equipment, but the high-cost of these receivers and the lack of any new revenue streams from the service has crippled the technology's rollout in places throughout the world.
Deloitte & Touche was appointed as project facilitators and the Forum includes representatives of the key stakeholders in the Irish radio industry including national, independent, local and community broadcasters, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, the Department of Public Enterprise, the ODTR and the IRTC.
Read more at http://www.rte.ie/radio/dab/service.html and www.worlddab.org.
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