By Eduardo Esarey
LAST REVISION: January 2007
CHAPTER 1 Introduction
10 years ago Nicholas Negroponte [1] (Founder and Director of the renowned Media Lab at MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in his famous book Being Digital, prophesied a future based on digital technologies, the dominance of the atoms-bit address, verified daily reality that virtually all activities of our society. Nichlas
Negroponte Negroponte envisioned in this context, major changes in the form of media, now we are seeing evolve in different regions of the world, with different formats and different results.
That the future of radio in our country, like the rest of the world is going to be digital, and no one can doubt.
So far, we have witnessed significant changes in the digitization of the operational areas of the stations, which brought many advances in production tasks, news, and obviously part of the assembly of the commercial breaks and the pieces of art and music, where digital editing, it is an inescapable reality in a modern station.
But recently we have begun to witness in different countries, the introduction of new technologies for digital transmission, which is a very different thing. Guillermo
MarconiRecordemos the analog radio amplitude modulation, as we know from our days, dating from the 20's, when Guglielmo Marconi designed the technology model, and only 40 years later, had its first evolution with Multiplex Stereo Frequency Modulation. In the late 80's, with the replacement of the transmitters for the new solid-state technology, there was an attempt to develop a standard for AM Stereo, which failed as soon as it was released. Since then no change in the radio, saying that the PM has more than 85 years and more than 40 FM.
This incorporation of new digital technology in radio, is not a simple evolutionary change, but can generate a significant change in the way of doing business, and where a strategic decision wrong can lead to a significant failure with the financial cost that implies. Different
digital radio systems will coexist and implementing both in Europe and the United States. All promote its benefits, but the truth is that there have been very different experiences, with very different results in each of the regions where they are implemented. In our country
Decree 527/2005, which established the extensions of the broadcasting licenses for 10 years, also promotes among other findings, the incorporation of digital transmission technologies.
The aim of this work is to investigate about the different technologies that have been implemented in the world, and all others that experts predict to be implemented in the future, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, and providing some way will be positioned as our current methods against these new forms of global competition and interactive, which threaten to banish the current formats of communication .
The question is whether this is the right time to start this technological transformation, and if so, what is the most appropriate standard to implement in our market.
When implementing new technologies, it is very important to establish a standard to produce the necessary support from device manufacturers, content generators, carriers and users. The problem is that standards are many, and they lose their raison d'etre.
One of the strengths of the analogue radio, which gave global dimension is that there is a single international standard that makes a receptor for AM or FM radio works the same way in Argentina, in the U.S. or Indonesia.
addition, the radio is an open system, which has no borders and does not charge for access. Similarly, applying technology, developed by Mr. William Marconi in the early twentieth century, also receives licenses or royalties of any kind.
In the modern world, things have changed, and the plethora of technologies has resulted in each country, or consortium of countries, or in some cases from global intend to implement multiple de facto standards, and collect licensing or royalties from its use.
If we analyze now, "the digital radio, and there are several standards in the world among which are the following:
- European System - Eureka 147 - DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
- Global (short and medium waves) DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale)
- American System - IBOC (In Band On Channel) - HD Radio
There are also other digital TV platforms, such as the European DVB system (Digital Broadcast vines) or the Japanese ISDB (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting) that also support for transmission of high-quality digital audio for mobile devices.
We will also analyze in this report, the different types of satellite radio, called DARS (Satellite Digital Audio Radio) that offer proprietary platforms, but of great penetration, especially in the U.S. market.
its importance, one can not analyze, before going into details of different systems, a standard called RDS, which although not a digital transmission system, provides a data channel to the analog FM performance interesting and additional services.
RDS is still in force
RDS (Radio Data System) has been widely distributed in European countries since the late 80's and is still widespread, especially in vehicles, because nearly all brands refitting factory units with RDS receivers. This is a data system that runs on conventional FM transmission, which provides additional information to the listener, using a subcarrier with amplitude modulated signal. RDS provides text data to the receiver's display station ID, song titles and other relevant information. You can also identify the type of program whether music, news, sports, etc.
