The broadcasting of traffic and travel information is likely to continue for some years via existing delivery means such as RDS-TMC, teletext, and spoken radio and TV broadcasts. However, several new delivery technologies – such as DAB, DVB, GSM and the Internet – are being developed to extend and enhance the provision of such information to drivers and travellers throughout Europe.

While recognizing the benefits and value of RDS-TMC, the EBU’s recently-established TPEG activity is firmly aimed at the upcoming multimedia broadcasting environment. In this article, the authors give some background to the provision of TTI services in Europe, and explain the new protocols that are being developed within the framework of TPEG.

The roll-out of Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) in Europe is at an advanced stage – but is much slower than expected. This article attempts to analyze the principal economic, technological, regulatory and frequency management reasons for this slow progress. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the members of the World DAB Forum, which brings together the main players, the introduction of DAB is now running smoother that it would have been if WorldDAB did not exist.

The article confirms that Eureka-147 DAB is the right technology to take Radio into the 21st century.

The recently finalized MPEG-4 standard follows an object-based audio-visual representation model, with integrated hyperlinking and interaction capabilities. It offers support for both natural and computer-generated content.

This article discusses the new possibilities that MPEG-4 technology could offer to broadcast services, and addresses the consequences in terms of new and enhanced applications. MPEG-4 is not designed to replace MPEG-2. On the contrary, MPEG is actively working on a solid integration of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 technology, which will allow new and attractive services within existing digital broadcasting environments.

Having carried out a comprehensive analyzis of television production systems from a data-processing viewpoint, the author describes a functional model of a base network platform that has been developed by means of the theoretical instruments of the Generalized Nets. A method for the modelling of typical production operations – by removing unwanted facilities from the base network platform model – is also briefly described.

The proposed model clarifies the interaction between the author-editor and creative realization activities. It also shows what kinds of data are used and generated by different types of data-processing modules – looking at television signal-processing and transport from both a network / data-file aspect and a datastream aspect. The model provides connectivity to both these domains.

The software realization of the model may be used as a valuable practical tool for optimizing project-planning decisions.