The DRDB (Digital Radio Development Bureau) produces a monthly news bulletin designed to keep all those in the DAB digital radio chain informed and updated on the latest developments in the industry.
New Services
- Digital radio coverage in the UK was extended last month with two new multiplexes coming on line. In Swindon/West Wiltshire, NOWdigital launched ten services, split between the two areas, and serving 400,000 people. In South Hampshire, the new Capital radio multiplex also brings ten services to parts of England's south coast.
- The Digital News Network (DNN) Limited along with Capital Radio plc and UBC Media Group plc is launching local news and information scrolling text and data services across all MXR DAB Digital Radio multiplexes. The services are currently available in the West Midlands and will be rolled out across all the remaining MXR regions over the next few months.
The new data services provide the latest local, regional and national news to listeners via scrolling text (DLS) on each DNN audio channel and also on an innovative DAB data service that provides more in-depth coverage of the leading news, entertainment and sports stories. The service is updated throughout the day, and is the first DAB data service in the UK to offer such a high level of local & regional news information.
The software to run these services has been developed and is managed by UBC Media Group's technology division, Unique Interactive. Using Unique's proprietary content management and data broadcast software, DNN journalists from around the country can make the latest news stories available to DAB Digital Radio listeners within seconds.
Pure Digital announced three new DAB digital radio products in February, which it will bring to market later this year.
1. The EVOKE-2 builds on the success of the best-selling EVOKE-1 by adding FM radio to the DAB mix, plus stereo speakers and battery operation. The radio boasts a maple wood casework surrounding a pearlescent white front with silver grille and control panel with scrolling LCD text display, station selection and control buttons. It has integrated stereo full-range speakers and features a reflex port for enhanced bass performance. Now enjoy DAB digital radio both indoors and out with the battery and mains powered EVOKE-2.
This FM/DAB stereo portable radio has a RRP of £159.99 inc. VAT and will be available from the end of March
2. The Elgar is a special edition version of the EVOKE-1 available from selected retailers from April. Varnished in high-lacquer real cherry-wood veneer the Elgar's scrolling LCD text display is white on blue. The Elgar EVOKE has a RRP of £119.99 inc. VAT.
3. The DRX-702ES is the latest tuner to join the Pure Digital family. It features a high-quality analogue radio tuner as well as multi-language support and dual-band reception for use throughout Europe.
Features include DAB/FM/AM reception; USB connectivity, configurable DAB station ordering, 99 presents on both AM, FM and DAB, and an integral LCD screen. The DRX-702ES can be used with any standard hi-fi amplifier. RRP £329.99 inc. VAT, available in March 2003.
Marketing and Promotions
- Capital Radio Group has launched the biggest promotion for DAB Digital Radio ever undertaken by a radio broadcaster. An eight week campaign across Capital Gold, the analogue AM network in London, Kent, Hampshire, Sussex, South Wales, Birmingham and Manchester, reaches a potential audience of nearly 1.6 million listeners. Capital Gold is giving away more than 100 Evoke-1 DAB digital radios from PURE Digital.
- The BBC will devote a major marketing campaign to its digital radio portfolio for the first time in June 2003.
The on-air trail campaign, on television, radio and online, will promote the BBC's portfolio of five digital radio networks - 1 Xtra, BBC Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, BBC 7 and the Asian Network - available through DAB digital radio.
Andy Duncan, Director, BBC Marketing & Communications, said, "After successfully launching five new digital radio services last year, we're now planning the first campaign for the complete portfolio. Our big goal is to see as many people as possible getting access to our new networks. We expect new stocks of DAB digital radios to be available in the shops at the same time, so the impact should be considerable. We hope this will have a similar effect on digital radio take-up as our digital television portfolio push which started last autumn." - MXR, operator of regional digital multiplexes in the North East, the North West, South Wales & West and the West Midlands has launched a new consumer website, www.getdabdigitalradio.com. The site includes details of MXR radio stations available in the regions, and also on other multiplexes around the UK, plus details of products, stockists, competitions and news.
One of the UK's best know retailers, Comet,has launched DAB digital radio in its Destination stores and on the Internet. Comet is now stocking a variety of DAB digital radios, including the Goodmans GPS280 personal stereo, the Acoustic Solutions SP110 tuner, and the Pure Digital DRX701 tuner. Other products expected in stock soon are the PersTel DR101 personal radio and the best selling EVOKE-1 mains portable.
Technology
- Digital radio executives from around the world were in Cannes at 3GSM to meet their mobile counterparts and discuss initiatives that will benefit both sectors. Topics under discussion included:
- The availability of one-to-many broadcasts
- Development of low-cost, interactive services
- The capacity of digital radio multiplexes to broadcast data at rates of 250Kb per second, more than double realistic estimates for 3G
- Using the two technologies to provide the perfect "push/pull" combination
World DAB President Annika Nyberg said "DAB Digital Radio will enable mobile companies to make the most of their investment in 3G. DAB value added services can generate additional revenue streams through: premium rate information and reverse SMS share; subscriptions for pay per view/listen via the consumer; and tenancy fees, transaction share and interactive advertising via content providers." - EMAP has joined the growing list of DAB Digital Radio broadcasters to use ManDLS, Unique Interactive's on-line Dynamic Label Segment ("DLS") text manager. Using an innovative web-based system, EMAP can now monitor and update the DLS text messages on all of their DAB services nationwide from anywhere in the world. These services embrace Kiss, Smash Hits, Magic and the Big City network, including 'The Hits' in London.
As well as allowing EMAP to manually update any of their DLS messages, ManDLS links into EMAP's internal systems to enable song and artist information, news headlines, radio promotions or any other dynamic content, originated from EMAP or elsewhere, to be used directly on the DLS text of any of their services.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell, told a media conference in London that there was, at last, a real sense that the digital radio market was moving. She said it was fantastic that digital radios had become one of the most sought-after products for Christmas, but added that there were too few sets in the shops. "The Christmas sales success means the debate has shifted," she said. The market is moving, and it's important that we keep the momentum going. The number of manufacturers manufacturing and marketing sets has doubled in recent months but we still need more choice, lower prices and a faster-growing programme range"
Ms. Jowell called for a review of digital radio's progress to date to be led by the BBC and said "We need to take stock, measure performance and decide what else needs to be done to promote take-up."
ENDS
March 13, 2003
The Digital Radio Development Bureau is funded and supported by BBC, Digital One, Emap Digital Radio, CE Digital, MXR, Capital Digital and Now-Digital. The DRDB's task is to ensure digital radio's wide accessibility and swift adoption in the UK with consistent and effective marketing.
Visit the DRDB's consumer web site www.digitalradionow.com, or our Business to Business site, www.drdb.org.
If you have any news you would like included in the next DRDB news bulletin, please email mandy@drdb.org
If you do not wish to receive future copies of this news bulletin please email mandy@drdb.org
Mandy Green
Press and Publicity Manager
DRDB
The Radiocentre
77 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DU
020 7306 2636
07973 184995