Indian digital experience highlights DRM GA in London

A report on the rollout of Digital Radio Mondale in India was one of the highlights of the opening day of the DRM Consortium general assembly in London. 

Delegates from around the world attended the conference at New Broadcasting House, the BBC Headquarters in Central London, launched in the iconic Radio Theatre by the Chief Operating Officer of the BBC World Service and Global News.

On the first day agenda were reports from the rollout of DRM around the globe, including a report on progress so far from broadcasters and equipment manufacturers in India. Then Brazilian experts gave participants an in-depth insight into Brazil’s digital radio and the support for DRM coming from the industry, community stations and other stakeholders.

Under the title “DRM in Action”, the opening also featured demonstrations of DRM on multiple devices, including USB sticks, tablets and desktop receivers, as well as services integrated with social media.

On the second day, DRM Consortium members endorsed past activities and the strategy for the next year. They also elected the new Steering Board of the Consortium, welcoming to it new members such as BT Transmitters (Brazil), Thomson Broadcast (France), and Gates Air (formerly Harris Broadcast, USA).

Ms Ruxandra Obreja was re-elected as DRM Consortium Chairman, saying it was “the best, most intense and most encouraging General Assembly of the past years”.

“The Consortium is stronger than ever and ready to face the many challenges of its key target markets,” she said.

Equipment and application demonstrations were also given by companies such as the BBC, Babcock International (UK), Fraunhofer IIS (Germany), Digidia (France), Radio Haugaland (Norway), BT Broadcast Transmitters (Brazil), Orbisonic (Brazil), NXP (The Netherlands) and Rfmondial (Germany).

The next big event with a DRM Consortium targeted workshop will be the Digital Radio Broadcasting Summit for Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, on 23 April 2014.