2. DIGITAL RADIO Core promises
1996 CBAA sought digital radio future for community broadcasting on an affordable basis.
2005 Minister announced digital radio to commence in 2009.
To include community broadcasting.
No spectrum cost.
3
2007 Legislated commencement and inclusion of community broadcasting.
2005 CBAA developed strategy and sought funding for digital media contribution system and digital radio
transmission infrastructure.
o To enable cost effective content contribution and collaboration.
o Structure content outputs to suit transmission using part of digital radio multiplex
capacity in each state capital.
o Structure to enable content outputs to be leveraged across other digital media platforms.
3
2007 Budget commitment to funding of $10.1M over 4 years, review in 2010.
3. END USERS RADIO STATION OVERARCHING ENTITY DISTRIBUTION END USERS
Adelaide
Brisbane
Hobart
Melbourne
SMUX
SMUX Perth
SMUX
Sydney
SMUX
SMUX
Data
Server
Other Stations
or Producers
Main site
DAB+
Audio
STI (Audio & Data)
Encoder
Audio IP NETWORK SMUX
Encoder Infill
Data
Commercials
Server
Audio
DAB+
SMUX
M&C M&C Data
JVC
Multiplexer
Digital TV
(MUX)
DVB-H
Web Audio
Station Interface Encoder
Mobile Phone
Initial 40
Data
Server
Sub-Metro &
Monitor &
Regional Control
DRM
CONTENT MULTI-PLATFORM M&C
M&C M&C
DAB+ L band
EXCHANGE DATA SERVER
DIGITAL RADIO Overview
Details omitted for clarity
4. DIGITAL RADIO Overview
• Six state capital cities, legislated start date January 2009.
• Technology based on EU147 DAB with AAC+ audio coding overlay – DAB+
• Digital capacity is available as of right to community broadcasters, commercial broadcasters and national
broadcasters. Supplementary.
• Common transmission infrastructure – not one to one – multiplexed services.
• Commercials get 1/9th of multiplex each. Community sector share up to 2/9th on each multiplex - where that
multiplex is required to effect a commercial entitlement.
• ABC and SBS to share one multiplex in each city.
• Likely to be new ABC and SBS services. Some commercials likely to do new services – though there is also talk
of simulcast and limiting new services.
• Community sector funding for contribution and transmission. Not media content.
• New radios… There are no AAC+ units just yet, apart from Korean DMB units. Q1 2008.
• UK is the biggest market otherwise – UK market uses MPEG Layer 2 audio coding – benchtop units, home
sound system units, portables, i-river units. ₤35… Car units slowly emerging. Mercedes DAB+ next year, Holden
DAB+ option 2009. Early days for integrating with phones and other portable music players. Competitive
technology with DVB-H. Movio.
5. DIGITAL RADIO Scope of funds
• Spectrum – or access to digital capacity – has been provided at no cost.
• Budget funding for transmission and contribution infrastructure - planning, capital and operation.
• $10.1M over 4 years.
• Funding for main sites only.
• Pro-rata of overall costs, plus contribution and specifics.
• Assumptions in estimates about spectrum, grade of coverage, redundancy, use of IP connectivity.
• Many implementation variables – spectrum choice, redundancy, grade of coverage, linking options.
• No funding for in-fill, review 2010.
• No funding for content.
• Funding is for you to be able to deliver content you make on an affordable basis.
• Think of it as a risk mitigation strategy. The risks involved are quite high.
6. DIGITAL RADIO Timing
• Legislated start date January 2009.
• Commercial desire to start late 2008. Very tight.
• Common infrastructure - multiplex - means need Joint Venture Company/ies.
• National planning and procurement.
• National structure/s for city based Digital Representative Companies.
• Structural, licensing and corporate urgent.
• Transmission Tenders Q4 2007, Awarded Q1 2008, Install Q3 2008, Test Q4 2008.
