Challenges in Digital Age for African Radio Broadcasters By Steve Areba, BSI

What is Digital Radio? Digital radio describes radio technology in which an analog audio signal is converted into a digital signal before being transmitted; Digital Radio Systems DAB – (Eureka 147 ) FM IBOC – (FM band in-band on-channel) HD Radio FMextra AM band in-band on Channel (AM IBOC): Digital Radio Mondial (branded as DRM) for the short, medium and long wave-bands Satellite Radio WorldSpace in Europe, Asia and Africa Sirius XM Radio ISTB Systems also designed for digital TV: DMB DVB-H Europe and Africa adopted DAB and DRM as the systems to be used n the RC06

DRM Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) is the universal, openly standardised, digital radio system for short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave - digital radio for the radio frequencies below 30MHz. It has been endorsed by the ITU, and is standardised as ETSI ES 201 980. DRM has near-FM sound quality plus the ease-of-use that comes from digital transmissions. The improvement over AM is immediately noticeable. DRM can be used for a range of audio content, and has the capacity to integrate text and data. This additional content can be displayed on DRM receivers to enhance the listening experience. DRM uses the existing AM broadcast frequency bands and is designed to fit in with the existing AM broadcast band plan

DAB Almost all African and EU countries have adopted the DAB (Eureka 147) system as their main terrestrial digital radio system. The frequencies have been co-ordinated and allocated in VHF Band 3 (174MHz – 230MHz) and for DAB digital broadcasting. In Africa tests are only known have been recorded in South Africa. Many EU countries have already launched their DAB digital radio services. Digital radio reception is virtually free of static and fading, pops, and hisses; overall, adjacent stations do not interfere within one another, audio clarity and volume are improved, and weather, noise, and other interference cease to be a factor. However, in the UK, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland, which are the leading countries with regard to implementing DAB, the vast majority of stereo radio stations on DAB have a lower sound-quality than FM due to the bit rate levels used on DAB being too low. As a result many countries switched off their DAB transmission.

The UK has the most significant development of DAB digital radio The UK has the most significant development of DAB digital radio. In the UK for example, has reached close to 5 million DAB receivers. In UK the government has done allot to push for the acceptance and and rollout of this services. In other countries in Europe for example Germany, the launch was not a success and only 50,000 receivers have been sold. Finland switched of the DAB tests. Belgium and Switzerland will use DAB+ (A new standard not compatible with previous DAB). In France, there is a debate regarding the use of T-DMB & DAB+, but  probably both will be implemented. The main reasons for the DAB success in the UK than other countries is the broadcasters’ commitment to developing and launching a variety of new content as well as coordinated marketing and retailing of DAB sets. The advanced state of the DAB digital radio receiver market allows countries who are now launching the service the advantage of being able to provide consumers with a wide range of affordable receivers (consumer prices now under 40 Euros)

Challenges of Implementing Digital Radio in Africa Most African countries have left the implementation of Digital Radio to market forces to determine. The following are the some of the challenges experienced: DAB standards has been growing continuously from DAB to DAB+ . There are also other competing technologies like DMB, DVB-H among others. The costs of the receivers are coming down but still high for the local market where you can get an FM receiver for as low as KES 500 or even lower as compared to KES 4,000.00 for a Digital receiver. Our markets as small for a single country to drive technology and have manufacturers make receivers for the market. The content to drive all this streams is another challenge for broadcasters to embrace.

. What about FM? It is likely that FM will continue to have its advantages over digital radio for the next five to ten years as the digital radio advances. However, developments in digital radio cannot be dismissed and it is positioned to grow in market size. In UK sales of DAB receivers has overtaken sales of analog radio receivers With this tend expected then some of the challenges will be overcome. Use of other digital technologies have become common in radio. IP codecs are increasingly becoming the future options for Studio Transmitter Links, Outside Broadcast Links and Studio Telephone Hybrids .Tileine has done successful test in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Nigeria

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