Digital short-wave will revolutionise cross-border broadcasts and will
initiate a world-wide renaissance of radio". This was the opinion of the
Director General of Deutsche Welle, Mr Erik Bettermann, during a panel
discussion at Münchner Medientage.

Bettermann, the head of the German international broadcaster - and
instigator of the event - was not the only one to present an optimistic
prediction of a "Digital Global Radio" development: The other panel
specialists also emphasised the advantages of
digitalisation in the so-called AM range, i.e. short-, medium- and
long-wave.

The discussion was chaired by Peter Senger, Director of Distribution at
Deutsche Welle and Chairman of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Consortium;
and next to Erik Bettermann, BBC representative Mike
Cronk, Dan D'Aversa of RTL Group and Phil Laven of the European Broadcasting
Union (EBU) were also participating in the debate.

Senger outlined the advantages of digital short-wave as follows: The
world-wide accepted DRM standard provided an excellent audio-quality
comparable to FM. In addition, the search for frequencies was obsolete, as
the station identification tuned in to the designated
frequency and automatically switched to the best one. In parallel, it allows
for the sending of accompanying programme information such as text messages.
"On top of everything, digital transmission technology saves a lot of energy
and costs compared to the analogue one", Senger said. This would open up
enormous opportunities, especially for international
broadcasters.

For several years, DW - like many other broadcasters - has noted that
listeners migrated from short-wave to FM or other new distribution channels
in digital quality, said Bettermann. Deutsche Welle had to stay abreast of
these changes. "According to test transmissions being
operated by Deutsche Welle, we anticipate large area coverage in almost FM
quality without interference such as jitters, induced power-noise or
fading", the General Director stated. At the same time, not only stationery
indoor reception, but also mobile reception
in cars and with small portable devices is possible.

Admittedly listeners would need new receivers. As a consequence, the real
challenge for the DRM consortium would be to achieve successful
implementation, said Technical Director of the EBU, Mr. Philip Laven. The
timetable for the introduction of digital services in the AM bands would in
fact be set by broadcasters, "but the speed of the transition to digital
will be set by consumers", stressed Laven.

Dan D'Aversa of RTL Group sees the chance to develop pan-European coverage
and that RTL Group would try to ensure "that low-cost DRM receivers will be
on sale in time for Christmas 2005".

Mike Cronk stated that the BBC had invested heavily in DRM and that they
were now developing "a detailed strategy for its initial deployment,
probably into Europe, in 2005". According to Cronk, DRM
offered the unique combination of wide area short-wave coverage and FM
usability and quality. As a consequence of using this digital medium,
continuous direct delivery to the audience avoiding "political or other
regulatory obstacles" will be possible.

Bettermann, having also stressed the aspect of the impossibility to censor
short-wave and, focussing on European implementation, announced that
Deutsche Welle would gradually switch off its analogue short-wave
transmissions. A pre-condition would be the world-wide availability of DRM
receivers.

(The Radio Newsletter)