• Service Multiplexer Tender Q1 2008, Awarded Q2 2008, Install Q3 2008, Test Q4 2008.
• Contribution Tenders Q1 2008, Awarded Q2 2008, Install Q3 2008, Test Q3 2008.
7. DIGITAL RADIO Studio impact and media structures
• Infrastructure provides a managed service for digital delivery.
• Plug in live audio. Plug in data. Production exchange.
• 40 stations, plus allowance for key contributors, live audio and data.
• New services with limited audience at early phase. Resource intensive. Studio intensive.
• Data services. Many of the PAD / DLS (text), EPG and multimedia enhancements tend to presume a playlisted
approach with stored content and meta-data ready to playout. May not be a good fit for many stations. Need to
develop systems that are more dynamic. Simplify and template approach to media content lodgement from a
studio – live, with defaults. Another approach – pre-load all content.
• Audio services. Lots of talk about non-real time services and then it drops back to … audio feeds or streams …
Extra studios and resources for full time service may be a big ask.
• Collaboration. Share the load across groupings of like minded stations to bring a new service - under your
brand if you need it – to your city. Or fully new services developed on collaborative basis using your segment of
capacity. As predicted, collaboration is trending to be across cities. Could look at inputs from stations outside
of capital cities as well - co-operative arrangements with key stations / program makers. Requires co-operative
structures and over-arching management.
• Sharing the load. Sharing the risk. Opening up new opportunities and profiling across other cities.
8. DIGITAL RADIO Platforms
• DAB+, DAB+, DAB+ … but there are other platforms too.
• Regional and sub-metropolitan - DRM on AM or 26MHz. Also L band DAB+.
• DMB, DVB-H, DVB-T, Web – into portable devices, mobile phones.
• Streaming and the web to fixed users.
• In some cases analog converging with all this.
• Existing ‘radio’ has some leverage to position itself within digital. The industry has been slow.
• Interesting challenges and synergies - new portable devices.
• Need to find content solutions that work across all these potential platforms. Cleverness in assembling the
media content so that those parts of it that can apply to multiple platforms do.
• Effort required at creation and at management points.
• Systems and infrastructure to engage without incurring crazy overheads or white-anting the analog service –
which will obviously have to carry on for many years to come.
• At the outset there will be very few DAB+ listeners – and for some years that may be the case. Therefore
leverage the effort of creating media content across a range of platforms.
9. DIGITAL RADIO Data services
• PAD / DLS: Artist, program, or sponsor information. More info, now / next. These are first level text add-ons.
Embedded in audio frame. Across platforms. DRM, DAB, DVB-H. 0 kbps impact
• EPG: Simplifies multi-channel tuning, awareness, find out what you want and when,
program labelling, set reminders, listener recording & time shifting. 4-8 kbps
• Store and Replay: Schedule to record favourites, rewind to hear things again,
expand listenership via non-real time listening. 0 kbps
• Advanced Data / N PAD: Data unrelated to audio, leverage broadcast model - like sub-carrier on FM.
Navigation systems, phones, pdas, digital signs, in store displays. 25 kbp minute
• Conditional Access: Encryption, enables opt-in audio, data or video content.
Premium or Adults only. Subscription model. 1kbps per service
• Real time traffic: can be broadcast to car navigation systems. 1kbps rising to 8 kbps
• Multi-media:
o Aligned with artist, program, sponsorship. Continuous low impact 10 kbps
If movie clips (not allowed on DAB) 20-64 kbps
o Not aligned. News weather, scores, movie times, stock, horoscopes 10kbps on carousel
o Video: BT Movio DAB IP into mobile phone 64 kbps. Korea DMB 64 to 300 kbps
10. DIGITAL RADIO Audio services
• Existing audio services - simulcast.
o Will that drive digital ?
• New audio services -
o Instead, as a priority, or as well
o Totally your own or collaboratively
o Collaboratively with stations in your city. Trend is across cities, by interest.
o Will unique content drive digital ?
o Genre, language, time shuffling, concerts, focussed talk, cultural, new community of interest.
