Yesterday saw the launch of the newfangled DAB+ format (Digital Audio Broadcasting using enhanced audio coding) for some of Melbourne’s most beloved community radio stations. It’s a format which offers text and pictures in addition to audio. The Commonwealth Government saw fit to pony up the cash for these stations to access this format and as a result nine of them all got together yesterday at the Atrium at Federation Square to launch the new service by all broadcasting live together at once.
It was like running a gauntlet of radio booths as the assembled throng of radio personalities and music identities gathered to hear speeches from Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Rockwiz host Brian Nankervis to open proceeding. 3CR, 3KND, 3MBS, PBS, 3RRR, 3ZZZ, 89.9 LightFm, SYN FM and Vision Australia Radio then proceeded to broadcast about all things digital as the new format was released upon the eardrums of music fans across Melbourne.
Unlike the advent of digital TV, analogue radio channels won’t be switched off – rather they’ll be complimentary to the existing broadcasting frequencies and offer radio listeners more opportunities to interact with their favourite stations and presenters than ever before.