Another major benefit of RDS is to be able to deliver traffic reports or weather condition automatically, even when the receiver is turned off, or playing a CD. But the main feature of the RDS receiver, and probably has given him more popular, is the ability to receive a list of alternative frequencies, which allows that while traveling, the listener if you ever want to listen to the same line through a monitoring system to tune and automatically switch the clearest frequency of the zone, ie the repeater that provides the best sound quality among all emitting the selected program. Probably
these advanced features RDS technology that European users are accustomed, is also one reason why the scan does not mean a quantum leap, since most of the added value offered by the digitization already has RDS.
In the U.S. market, RDS has not had much impact, because the business model of FM radio is different from Europe, but in recent years had a major resurgence.
In Argentina, in 2005 major FM stations, implemented the basic features of RDS, as many cars began to bring the receivers factory. FM 100 The first used the ease of text in the display of the receiver for broadcast advertising.
The DAB in Europe
Eureka 147A in the late 80's born in Europe the first form of digital radio called Eureka 147, which is also known by the generic name of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) .
is a digital transmission format of cell type in the 900 Mhz band (Banda L) is requiring new spectrum allocation and special receivers to tune in the band and the digital format.
The OBD system is designed to be used flexibly. Enables different transmission speeds and digital multiplex in a single block that is broadcast all along, several channels with different fonts and encoding options programs, data related to these and additional data services, obtaining the same area provider. Typically
multiplex can contain 6 stereo audio programs of high quality (192 Kbps) using the standard MPEG-1 Audio, plus additional services text.
The system was implemented initially in the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland and the Nordic countries and later in Spain and Canada.
However, most commercial radio Europe continue to doubt with regard to digitization, although there are exceptions worthy of note, although few, as the experience of the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries.
In the UK commercial broadcasters joined forces with the BBC and a state regulator willing to cooperate, DAB multiplexers appeared everywhere, adding multiple digital channels only. By the end of 2005, there were 1.6 million DAB receivers in homes in the UK.
probably this experience, and to a lesser extent the Nordic countries, are the most prominent success stories, while in countries such as Norway, the authority proposes Medietilsynet media total shutdown of the analog FM emissions for 2014.
Norway was among the first countries to implement digital broadcasting in mid-1990 on DAB technology, which is quite developed in that country.
A Culture Ministry report on its investigation into the future use of digital radio in the country, referred to public service and commercial stations provide service to 70% of the population. The DAB receiver market is just now beginning to blossom. Until recently, demand was very low, and there were very few units available. Until late 2005 it is estimated that only 25,000 units were sold in nationwide
The report explains in detail the reasons for supporting the shift to digital technology, including increased capacity and diversity of programming, additional services such as information contained upgraded, additional downloads and listen to weather change and more integration easily with other digital information sources.
The report suggests that DAB offers an enhanced listening experience less interference and better sound quality, assuming you use bit rates high enough.
At a more pragmatic level, the FM transmission is relatively old, the report proposes to replace the FM network instead of using it in conjunction with a digital network and investment in both technologies is "economically unsustainable"
In contrast to these successful cases such as Norway or the United Kingdom, other European countries are struggling to maintain its DAB services, and some are canceling their operations and analyze other formats such as a possible alternative.
Most European commercial broadcasters remained loyal to analog broadcast model, which is now facing even more threats, ranging from iPods and MP3 players to streaming broadcasts
most notorious example was the case of Spain, who bid for the new band of DAB services, with new players in the market, and found the right formula for listeners to adopt the new format, bringing to the brink of bankruptcy to new broadcasters who can not find a way to recoup investments and try to survive now broadcasts in FM frequencies enabled traditional. For its part, Canada is in a similar situation and discusses alternatives.
