The Digital Radio Mondiale ( ) Consortium and the Indonesian public broadcaster, (RRI), held a comprehensive DRM30 digital radio trial and workshop in Jakarta, between March 24 and 27.
On the first day technical presentations were made, which were illustrated by the medium wave trial organised the next day at the Bogor station, about 60 kilometres south of Jakarta.
This was followed by a practical discussion of the trial results and the exploration of all DRM options and benefits.
On the last day of the workshop, there was a discussion on the best way to introduce DRM countrywide and the possibilities of producing single or multi-standard receivers in the country.
Indonesia is a challenging broadcasting landscape with coastal lowlands, larger islands and mountainous areas.
RRI is exploring ways of overcoming these challenges to provide quality broadcasting services countrywide with the efficient use of energy.
Sunarya Ruslan, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of RRI Indonesia, hailed the DRM, RRI joint endeavour as most significant: “In our country of over 13,000 islands and about a quarter billion people we want to have radio broadcast services that are economical, easy, and mobile. They need to offer the same good quality to Indonesian citizens, whether they are in big or small cities, near or afar. Good sound, good programmes and available and affordable receivers for everyone is the aim now.”
Muhammad Rohanudin, Technology and New Media Director of RRI, was enthusiastic about the ease of adapting the existing analogue infrastructure (in Bogor) in record time in order to carry digital programmes in simulcast or pure digital.
He declared the DRM sound quality “spectacular” and thought that “DRM can provide an option for RRI to reach every corner of the country, if all stakeholders work together.”
Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Consortium Chairman, was delighted to see that the event involved RRI but also spectrum specialists, representatives of the government, of private broadcasters and receiver manufacturers.
She said: “The DRM trial and workshop demonstrated that DRM offers the coverage, multi-platform content, excellent audio quality, extra features and cost savings that really fit with RRI’s aspirations. DRM is made for Indonesia and Indonesia is made for DRM.”