The future is clear

What is Digital Radio?
Digital Radio is a new transmission system offering the benefits of digital technology to radio broadcasting.

How does it work?
Digital radio works by using technology which converts the music or speech from analogue signal into digital (binary) code. This vastly reduces the potential for the broadcast to be corrupted during transmission by weather conditions, and other problems that can degrade the quality of reception.

What are the advantages?
The main benefits to the listener:

• The robust nature of digital transmissions avoids many of the problems of that can spoil analogue radio transmissions such as multipath interference. This is particularly good news for listeners to 3MBS who can now hear the best classical music without all the usual problems associated with analog FM reception. Digital signals are also far less likely to be affected by adverse weather conditions or local sources of interference - like trams and other electrically driven machines.
• The flexible nature of digital radio mutliplexes mean that 3MBS could create secondary services - allowing us to offer a lighter music channels or even nostalgia channel as well as a serious music service.
• As well as music and speech, digital transmissions also contain data information. A digital receiver uses a screen, on which various kinds of information can be displayed such as music details or information about local performances.

How is this different from FM?
The European "Eureka 147" system to be used in Australia can use multi-path signals to actually improve reception, rather than degrade it.

Digital radio text and data
Have you ever heard music on the radio and wanted to know who it is by or what it's called, or tuned into speech radio and wanted to know what the programme is about or who is speaking? Digital radio sets come equipped with a small screen which carries information about the programme you're listening to. This may be a plot summary to a play, the name of the track currently being played, email addresses, up to the minute news or competition details.

Some stations also scroll news headlines and other up-to-date information. Some of the latest digital products can pick up a broadcast E.P.G (Electronic Programme Guide) which provides free, useful programme information in advance, allowing users to programme the set to record a particular show automatically - or even an entire series of programmes.

For more information visit:

Australian Broadcasting Authority
http://www.aba.gov.au/radio/licencing/digital.shtml

CBAA (Community Broadcasting Association of Australia) Articles
The new framework for digital radio
What is digital radio and how does it work?

Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts outlining the 'Framework for Digital Radio'