Digital Radio In Australia

Question 0

What does AM stand for?

Answer 0

Amplitude Modulation

Longer wave lengths, travels over greater distances but is affected by interferences (e.g. storms)

Question 1

When did digital radio commence in Australia?

Answer 1

May 2009, established in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth

Question 2

What does FM stand for?

Answer 2

Frequency Modulation

Higher frequency, so shorter wave lengths, greater quality of sound

Question 3

What is DAB+?

Answer 3

Improved version of Digital Audio Broadcasting, based on DMB, digital multimedia broadcasting standards from the Eureka 147 system

Question 4

What are some digital radio features?

Answer 4

Scrolling text, electronic program guide, slideshow and can present animation

Question 5

Where does online radio attract royalty fees?

Answer 5

AMCOS, PPCA

Question 6

Who listens to Podcasts?

Answer 6

Podcast listeners are largely composed of well educated, social sharers who find ways to consume commercial-free media

Question 7

What age group are the majority of podcast users?

Answer 7

Half of all listeners are age 12-34 and affluent (4 in 10 podcast listeners have a household income of at least $75,000)

Question 8

How is digital radio currently described in Europe?

Answer 8

An Internet Sibling

Question 9

What are some important differences between digital and analogue broadcasting?

Answer 9

• One transmitter carries signals from many stations, rather than each station having to set up and maintain it’s own transmission facilities.
• The transmission chain can carry anything that can be digitalised, not just audio, but a digital radio receiver is required

Question 10

What type of compression was developed for DAB+?

Answer 10

An MPEG-4 standard called AAC+

Question 11

How can audio quality be adjusted?

Answer 11

By changing the bit rate; the more kilobits per second you use for the audio part of the signal, the better quality it will be

Question 12

Why change from analogue?

Answer 12

• So radio doesn’t get left behind in this majorly digital world
• Competition with mobile phones and wireless internet
• Electrical ‘noise’ seriously compromises AM transmission

Question 13

What are some downsides of digital radio?

Answer 13

• DAB+ system was not originally designed for huge coverage in the same way as AM
• May be too costly and difficult to set up DAB+ towers to cover large regional and remote areas
• A new receiver is needed to hear digital radio

Question 14

How was digital radio marketed to the public?

Answer 14

• Consumers were assured they could still get their regular stations, plus more
• They were promised better quality sound
• Told they could get visual content such as song name and artist, weather, pictures and maps
• Each broadcast company was encouraged to put out as many new stations as possible to offer variety