• Sweet spot for AAC+ audio is 64 kbps, ok at 48 kbps. Use 32 kHz sampling then 32 kbps ok.
o surround sound in near horizon - vehicles - extra 15kbps
11. DIGITAL RADIO Excess Capacity
• There is a strong case for further multiplexes to accommodate community sector requirements or that
community broadcaster use be prioritised within excess capacity of planned multiplexes.
• This issue is of particular relevance to Perth and Adelaide.
• Where excess capacity is available on a multiplex, and where the requisite 1/9th access entitlement has not
been provided in respect of each eligible community broadcaster in that market, priority should be given to
community broadcasters taking up that capacity.
• Under the legislation decisions on use of excess capacity rest initially with the shareholders of the JVC.
Aggregate
Revised Revised
• There are many issues, including tenure and funding, which wouldExcess Use Excess Community community
need to be agreed. community
Number of Number of Capacity Capacity entitlement entitlement entitlement
Commercial Community (ninths) (ninths) (ninths) (ninths) (ninths)
Category 1 Mux 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Adelaide 6 6 1 1 2 3 3
Brisbane 1 1 2 3
8 7 6 7
Approx. 2 If excess 2 If excess
Brisbane 3 4
Aggregate Community capacity used capacity used If excess
Revised Revised 4bit rate, 1 Ad/Perth, 2 Ad/Perth, capacity3used
Hobart 3 3 3
Excess Use Excess Community community community higher higher same all cities, same
Number of Number of Capacity Capacity entitlement entitlement entitlement protection 1 protection 2 protection protection
Melbourne 1 3
5 11 6 98 9 3 (kbit/s) 7
Commercial Community (ninths) (ninths) (ninths) (ninths) (ninths) (kbit/s) (kbit/s) (kbit/s)
Category 1 Mux 1 2 3 4 7
Melbourne 2 2 2 4
Adelaide 6 6 1 1 2 3 3 38.8 58.2 64.0 64.0
Perth 6 7 1 1 2 3 3
Brisbane 1 1 2 3 77.6 128.0
8 7 6 7
Sydney 1 1 2 3
Brisbane 3 2 2 4 3 58.2 128.0
11 8 7
Sydney 2 2 2 4
Hobart 3 3 4 1 2 3 3 77.6 128.0
Melbourne 1 1 2 3 58.2 96.0
11 9 3 7
Melbourne 2 2 2 4 46.5 102.4 Commercial sector
Perth 6 7 1 1 2 3 3 33.2 49.9 54.9 54.9 Community sector
Sydney 1 1 2 3 58.2 96.0 Excess capacity if used by community sector
11 8 3 7
Sydney 2 2 2 4 58.2 128.0 Remaining excess capacity
Commercial sector
Community sector
Note: ACMA does not currently envisage making use of Category if2 digital radio multiplex transmitter licences in metropolitan areas
Excess capacity used by community sector
Remaining excess capacity
12. DIGITAL RADIO Planning Parameters
• Very different planning approach to analog – cliff effect.
• Suggest location availability targets
o 99 % for outdoor mobile and car reception.
o 95 % for indoor suburban portable reception.
o A lesser figure to be determined for inner urban portable reception.
• Suggest planning threshold be 95% indoor, measured using field strength of 70dBuv/m at 10m, 50%
• Spectrum options. Prefer 230-240MHz. Current planning in TV channels 9a and 12.
• High power main site required. Augmented by L band in-fill.
• Planning is for main sites only.
• Suggest consistent planning be based on 3 multiplexes across channel 9a.
• All multiplexes should provide the same coverage – sites, power, patterns.
• No expectation that digital coverage should equate to analog coverage.
• Suggest a flexible approach to interference management where judgements can be made about coverage versus
interference to small pockets of population. Suggest a collective approach where risk is shared, at least in
implementation phase.
