The Irish Times ran a very interesting report by Jason Walsh last week concerning DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) Radio in Ireland. In the article Walsh discussed the slow launch of DAB and the challenge of choosing the correct DAB formats.
Walsh perfectly summarises the challenge broadcasters face when choosing between higher audio quality and fewer channels or lower quality and more channels. But one wonders if this argument over audio compression rate is a little redundant. In the same article Willie O’Reilly correctly makes the point that digital radio will not reach the masses until cars and hand-held devices can receive such broadcasts.
But once this happens broadcasting at higher bit rates (192kbps or higher)will almost certainly be self-defeating as any superior sound is lost through low quality headphones and ambient street noise.
RTÉ is prudent to wait and see which of the three formats; DAB, DAB+ or DRM,becomes the standard. While Britain might be the largest digital radio market digital broadcasting equipment is expensive for both broadcasters and listeners.
Simply choosing DAB because the UK is using that system would be somewhat myopic. Especially if Europe is forging ahead with the superior DAB+ system.
RTÉ is in a difficult position; the more radio stations the corporation offers the greater the opportunity to sell more advertising, both on air and online. But using what could become an outmoded Betamax-esque technology would cost them more in the future. Indeed, Jack Schofield writing in The Guardian is at pains to point out that the UK DAB system is “technically obsolete”. Ireland should learn from the UK’s mistake or be cursed to repeat it.
However RTÉ’s DAB woes aren’t completely external. In late 2008 the corporation launched its’ fleet of 6 digital radio stations with little if no fanfare and has since lumbered the digital services with a dull, unimpressive website;especially when contrasted to the rather excellent new 2fm website. And it that wasn’t bad enough the stations are streamed at 32kbps (compared to the BBC’s average of 96kbps for her online digital radio stations).
DAB has had a slow launch but such new technologies usually do (just look at the BluRay, HD DVD debacle). But without creating a greater awareness or even a desire to use these services RTÉ, even during this testing surly is depriving itself of new streams of revenue while also denying the licence fee payer of a greater choice.