Short Wave DRM and
For frequencies below three megahertz, like those used by medium-wave services, long and shortwave, DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), was developed by a consortium led by France's Thompson, and supported by international broadcasters like the BBC worldservice, Deutschland Radio, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Radio Canada International / CBC, Swedish Radio International and Voice of America, among other , is shown as a true promise to revolutionize the quality of shortwave reception, it was designed to combat fading and propagation of short-wave analog signals long distance.
The idea of \u200b\u200binternational broadcasters with DRM is to improve the audio quality of the shortwave broadcasts, in order to exploit the current potential of 600 to 700 million sets of the band in use around the world. In late 2004 launched the first recipient of consumer DRM radio.
According to sales figures of receivers and the use of domestic shortwave, DRM developers consider their best potential markets are Germany, Britain, France, China, India, Australia and countries of the former Soviet Union. While
consortium Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) and RTL Group has announced the long awaited arrival of low-cost receivers for the second half of 2005, and DAB is gaining ground, other standards (such as DVB-H and DMB) that allow reception of multimedia content in mobile computers are already in the testing stage or about to start.
Consortium Europe promotes the use of the standard also in the band medium wave AM, for what has already made presentations in our region with the governments of Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.
The system is robust and promises major improvements to compete with the U.S. standard of HD Radio IBOC as it keeps the same carrier frequency of the station, combining digital with analog transmission.
The proposed IBOC As in the United States was not ready identifiable spectrum, in which the bandwidth of the Eureka-147 signals could be located, as the band used in Europe, United States is for military use at the beginning of the decade 90's a consortium called USA Digital Radio, developed a new standard in the United States was called IBOC (In Band On Channel). The format offers a new way, as indicated by its name, which combines analog with digital transmission in the "same side and on the same channel." Thus, this format does not require new spectrum allocation, and instead proposes an alternative based scanning that current broadcasters, incorporating digital technology in their own frequencies. The system proposes a first stage of transition "hybrid", where traditional analog and digital formats, until such time as replacement receivers and can switch to a digital only format. The system can be implemented in both stations AM and FM.
In 1999 Lucent Technologies Acquires Rights to IBOC format and a year later formed a consortium of many companies called iBiquity Digital Corp., and the system now called HD Radio.
HD Radio is betting its success to the radio concept of High Definition (HD) in FM, based on the so-called alternative service channels. The idea is to reduce the drain caused by radio listeners to satellite radio, the Internet and personal players, with a range of ancillary services to attract or retain audiences. Screen
data, reports traffic time and full time during business hours or highest rated; news for niche audiences and specialized news reports, plus simulcast in a second language, among other amenities, make Mexico and Latin America's strongest potential market for HD Radio.
HD Radio is heavily promoted by big American networks like Clear Channel Radio for adoption, because satellite systems with its new proposal seriously threaten their survival.
The threat of
DARS Satellite services are the Digital Audio Radio Satellite imposed in the continental USA since the beginning of new century. The patented satellite radio services in the band S of the United States are two: XM Satellite Radio
based on geostationary satellites, with digital quality sound, XM is the largest service with 5 million subscribers, who pay u $ s 13 .- per month to receive over 130 channels of audio, most of them without advertising. Music, news, sports, weather, etc., make the proposal for these services. XM Satellite Radio began broadcasting in September 2001.
SIRIUS Satellite Radio Sirius Meanwhile a similar proposal in programming costs, has nearly 2 million subscribers. Receptors (connectable in the car or at home) are proprietary and are marketed for less than $ 150.
In December 2000, Sirius Satellite Radio satellite system completed high elliptical orbit (HEO) and July 2002, launched its digital radio service via satellite mobile reception capability.
XM has signed agreements with GM, Audi, Nissan and other automakers to equip their cars as standard, with the satellite receiver installed. Similarly, those who rent a high-end vehicle from Avis Rent a Car will get your unit equipped with the receiver and a subscription to use the service weekly. Meanwhile Sirius
did the same with the terminals of Ford, Chrysler, and BMW and equips Herz rental vehicles.
