The content on this page and other DCITA document archive pages is provided to assist research and may contain references to activities or policies that have no current application. See the full archive disclaimer.

      A Discussion Paper on Digital Radio Broadcasting in Australia

Introduction

Australian radio broadcasting services have, to date, been delivered and received using analog technology. Programs are broadcast from transmitters to receivers via the radiofrequency spectrum by modulating either the amplitude (AM) or frequency (FM) of the electromagnetic waves.

Digital radio broadcasting (DRB) is a new type of broadcasting technology, based on the same digital concepts now used widely in many products and services - such as computers, compact discs (CDs) and telecommunications. There are some fundamental differences between analog and digital broadcasting. Perhaps most significantly, digital technology involves the delivery of digital bit streams that can be used not only for sound broadcasting but all manner of multi-media services.

DRB systems use advanced digital techniques to convert an audio signal to a digital signal which is then compressed, along with other signals, before being broadcast from a transmitter. The receiver converts the digital transmissions back to sound (or text and graphics etc).

Depending upon the technology adopted, DRB can:

• provide for better reception of radio services than current AM and FM broadcasts;
• deliver higher quality sound than current AM and FM broadcasts to fixed, portable and mobile receivers;
• carry ancillary services - in the form of audio, still pictures, data and text - providing information associated with the station and its audio programs (such as station name, song title, artist's name and record label, news, weather, time, traffic and promotional information) and other services (such as paging and global satellite positioning); and
• reconfigure services (for example, change from a single stereo music program in one time slot to two mono talk programs in another).

A number of new applications are being developed for DRB, including multimedia services.

While DRB has the potential to provide many benefits to consumers and broadcasters, it requires new reception equipment for listeners, as well as new transmitters and possibly studio equipment and other infrastructure for broadcasters.

Many countries are experimenting with, planning to introduce, or introducing DRB using terrestrial transmitters and satellite systems - including the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany, Japan, China, Italy, Switzerland, China, Canada and the United States of America. (Further information is at Appendix 3).

Australia is currently assessing DRB technology. Joint trials involving the National Transmission Agency (NTA) and Telstra, with programming from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), commercial and community broadcasters, and narrowcasters have commenced in Melbourne and Sydney. The NTA is also undertaking trials in Brisbane. Trials of satellite DRB have been conducted successfully by the Department of Communications and the Arts.

(DRB) - Other terms used to describe digital radio broadcasting include digital audio broadcasting (DAB) and digital sound broadcasting (DSB).

Return to Digital Radio Broadcasting discussion paper index

• Document ID: 9345 |
• Last modified: 6 February 2008, 2:24pm