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France DRM: demonstration broadcasts
Siriol Evans, pressoffice@drm.org

Demonstration programmes broadcast on the latest multi-standard, DRM-capable consumer receivers. 

In February, French commercial radio stations and public broadcasters demonstrated their DRM™ broadcasts on the latest multi-standard, DRM-capable consumer receivers during France’s largest annual radio show, “Le Radio!” in Paris.

DRM France brings together French broadcasters, network operators, retailers and manufacturers involved in DRM implementation. 

In conjunction with DRM France, BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, RTL Group, Europe 1, Radio France, RFI and TDF transmitted live DRM programmes. MCR, Littoral AM, RNT, Radio Télérama, CIEL AM, Superloustic, Radio de la Mer, Loisirs FM and Radio Orient also joined in.

In addition, the temporary radio station for the event, “La Radio du RADIO!” also broadcast in DRM.

“Le Radio! 2006 is DRM’s first opportunity to give the French radio industry its own, close-up look at the exciting, new, DRM-capable, multi-standard consumer radios,” said DRM Chairman Peter Senger of Deutsche Welle, adding that Deutsche Welle regularly sent DRM broadcasts into France.

“France is a priority market for DRM’s commercial launch, and DRM is well-positioned for market success in alliance with DRM France,”  added Michel Penneroux of TDF and Chairman of DRM’s Commercial Committee.

The broadcasts were demonstrated on the latest consumer radios by Roberts, courtesy of DRM member Radio-Scape. The receivers have DRM/DAB/FM/RDS capabilities plus analogue short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave and use Radio-Scape’s RS500 module and Texas Instruments’ DRM350 multi-standard digital radio baseband. Both RadioScape and Texas Instruments are DRM members. 

The latest DRM-related developments were also presented:

• AMSS, a new signaling system developed under the auspices of DRM and now being broadcast by the BBC World Service. AMSS allows new digital receivers to identify the broadcast when tuned to AM and put the station label on the tuning menu, as if it were digital.
• SMS+, which enables you, using a designated number, to send a message from your cell phone to a radio. The message can then be displayed on DRM-capable receivers.
• A new service for news headlines via DRM, called “Fils Info RSS.”       

Interested consumers will be able to order DRM-capable radios online in the coming months at www.drm.org, as well as on DRM’s national websites, including www.drmfrance.com. 

DRM is the world’s only open standard, universal, digital on-air system for short-wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave. DRM has received the endorsement of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC). 

The system provides near-FM audio quality and excellent reception, even over long distances. While DRM currently covers the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz, the DRM consortium voted in 2005 to extend the system to the broadcasting bands up to 120 MHz. The design, development and testing phases are expected to be completed by 2007-2009.

Contact: Siriol Evans, DRM, pressoffice@drm.org

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