ARLA/CLUSTER: DRM no WRTH 2007.

[Carlos L.R. de A.Gonçalves]

No recém publicado World Radio TV Handbook 2007, surgiu a seguinte passagem
de um artigo sobre a utilização do modo DRM, reproduzido no boletim BC-DX
TopNews nº 786.

Crendo que o texto é de fácil apreensão, restará concluir que nada do que se
diz é, de facto, grande novidade, pelo menos, p/ alguns.

73.
Carlos Gonçalves.
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BC-DX 786
15 Dec 2006
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(...)
INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS AND OTHERS BECOMING SCEPTICAL OVER DRM.

Just been reading an 8 page article The Future of Radio 2 in the just
published World Radio TV Handbook 2007, a series of interviews as a follow
up to last years with much mention of DRM. Summarising the views given:

Nigel Chapman, Director BBC World Service:

Not very optimistic over DRM. Keeping toe in the water but not investing
any more in DRM at the moment. What's the market? BBCWS cutting back on
European languages and radio generally for television. May be some
possibilities in Asia. "As you've probably already gathered we're members
of the DRM sceptics club in Bush House."

Guido Baumhauer, Managing Director, Strategy, Marketing and Distribution ,
Deutsche Welle:

Ready to go digital in a big way if and when receivers are more commonly
available. However customers will buy DRM receivers only if there are more
and better programmes. DW is following a multi platform strategy including
television and streaming internet services using P2P technology and on
demand audio and television.

Mathew Palmer and Martin Orell of The Technology Partnership, experts in
RF design and product development:

See DRM as a bolt on technology to DAB but can't see a commercial return.
"The question we would ask is why bother?" They were very early into DAB
but all the research and development is now going into interactive mobile
TV and radio and on demand services.

David Jackson, Director of Voice of America:

No plans to broadcast in DRM. "We're not going to try to convince people
to use it for the sake of using it. We'll wait until we see evidence that
people are using DRM before we adopt it."

Richard Hunt, Head of Broadcast Services at VT Communications:

DRM not made the progress hoped for since last year. DRM has focused too
much, in his view, on international cross border broadcasting whose
audience is a very small percentage of the total radio audience. DRM
should push more within the domestic area.

"I'm not terribly conversant with the finer points of the receiver market
but it's as though DRM doesn't really excite the enthusiasm of the
manufacturers."

DRM is still a work in progress "Your average member of the public might
find it (DRM) quite difficult to use." "There's still a lot of
functionality in DRM that hasn't yet been completely nailed down, like
autotuning."
Keen on what he calls DRM 120 not because of the mode but because it uses
spectrum already allocated to broadcasting.

China interested in possibilites of DRM and putting DRM capable
transmitters into their shortwave sites. "The worrying side of it is
whether perhaps they'll try and control the receivers and so control what
the population hears."

The article deals with other aspects of radio development as well as DRM,
well worth a read through at Borders if you don't regularly buy a copy of
the Handbook.
(Mike Barraclough-UK, Dec 7, via DRMNA yg via dxld)

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