Digital Radio is more interactive than analogue broadcasts. This new technology allows radio stations to give their audience more control over what they listen to. Joan Warner, chief executive officer of CRA said “The new technology has the potential to make radio more compelling for listeners because it combines new features such as crystal clear sound, a screen for pictures and text information on-demand, and multi-layering of programs, with radio’s existing strengths of portability and immediacy." (Shaw, Judy 2004)
Digital Radio has five main improvements over analogue broadcasts. Digital radio offers increased listener interactivity and colour LCD screens for the broadcast of scrolling text and images such as pictures and traffic maps. Newer digital radios in the UK can now be paused, recorded, rewound, and stored on digital memory cards (DJ International News, 2004). Dow Jones international News also reported the potential for songs to be personally requested, then broadcast directly to your radio.
Analogue signals can be distorted by interference from unwanted signals, power lines and other radio broadcasts (Hendy, 2000). Multipath distortion occurs when radio signals bounce off buildings and landscapes. This distortion causes unpleasant hisses and pops that affect signal quality. Digital radio uses multipath distortion to re-direct and reflect signals to that provide a strong digital signal. Digital Radio receivers lock on to the strongest signal it can find and ignores everything else (Hargrave, 2004). This allows digital signals to deliver higher quality audio reception. Digital radio can use an entire frequency to cover an entire country. This advantage means stations do not need to be re-tuned. Also, low power single frequency networks (SFN) can provide local news coverage for regionalised stations.
Digital radio with adequate bandwidth can provide ancillary services. These include graphics and text information. Text information might include song titles, news or traffic updates, or contact numbers. Advertisers will surly take advantage of logos, visuals, replay buttons and electronic coupon downloads to be used in promotions. This advancement melds traditional technological boundaries and [Mobile_Phones_-_Security_and_Privacy:_Functional_Convergence | converges]] Internet formats with radio technology. Future developments in digital radios may lead to them mimicking iPods by being used as a downloading device to record songs.
The Bug, designed by Pure Digital is the first digital radio, which lets users pause, rewind and record live radio (Hargrave, 2004). If you miss something on the radio with the Bug it can be paused, rewound a few minutes, recorded then converted into MP3. Digital radios sales have grown by over 200 per cent in the UK over the past year, and new models being developed for release in the next six months will be able to broadcast pictures and logos, such as images of artists or traffic maps (Shaw, Judy 2004). Last month the Bug was showcased by CRA as part of their promotion of digital radio.
Hargrave, Sean (2004) " New Media: The bug that's about to spread," The Guardian, 2 August p.34.
Commercial Radio Australia last accessed 12/10/04].
Shaw, Judy 2004, "New Bug set to revolutionise Radio Listening" 15-Jul-04 last accessed 12/10/04
