The move by China to officially adopt the DRM standard for medium and shortwave broadcasting is a significant step for radio, particularly in disadvantaged or relatively poor countries.
In Western countries, radio listening is on the decline, mostly in commercial or advertising-driven radio. However, national, public or government-funded broadcasters remain relevant, influential, popular and necessary. In non-Western countries, mobile/cell phone and internet networks are relatively cheap for operators, but they remain expensive to consumers. DRM medium wave and shortwave radios will be affordable to consumers in time.
At the same time, national broadcasters don’t have the money for new transmitters and other infrastructure, like land for large shortwave antennas. I can see no reason for public broadcasters without assets or services leasing time on the transmitters of other regional broadcasters. It’s makes sense for a whole lot of reasons. Perhaps wishful thinking, perhaps not.
For example, Radio New Zealand International has an extensive Pacific Island service. There’s no reason the Australian Broadcasting Corporation couldn’t buy a few hours each day on RNZI’s transmitters for broadcast.
Indeed, RNZI already broadcasts DRM. Why? It’s so local stations in the Pacific can rebroadcast their news services locally in high audio-quality. Shortwave DRM is way cheaper and easier than satellite time, dishes and specialist receiving equipment. Papua New Guinea recently announced it will reintroduce its shortwave services. There are many others who have already gone down the DRM path, including India and Indonesia.
Chinese-made radios will proliferate in the years ahead. I have radios from both Baofeng (UV-5R Mini) and XH-Data (D-808), and while they’re not in the Icom or Sony class, they’re nonetheless good radios.
Read more about the news from China from Tecsun Radio in Australia.