The EBU’s Head of Radio, Graham Dixon, has addressed the Asian Broadcasting Union's annual Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur. 

Speaking at the Opening Session of the event, he argued that continuing to develop radio as a contemporary medium was vitally important, because of the central role that it plays in people’s lives. 

“Digitization of radio is much more than feeding our fascination with the latest gadgets, but rather it can serve more important aims at the heart of broadcasters’ remit,” he told the audience in Malaysia.

Drawing attention to three of the EBU Values, Universality, Diversity and Innovation, Graham Dixon also outlined how each of these areas could become stronger and more effective as the result of digital implementation. 

“Radio, particularly public radio needs to remain a universal service, for reasons of societal cohesion, underpinning democracy, and providing valuable information without being dependent on any gatekeeper or intermediary,” he said.

“Broadcasters have to serve societies, whose members are diverse needs and interests, and digitization of radio releases broadcasters from the stranglehold of the existing spectrum to reach out effectively to different communities, including those currently underserved.  Innovation can better serve audience expectations regarding data and supplementary information, leading to the development of services as yet not envisaged.”

Delegates at the Asian Broadcasting Digital Broadcasting Symposium have heard how digital radio is not entirely a European phenomenon.  Within the Asia-Pacific region, in Australia and Hong Kong the situation is well advanced; DAB+ trials have taken place in Vietnam, are current in Malaysia, and planned for Indonesia and Thailand.  DRM is also advancing in India.

As well as making the arguments for digital adoption, Graham Dixon also took part in a workshop which explored the factors necessary for successful implementation.  This comprised explaining the EBU Digital Radio Toolkit, which presents case studies over a wide range of areas, such as PSM-commercial collaboration, regulatory frameworks, communication, and relationships with manufacturers and retailers.