Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) gave important news from its key markets in the first three days of IBC, the largest media, entertainment and technology show in Europe. 

Under the overarching theme “DRM Drives Forward” the DRM Consortium first showcased the DRM (AM and FM) progress in South Africa with details about the spectrum, energy efficiency and no interference observed during the DRM trial in Johannesburg, recently just extended. At this first event hosted by Fraunhofer IIS, participants also welcomed the decision taken in Russia to allocate the VHF band to DRM.  During the same lively event the guests heard with interest that the public broadcaster in India (AIR) is also supporting DRM for VHF and that with an established network of almost 40 DRM transmitters, the promotion of DRM to the audience is to start. 

The next day – on September 15 – at the Nautel event the focus was on  the global potential of DRM, the ease of upgrading the large number of AM transmitters all over the world to digital and the increased efficiency that new solid state transmitters bring to the market.  The many participants could listen to the live local DRM transmission received on the increased number of DRM receivers to which a new low cost, all band one was also added and displayed. 

The last event hosted on Sunday 16th September by Ampegon had “new” written all over it.  The Ampegon representative gave details about a big solid state shortwave transmitter delivered and on air in 2018 and about a huge antenna installed in the US, as part of a large DRM shortwave installation to be completed in 2019.

IBC 2018 was for DRM a time for marking significant progress globally with important announcements a new receiver prototype (Germany) and DRM transmission equipment for FM (Russia).