USA Satellite services are not yet profitable, due to the high cost and huge investment promotion and recruitment advertising art being made to impose the system on the market, but they estimate that by 2008 will generate profits.
At the moment, have signed exclusive contracts millionaires with leading figures in broadcast radio. And we also speak of the implementation of premium channels in the style of pay cable TV.
The Satellite elsewhere
World Space is a French consortium led by Thomson and Alcatel, which has since 1990 a system made 3-geostationary fixed-position: AfriStar, AsiaStar and AmeriStar that it planned to serve four continents. The RFI (Radio France Internationale) maintains its broadcasts on a regular basis since the late 90's, but for now there are only two satellites in orbit that provide services in Africa, Europe and the Middle East since the AmeriStar was never released. The monthly subscription costs $ s 10 .- and recipients about $ s 250 .- and have about 40 channels of music, news and sports.
far we have tried to describe briefly the operation of each of the systems in the world.
Making affordable receivers, in most cases it seems that is what defines the success or failure of these new technologies in broadcasting.
CHAPTER 2
The experience of other countries
often look at the new experiences of the media in other regions as indicators of what could happen in our market circumstances similar.
But not always as well. This type of model is not necessarily an accurate panorama. There are numerous examples in which the behavior of consumers in a given region is not repeated elsewhere under similar basic conditions.
Some of the causes of this behavior are historical precedents, contextual and social differences, economic preferences changing and competing priorities. Any of these options can break down the native parameters of a new media product and present a result that can be located very different from the reception that had the same technology in another region.
So while the experience of one region may serve other regions, rarely found reliable prediction universal factors on social behavior, that enable companies to develop their future strategies in the field of media.
Differences of Globalization
Paradoxically, when we talk about convergence, a word so widespread in our day, we must consider also the opposite phenomenon that occurs simultaneously in the form of differences.
When making comparisons, we must take into account how geography and language formats affect the media. High latitudes and language differences are very close in Europe, were a barrier to satellite transmission, while the low latitudes and large homogeneous language areas of the United States had the opposite effect. Consequently, satellite radio has been successful in USA, while in Europe has been no similar service.
Another important factor has been that the United States 40% of all radio listening occurs in the vehicles, and this is more than double of what usually happens in Europe.
I said, calls into question how relevant may be the widely cited success of DAB in the UK, or IBOC in the United States for similar technologies in other regions, particularly in our market.
's successful experience in the UK was largely thanks to the availability of content on the original DAB. Bear in mind that the radio market in the UK there are fewer radio stations, less diversity of ownership, lower car radio audience and have no jurisdiction of the mobile satellite radio. The DAB also benefited from cross-promotion through the media, something that would be difficult to achieve in other markets.
The adoption rate of digital radio in Europe, is mainly promoted by public service broadcasters, who adopted the technology and saw the potential of the possibilities offered by digital platforms, as compensation for the limitations of analog technology. With alternative income (tax licenses, government grants, etc.) And a tradition of experimentation with new technologies and a desire for participation on the market with exclusive service, many public broadcasters launching new digital channels.
On the other hand, regulatory agencies are welcome the adoption of digital techniques with a view to more efficient use of spectrum and the granting of new licenses. Private broadcasters, however, were more skeptical about the benefits of digitization, having no clear benefit in sight. Unable or unwilling to divert their attention from short-term financial needs, they resisted the adoption of new technology.
For its part, the adoption of IBOC by the United States, is marked by strong competition from satellite radio, which has been greatly favored in that market. However, the particularities of this market will not be repeated elsewhere in the world so easily: a large land mass at relatively low latitude, with only English and English as languages \u200b\u200bin widespread use and the highest number of cars in the world, relative to the size of its population, so that the mobile radio audience is equivalent to the fixed reception in homes and offices.
