NEW DELHI: Media specialist Sharad Sadhu has said India’s public broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) continues to roll-out new transmitters, which are also capable of running the DRM standard.

AIR is current running probably the largest shortwave DRM service in the world, and medium wave services are planned, he told RadioAsia 2014 organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

An estimated 78 new transmitters will ensure around 70 percent of the Indian population will be able to receive DRM services, when implemented.

Several production houses are now manufacturing DRM sets, he said.

Sadhu called for manufacturers to consider integrated digital radio chipsets, allowing FM, DAB+, DRM and other digital radio standards on the same radio set.

Meanwhile, an academician said radio listenership in India is going down because of a dearth of innovation in on-air programming and a lack of differentiation.

K Padmakumar from the School of Communication at Manipal University sounded a warning to private radio broadcasters ahead of Phase III of FM licensing and said there was also the problem of too many commercial activities – advertising and promotions in programming.

Padmakumar added that there was too much pressure on on-air talent as cost-cutting by stations had led to too much multi-tasking.

Phase III will see 839 FM frequencies auctioned in over 200 smaller cities and towns.Meanwhile, World DMB project director Bernie O’Neill said three Asian countries have begun or will start digital radio trials over the next few months. A trial is already under way in Malaysia, while Thailand (military coup permitting) and Indonesia are due to test the technology in 2014.

Hong Kong already has 15 DAB+ audio services live on air. Over 300,000 devices have been sold in the territory to date.

Historically, one issue that has hampered digital radio take up has been the lack of support by car manufacturers. But that is changing, said O’ Neill. New figures show 55 per cent of new vehicles in the UK now come fitted with DAB digital radio.

Another panellist – Albert Tseng from Keystone Semiconducter, which manufactures digital radio chips – warned that take up of the technology was still slow and that killer applications and more compelling content were necessary for digital radio to succeed.

Rafiqul Haque, MD of Radio Today, Bangladesh, gave an update on the country’s nascent radio scene. His station was the first private FM station in 2006.

When it first launched, advertising agencies and listeners were sceptical. But in eight years, the station has built not only a successful brand but transformed radio into a much loved media.While the station runs a music intensive format, Radio Today also features several radio drama series and community projects about health and well-being.

As a partner of Voice of America (VOA), the station broadcasts news bulletins from the international broadcaster.