WorldDAB pavilion and workshop at ABU DBS, Malaysia

24.02.2023 by Will Jackson

WorldDAB – the global industry forum for DAB digital radio – is bringing together experts from around the world for a workshop at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union’s Digital Broadcasting Symposium (ABU DBS) in Malaysia.

The Symposium is back as an in-person event after a break of two years and takes place from 6-9 March at The Royale Chulan Hotel in Kuala Lumpur’s downtown business district. It includes a conference, exhibition, masterclasses, and workshops, and attracts close to 1,500 participants annually, representing over 350 organisations across the region and beyond. WorldDAB is exhibiting throughout the event on stands 17 and 18, with members GatesAir and Paneda joining the pavilion.

“We’re delighted to be back in person at ABU DBS,” said Bernie O’Neill, WorldDAB Project Director. “We know there’s growing interest in DAB digital radio from across the region, with popular services already well-established in Australia, and DAB+ trials in Thailand and Vietnam. Alongside this, DAB is also building momentum in the Middle East and Africa. We’re looking forward to sharing knowledge and experience at this significant event.”

On the afternoon of Monday 6th, WorldDAB will be holding a workshop entitled “Economics, Environment, Emergency - driving the case for DAB+”. In the session, experts from around the world will explore how broadcast radio is free to air, universal and reliable in emergencies. DAB+ plays a key role in protecting those benefits, offering lower costs of distribution than FM, lower energy requirements, and greater resilience in emergencies, especially out of home.

The session will be moderated by Dr Les Sabel, Chair of WorldDAB’s APAC Technical Group. The group gives guidance on the technical aspects of implementing DAB+ digital radio, with help and advice tailored specifically to the needs of the region. Dr Sabel has over 30 years of experience in communications systems.

Monday’s workshop will open with a review of new deployments and opportunities for growth around the world from Bernie O'Neill. Bernie joined WorldDAB in 2011 and leads the WorldDAB project team in delivering information and advice on all aspects of deploying DAB digital radio.

An update on the upgrades and advances to the DAB+ family of standards in line with recent technical developments within the radio industry will be provided by Lindsay Cornell, Principal Systems Architect at BBC Digital, and WorldDAB Technical Committee Chair. Lindsay has worked for the BBC in a variety of engineering, editorial and leadership roles spanning radio, TV, and spectrum regulation.

Les Sabel will offer an overview of current deployments and activities within the APAC region and will also explore the fast-growing 'small-scale' DAB sector. Following this, Nick Piggott, Project Manager of Bristol Digital Radio, which operates small-scale multiplexes in the west of England, will discuss a not-for-profit model allowing community and student radio stations to broadcast on digital radio. Nick has spent most of his career working in the radio industry, initially in programming and then moving to digital radio and online innovation. He is one of the founders of RadioDNS Hybrid Radio, the open technology project that allows broadcast radio and IP to work together, combining the power of broadcasting to reach many people and the power of the internet to deliver enhanced or personalised content.

Lars-Peder Lundgren, CEO of Paneda Sweden, will cover emergency warnings on DAB+. Lars-Peder has been involved in DAB from the beginning, with 25 years in the digital radio business. He joined Paneda as Sales Director in 2014 and has been CEO since 2020.

Transmission solutions to manage cost will be explored by Oscar Hu, Regional Sales Manager, Southeast Asia, GatesAir. Hu’s background of almost 20 years in the over-the-air broadcast industry, where he has been active in most of the advanced DVB and ATSC digital transmission standards development.

Finally, Hermann Zensen, Head of Sales and Marketing at Digidia, will discuss DAB+ multiplexing from local to national implementations. Hermann joined Digidia in 2008 as Sales Manager and has been Head of Sales and Marketing since Nautel purchased the company in 2021.

As well as the Monday afternoon workshop, WorldDAB’s team of experts will be contributing to several sessions throughout the Symposium.

ABU DBS will also see WorldDAB highlighting its new book: "Establishing DAB+ Digital Broadcast Radio". The free ebook, available from the WorldDAB website, offers a unique, in-depth guide to the regulatory, technical, and commercial aspects of establishing a successful DAB digital radio service. The book provides guidance to new countries seeking to launch DAB services, as well as offering advice for markets which have already started the process, and those who are nearing permanent service status.

Visit the WorldDAB pavilion at stands 17 and 18 to meet with digital radio experts who are available throughout the Symposium to offer guidance and support on rolling out DAB+. There’ll also be the opportunity to enter a draw to win a DAB digital radio.