The U.S. broadcast radio can be defended as is the high penetration of satellite radio pays, which already has more than 8 million subscribers, and HD Radio is an alternative to salvation.
CHAPTER 3
The IBOC advanced in our region
In 2002 Mexico took place in early testing of IBOC outside the United States. The following year he did the same in Brazil and in October 2004
Radio Mitre and Continental have teamed up to conduct the first test transmission during a month of IBOC on AM in our country, always with the support of the U.S. Harris. Surprisingly
COMFER comptroller himself, Julio Barbaro declares the opening day of testing at the Sheraton Hotel: "You have to clean the spectrum of AM for this new technology possible. We are not only country with problems of radios trout, what happens is that Argentina has taken the matter very carelessness. "
The Anatel (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações) communications regulatory agency in Brazil in September 2005 authorized the testing of continuous transmission of U.S. HD Radio system. System
Stations Radio Globo, Bandeirantes, Jovem Pan, RBS and Eldorado, began airing its programming for the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre and Curitiba.
emissions are under development, as there are no receivers on the market at a reasonable price.
A car digital radio in the U.S. costs about U $ s 500 .- equivalent to approximately 1.000 .- Royals, who at the moment is a cost inaccessible to ordinary users.
is said that the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, is in talks to make possible the production of receptors in the Manaus Free Zone, but the fact is at the moment, these receptors are exported to USA only.
other hand, think it would be decisive, the decision by car manufacturers, to equip the units with the receptor for IBOC factory installed, as this would open the door for manufacturers such as Visteon, which produce Kenwood brand teams, who are studying the market.
is very important, in my view, to monitor the evolution of this technology in the Brazilian market, as conditions can be very similar to those of our country and an important market in the consumption of receivers can make a difference.
The current situation The emergence of these new platforms comes at a complex for commercial broadcasters, most of which has been running for far less than 20 years and still immature market.
When the American and European advertising market collapsed after the fall of the dot-com in 2000 and the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001 in the United States and in Mexico the devaluation crisis raged in business, commercial broadcasters turned his attention to survive in the short term.
When we started just out of the crisis and a timid recovery is beginning to perceive in the market, most media companies in our country could not refinance their debts because they were about to win their licenses.
was then that the Government signed the Decree 527/2005, which established the extensions of the broadcasting licenses for 10 years. The same decree also promotes among other findings, the incorporation of technologies digital transmission.
was said that the decree may have been fueled by big business groups that handle multimedia. In tests conducted in October 2004, undertook the review of ARPA, supporting the IBOC standard (American Standard) without much consultation with the Governing Board of the camera where the subject was never discussed in depth. Radio Mitre Radio and Continental are the ones that carried out the project ARPA compromising position, even against the views taken by the AIR (International Broadcasting Association) whose ARPA is affiliated.
AIR position
During the 36 ° General Assembly of AIR, which met in El Salvador in October 2004, a Seminar on Transition Analog - Digital Broadcasting in Latin America.
In the main exhibition of Mr. Nestor Criscio, Chairman of the Air Force left the Association raised doubts by saying: "Most of the proposed digital modulation systems for broadcasting can not coexist with the current analogue therefore introduction 'force' to the peoples of our countries to acquire new digital receivers [...] The techniques of the new systems were no longer in the public domain and are conditioned on patent protections, therefore our people should pay royalties in addition to being "captive" of a particular technique or system [...] Quantifying to Latin America, we are talking about changing a fleet of about 500 million sets 350 million radio and TV receivers. In money terms, this means for our countries, expenditure of the order (and I might say, but investment spending, while it is not clear this situation, we do not know if it really is a very long term investment or an expense) the 50.000 million for radio and 350.000 million dollars TV. The transmitters and accessories for radio and TV, may represent an amount of around U.S. $ 100.000 million, to be transferred to the central countries. "
illegal radios
The theory promoted by some broadcasters of our environment, is that you can implement digital technology, if not removed from the radio spectrum "trout" in the adjacent channels, since these should be free to expand the digital tier, and that's the excuse to pressure the government for the forfeiture.
