Indonesian broadcasters explore digital radio options

Monday 10 Oct 2011
Indonesian radio broadcasters from public and commercial stations are visiting Australia this week, to hold technical and policy meetings with key digital radio stakeholders.

They will also attend the National Radio Conference on the Gold Coast and review the Darwin DAB+ trial being conducted in similar climatic conditions to those in Indonesia.

Hosted by Commercial Radio Australia, the Indonesian radio delegation which includes senior representatives from the PT Radionet Cipta Karya, PT Ramako Radio Group, Radio Republik of Indonesia and PT Siprama Komunindo, will meet with commercial and the public service broadcasters, plus industry regulator, the Australian Communication and Media Authority, and the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, to discuss the successful switch-on of digital radio in Australia.

Joan Warner, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Radio Australia, said: “Like Australia, Indonesia’s radio industry is made up of public and commercial radio stations and the delegation is very interested to talk about the policy settings and technical planning associated with the roll-out of digital radio in the five metropolitan markets.

“The delegation will also to review the initial results of the DAB+ trial in Darwin to understand how digital radio responds in humid and wet weather conditions.”

The delegation will also visit a tower site to inspect the DAB+ antenna, transmitters and multiplexes which are jointly owned and operated by the broadcaster consortiums.

The Indonesian radio industry and regulator are jointly considering DAB+ as a possible digital platform.