Digital Radio – What it means to Listeners and to Advertisers
By Steve Pollak
There has been much written about digital radio from technological and political points of view. I am concerned with two groups; the listeners of radio and radio advertisers.
Digital radio is offered in four distinct ways:
DAB Digital Radio (also known as Digital Audio Broadcasting) – Primarily in use in the UK and Europe to Canada
High Definition (HD) – Selected by the FCC for use in the USA.
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRB) – New standard to replace AM broadcasting.
Satellite Radio Broadcasting – No geographical boundaries
All four technologies provide better quality sound and are comparable to CD quality for the listener. All four provide the enhanced technologies of scrolling program information, song titles, artist names, and the like. All four technologies can carry data alongside the audio. Imagine text and video to be transmitted with the audio providing new ways to connect with the listener.
What are the differences?
Satellite radio has the programming and the radio personalities and no terrestrial boundaries. In other words, it is literally everywhere a satellite signal can be picked up. The way that digital radio works is the same as AM and FM stations work now. In fact with your digital desktop or car radio you do not have an AM tuner, FM tuner or added digital tuner. Your radio automatically switches from analog to digital and digital to analog depending on the signals and boundaries.
Better Quality Signal is Better for All
Similar to the enhanced quality of video and audio with digital TV, digital radio’s sound is greatly improved. This is good for all radio.
Ahead of the Curve
At RadioActive Media we are already incorporating the future of data alongside the audio through our Radio Text Messaging (RTM) campaigns. Radio is the mobile advertising medium. Mobile advertising is positioned to be one of the fastest growing media vehicles. Combining these two powerful resources is game changing. We like game changing.
Tags: HD radio, mobile radio advertising, radio, radio direct marketing, Radio Direct Response, Radio Personalities, Radio Text Messaging, satellite programming, satellite radio