The issue goes by that invert the formula. Digitization is not the national government to act against illegal, but by a political decision that no officer dare to assume. Even without scanning, these stations are illegal and interference, and do not conform to technical standards.
Planning for the digital future requires that broadcasters, manufacturers of broadcast equipment and receivers, and government regulatory agencies, adopt a long-term vision with regard to technology and market developments, but given all the factors involved in such decisions and the impact it has on society and on the market.
For its part, by that pressure from major partners Capital on the Board, ARPA established its commitment to the issue, sending COMFER a note dated August 10, 2006, requesting that body to "authorized to initiate an experimental broadcasts of the new technology of Radio Digital, without thereby determining the standard to be adopted by our country in the matter. "
The paper cited as precedent the attitude assumed by Anatel in Brazil and highlights the commitment of many broadcast partners to invest in this area.
In response to this request, dated February 9, 2007 COMFER issued Resolution 47/2007 on approving the Regulation for the granting of authorizations to perform test of digital broadcasting systems in the AM services.
This creates a scenario similar to what we saw in Brazil and have to wait the actions taken by the stations involved.
investments must take into account the investment that broadcasters have to do to implement this new format. Assessments are being made very shallow, and not always disinterested, which only takes into account the cost of the modulators and encoders are needed to implement digital transmission with the hybrid analog stage, and talk about investment in the order of u $ s 100.000 .-
But what nobody says, is that if there is no with a next-generation digital transmitter, this is not possible. Even solid-state devices have not been purchased within the last 3 or 4 years, require expensive adaptations and adjustments. Not to mention the teams still working valve, over which can not directly implement the new technology. Radiating systems and antenna couplers also require adjustments and adaptations to suit the requirements of the new modulation, and also carry a high investment cost.
And here we are only analyzing the impact of the cost of the transmitter. Nobody says that if we transmit at a higher quality format, it is necessary to adapt audio chain. You have to change the link systems plant studios, set redundancies and must digitize the audio chain of the studies, including consoles and other equipment, and adapt the facilities to work in stereo and in studies of FM.
Considering all these factors, the budget significantly exceeds the values \u200b\u200bthat drive those who promote the adoption of these technologies.
For an AM station first-class, high-power, to adapt its equipment and facilities to broadcast IBOC format, you must have an initial budget of over U.S. $ s 400.000 .- long as it has with the main transmitters and auxiliary solid state. If you do not have, in fact, must add the cost of acquiring new transmitters, the latest generation, expensive for any broadcaster today.
The licensing of HD Radio
On the other hand, it is necessary to note that IBOC technology is not public domain. The U.S. consortium iBiquity Digital Corp. has patent protection on the algorithms for coding and modulation scheme, which aims to collect a royalty for the use of this technology, which no one has yet analyzed in detail. There is talk of an initial cost of between $ s 10.000 .- to 25.000 .- only for the main channel, depending the date of adoption, and a minimum annual fee of u $ s 1.000 .- for the use of each additional channel. It is unclear whether it also will charge for data channels, and upgrades are only guaranteed until December 2006, so after that date, be paid continuously updates.
In our view, this is a nonsense in itself, because broadcast radio is a public service free of charge, and can not be expected to record an open transmission system, with licensing fees. It is as if Mr. Marconi, who invented the radio, had intended to charge a fee for the use of technology.
Strengths and weaknesses Undoubtedly
digital technologies have many advantages over their analog predecessors, but with these, it is necessary to warn broadcasters who, like all technology not yet mature, it also has weaknesses that can not be ignored.
HD Radio technology allows stations to transmit a digital signal quality. The FM sound quality almost equal to that of CD. The AM sound as good as a traditional stereo FM.
