Digital Radio East

Michael Hedges February 11, 2010 Follow on Twitter

Every broadcaster, with nary an exception, pays regular tribute to a digital future. The journey for digital radio has followed no single course. In some countries, not even Google Earth can find it.

Digital television gets all the attention. For European Union (EU) Member States a switch-over from analogue to digital TV is a rule that must be followed. In Eastern Europe even that is difficult, 2015 more likely than 2012. Outside the EU – Russia and Ukraine - 2015 is an optimistic target. Digital radio has even less traction.

Transmission operators, young engineers at their benches, were early adopters of digital radio systems. And so were engineers working for broadcast and telecom regulators. In much of Eastern Europe broadcasting infrastructures – transmitters and towers – were museum pieces. From the mid-1990’s to the mid-2000’s capital began to flow for all kinds of infrastructure projects, including broadcasting.

Governments were almost as enthusiastic as the engineers, though noticeably less than Western European counterparts who dreamed of new revenue from spectrum auctions. National legislatures were quick to move forward digital television, radio less so. Newly created public broadcasters were also ready to expand offerings. Commercial broadcasters sat on the fence.

Most every digital radio platform can be found in Eastern Europe. DAB (digital audio broadcasting), the granddaddy of them all, is being replaced by the newer model, DAB+, for improved technical specifications. The original DAB was developed in the 1980’s. For AM/MW and shortwave fans there is DRM, Digital Radio Mondiale.  Add to that, the various DVB television platforms can enable radio channels. With the exception of the digital television platforms, coverage for new digital radio standards in Eastern Europe remain in the trial or pilot stages.

Antenna Hungaria was an early adopter, first testing DAB in 1995 and a DRM pilot with Hungarian Catholic Radio in 2004. A year ago (January 2009), the company started offering DAB+ channels, ending DAB transmissions, in and around Budapest, four channels from Hungarian public radio and three digital-only channels from Swiss public radio. Six commercial channels had joined by the end of the year.

Enabling legislation was a major hurdle for transmission systems providers. When passed, changes were often bundled with digital television switch-over rules. Hungary’s National Assembly revised rules in 2007 mandating analogue to digital TV switch-over and analogue switch-off by 2011. Converting analogue radio to digital platforms would, by statute, begin in 2014 but only if multiplex signal coverage reach 94% of the population and 75% of “persons” have digital radio receivers.

The testing and pilot phases finally running their course, Czech regulator CTO evaluated two bids, from service provider Ceské Radiokomunikace and private operator Teleko. Both were turned down (February 9). The tender for 13 regional and 13 urban radio channels had been postponed several times. The multiplexes would have offered a mix of DAB and DAB+ channels.

The future of Czech public radio’s digital channels look dark. Newly named Czech Radio CEO Richard Medek suggested the money might better be spent elsewhere, budget stress being high. A recent strategic evaluation showed CRo’s finances falling behind by about €40 million within six years. Cutting digital radio, said the report would save about €4 million a year.

By 2005, five digital radio channels were on the air in Romania. A year earlier the broadcast transmission company SN Radiocommunicatti, now Radiocom, upgraded a significant part of the country’s aging broadcasting infrastructure. A DAB multiplex was part of the deal. Towercast, a transmitter and tower provider in Slovakia, began offering radio channels via DVB-T in late 2009 after five years of testing.

Ukraine’s National Television and Radio Council (KRRT) announced plans in December 2009 to offer DAB digital radio along with digital television services in nine cities. The DRM platform will also be tested.  The KRRT plans a phased migration to “navigate to digital standards without drastic economic fluctuations in the broadcasting market.” 

Poland’s broadcast services supplier EmiTel began testing digital radio in Warsaw with the DAB+ standard. The multiplex offers a mix of 12 public and private channels. “Promoting digital radio will have a significant impact on perceptions of broadcasting in Poland and increase the attractiveness of the radio programs on offer, “ said Emitel president Przemyslaw Kurczewski in a statement. “This is a very innovative service, the future of radio.”

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