DAB+ Digital Radio Workshop, Zagreb, Croatia

Venue: Hotel Double Tree by Hilton, Ulica Grada Vukovara 269a, Zagreb, Croatia

Hosted & Organized by: Transmitters & Communications Ltd. (OiV), Zagreb, Croatia

The purpose of this one-day workshop is the popularisation of digital radio and the exchange of views of all stakeholders on the Croatian radio market as well as presenting information of introducing DAB+ digital radio from Europe and rest of the world. The aim is to initiate discussion about the possibilities and challenges in the process of deployment of DAB+ digital radio in Croatia.

Programme

09:30 – 10:00      Registration and welcome coffee

10:00 – 10:15      Introduction, Mate Botica, CEO OiV

Panel 1:             What does digital radio bring to us?

The aim of this panel is to present what digital radio brings to end users – listeners from the technological point of view, and what it means to the regulator, network operators, broadcasters. Through keynote presentations and discussion at the round table, we shall try to explore if the DAB+ is a replacement for FM, what is the experience in Europe and in the world, what kind of technical solutions exist for the local radio stations, what is the situation with DAB + receivers, and what are frequency needs and resources.

10:15 – 10:30      Presentation 1 – DAB+ global update on progress in Europe and around the world                                                         Patrick Hannon, President, WorldDAB  

10:30 – 10:45      Presentation 2 – Experiences in DAB+ receivers, automotive and small scale DAB+                                                       Sam Bonham, Head of Technical Development, Digital Radio UK 

10:45 – 11:00      Presentation 3 – Launch of DAB+ in Slovenia                                                                                                                   Bojan Ramšak, Head of R&D, Transmitter and Communications Unit, RTV Slovenia

11:00 – 11:15      Presentation 4 – Digital radio in Croatia - Regulatory framework                                                                                       Mr. Sc. Danijel Vlahović, HAKOM

11:15 – 11:30      Presentation 5 – Digital radio from OiV’s perspective                                                                                                         Bruno Cigrovski, OiV Croatia

11:30 – 12:15      Round table and discussion  Moderator: Tigran Vržina (OiV)                                                     Participants: Patrick Hannon (WorldDAB), Sam Bonham (Digital Radio UK), Bojan Ramšak (RTV Slovenia), Danijel Vlahović (HAKOM), Bruno Cigrovski (OiV)

12:15 – 12:45     Refreshment & networking 

Panel 2:             Radio Market in Digital Environment – New Opportunities 

The aim of this panel is to explore from the content side what the transition on digital radio brings to the stakeholders. Through keynote presentations and discussion at the round table, we shall try to come to conclusions about necessary changes of the legislation, new content and services as well as new marketing opportunities. This means also the digital radio from the perspective of the publisher and from the perspective of the legislator (a system of concessions / licenses in the digital environment and the possibility of introducing specialised programs). At the end we shall discuss the time frame in which digital radio could become a reality in the Republic of Croatia due to the market conditions. 

12:45 – 13:00      Presentation 6 - Experiences in the introduction of the digital radio, especially new content, and                                     the solution for local and regional radios                                                                                                                       Jørn Jensen, Senior Advisor, NRK Norway

13:00 – 13:15      Presentation 7 – Digital radio in Croatia - possibilities and obstacles from AEM's perspective                                            Damir Hajduk, Council deputy chairperson, AEM

13:15 – 14:00      Round table and discussion Moderator: Tonko Obuljen (OiV)                                                    Participants: Jørn Jensen (NRK Norway), Damir Hajduk (AEM), Ernest Strika (HRT), Robert Veseljak (HURIN),  Hrvoje Turić (Radio Dalmacija), Gordan Antić (Radio 808)