The digital signal is less vulnerable to reception problems. Tuner's digital processors eliminate radio static, pops, crackles or fades the signal caused by interference and multipath distortion caused by the radio signal being reflected from buildings and other obstacles in the cities, is completely eliminated.
Another benefit of digital radio is the ability to transmit additional data along with the program signal. Typically, it takes the form of text to display on the receiver, as the song title and artist name, or information. You can also issue reports on traffic conditions, weather or financial information with other programs priority over the receiver, which the listener can program.
But as we said before, it is also necessary to point out some drawbacks due to the implementation of the digital format.
First, the system applies a compression and encoding delay (delay) important, for several seconds, typically between 6 and 8 seconds on the schedule. This can become a real problem in some stations, especially when broadcast sports programming. Note that the analog signal during the hybrid phase, you must apply the same digital delay, since it is backed up when the signal reception is weak, so the delay will be perceived by both listeners with receivers digital, for those who still possess analogue receivers. Another
of the problems that will suffer the current radio stations is that they will have to decrease the modulation level of your current analog signal in order to simultaneously implement digital modulation, ie the vast majority of listeners , which today have analog receivers, will perceive a significant degradation in the audio of his receivers, to enable them to acquire a few new digital receivers to listen to good quality.
The Multicast
addition to duplicating their analog programming with an HD Radio broadcast, stations can subdivide the digital portion of its signal. This allows a station can "multicast." That is, it can transmit two or more programs simultaneously. Listeners can choose, for example, between a sports or music.
Being digital only, these additional channels can be received only in HD Radio tuner.
A matter of formats
deafie Perhaps the principal who will face the implementation of hybrid IBOC during the stage, that our country can become very long, is more related to content with technology .
Traditionally, the AM and FM have well defined targets that are marked the quality of its issuance. The preferred FM music programming formats that require high quality audio, and AM, however, has its greatest strength in the current schedules, news and sports, where most time is devoted to talk shows, which not require high quality audio.
The question we ask is: when the PM has the same audio quality as the current FM, and FM just a little bit better quality, how they will define the program formats?
Take the case of AM. If we have better quality of emission, would suppose that we can all move into high-quality music programming, which until now were closed, but we will only listen to this quality, the few listeners who are acquiring digital receivers, the rest is not going to conform, because they will not listen to the required quality.
If instead, we chose to keep the current format of talks, what we will improve both the quality of the broadcast?
And besides, who's going to buy a receiver from u $ s 400 .- to continue listening to them talk shows, but with superior audio quality?
My intention in raising these issues is to install a discussion, which in my opinion, has not the depth they deserve.
CHAPTER 4
and Technology Communication
Many sociologists have tried to explain the major cultural transformation processes experienced by the society throughout its history, detecting large changes in values, beliefs and attitudes and personal inclinations stakeholders.
Since then, the media have become increasingly significant role in social change and greater influence on the behavior of individuals.
We have come a long way from that old conception of the media messages, have effects on audiences. Observable and measurable behaviors. From the theory of the hypodermic needle, passing through all the teaching of sociology and behavioral psychology, where the prevailing question was: What do the media with their audiences?.
hand, in the most recent research of current Latin American (Jesus Martin-Barbero
Man's Search to improve your lifestyle, including communication process is what has pushed the constant emergence of new and better technologies. Moreover, every advance in the communication process, together with technological developments allow definitions exist today as the Information Society and Knowledge Society, both referring to a global age where apparently the possibilities of human communication and unlimited, where transmission and transfer of information developed in infinite quantities, from anywhere in the world with incredible speed. However
humanity continues to grow, evolve and as the man exists, his quest to live, and communicate more and better not stop. Evolution of human communication, and with it the man and his technology are ongoing. Surely, new revolutions come, and new ways of communicating.
Postmodernism
But before discussing the implementation of new technologies in the media, it is necessary to understand what the postmodern era, and as such, as constructed sense, the people of this era.
