Only better content will persuade listeners to buy digital radio receivers, the RadioAsia conference in New Delhi heard today.
The real challenge for the broadcaster is to motivate the listeners to replace their analogue receivers with digital receivers, R Narasimha Swamy of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd (BECIL) said.
This can happen only if the created content be more imaginative, innovative and attractive.
On the third and final day of the conference, participants heard how digital radio technology was penetrating the Asia-Pacific region.
The Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner, said there were now more than 55 Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB+) services on air in Australias five largest cities, covering nearly 60 percent of the population.
She said DAB+ radios could now be obtained at more than 600 retail shops.
The other technical standard gaining ground in the Asia-Pacific region is Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). The DRM consortium was founded in 1998 as a non-commercial entity promoting the adoption of the DRM standard around 100 members including broadcasters and manufacturers.
The conference heard that All India Radio was carrying out DRM shortwave transmissions from Khampur in Delhi on an experimental basis.
RadioAsia was jointly organised by the ABU, the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) and Singapore Exhibition Services.