WorldAudio to kick off digital radio trial

A subsidiary of ASX-listed Sydney company WorldAudio will provide content to a digital radio trial in Melbourne this month.

WorldAudio has announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Radio 2, will be part of a group of broadcasters including SBS, ABC and Sport927 providing digital program content to a managed multiplex transmission service with network control from Broadcast Australia's network operations centre in Melbourne.

Equipment vendors Harris Corporation, BSA Transmission Solutions and Radio Frequency Systems will also contribute to the trial.

Peter Thompson, CEO at WorldAudio, said the digital radio trial was a step forward in deploying next generation broadcast technology. Digital radio adds data to the usual audio capability.

“WorldAudio intends to be at the forefront of the deployment of digital radio broadcast in Australia,” Thompson said.

Broadcast Australia intends to transmit band 3 digital radio from its site at Mount Dandenong just outside Melbourne.

The trial will test spectrum and coverage, dynamic bandwidth management and control. The test will also ascertain which areas can pick up digital radio transmissions from that site, and which content proves most attractive to consumers.

WorldAudio said the trial would include program-associated data such as scrolling text details of what was being played in real time, and what would be played next, and specific information on artists, tracks, albums, stills, racing information.

Non-program-associated data such as video and information services would also be tried on the service, the company said.