Breaking the paradigms of modernity comes to the 60's and 70's and some authors report that the postmodern era has forged since then with this concept, which at first was the crisis of models and feel have reached a crossroads of blind alleys. The wars between nations, the failure of economic models, political and cultural, the dissolution of grand narratives and the discrediting of the state of general wellbeing, were bargaining chips during the modern era.
In the postmodern revealing characteristics that show the different aspects and perspectives. For example, the postmodern distrust of institutions and asserts its independence. Is indifferent to matters of collective life, preferring to retire to private life. It is an attitude that leads to loneliness and lack of solidarity. It is notable for its lack of utopia and hope in a better future than the present. The postmodern person does not believe in the possibility of change and transformation, he prefers to take full advantage of this, living paycheck to paycheck and have the best possible. But mostly discarded the norms and values \u200b\u200bto be delivered to the enjoyment of the immediate, following the impulses and passions. In Postmodernism reason demands, but the feeling. Postmodern youth have changed the way people communicate and construct meaning.
Generation Play Station
The current generation of media consumers have been trained in what I call the Play Station generation
games like The Sims [6] that have the unique ability to shape the contemporary imagination, like they did 50 years ago the story of Hansel and Gretel or Cinderella. These are games that go beyond recreational area to become icons of our time.
Network games that support a huge number of players from around the world connected through the Internet, and not even know each other. Called Games MMO (Massively Online multiplayer games), some as the GTA, notorious for its high degree of violence.
This generation has been featured founding of cyberculture. The phenomenon of popular chat tools such as Messenger or ICQ or email, and more recently new form of SMS messages through mobile phones.
The new mobile communication
No analysis related to technology, can eliminate the phenomenon of the spectacular growth of cellular telephony. According to estimates for the Latin American Forum of Telecommunications Regulators (REGULATEL) in Latin America, the number of cellular users significantly exceeds that of fixed lines. Indeed, data from this organism indicate that the region has 190 million mobile phone users (representing a penetration of 37 in 100), against only 88 million fixed line (18 of 100). Surprisingly, it sold 900 million phones a year in the world and only 170 million television sets.
Meanwhile in Argentina, according to latest official reports, there is a cell phone every two inhabitants, about 18 million to 8 million fixed lines. What is most striking about these figures is related to the equipment, as more 75% of mobile phones used by the Argentinians, are new technology, with less than a year of emergence of the model on the market.
Mobile telephony is an industry characterized by constant innovation and value creation. The mobile phone short text messages (SMS) has become the new communication tool socially acceptable for young people who massively adhered to this method, as there is already talk of a new "community of thumb" (referring the finger used to type text on cell phones). In Argentina, enrolled nearly 1,000 million SMS per month, making an average of 45 per user.
In relation to the emerging market for listening to music on mobile phones, a study by TNS, a global market research shows that approximately one in five mobile phone owners around the world use their devices for music, and a significant percentage use that platform rather than hi-fi at home or even digital music players like iPods, as the main system for music.
In another study conducted some years ago by D'Alessio IROL, on "Interaction between the media, youth and the Internet", attended by 1000 young people from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay, the Internet emerges as the undisputed star of the media. So much so that today competes in the prime time television, and has taken over the audience in the early morning hours.
98% of respondents said they use it to manage your personal mail, and 85% for finding information for work or study. But the most frequent use that is given in terms of entertainment, play online, download music, listen to radio and to a lesser extent, watching television.
Polls in France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom show a dramatic increase in radio listening via the PC's household or set-top boxes [7]
Another of the visible elements of this era, in which interpersonal communication, information and entertainment converge, are cell phones, Internet to comply with all functions.
It is evident, then, a number of key concepts to Internet and mobile phones, where the access number and the ability to face the outside world from a safe environment are key.
The competition from new media, has the attention of traditional broadcasters. The wireless carriers are not the only competition at the time of capture listeners. There is also Apple's iPod and other portable portable hard drive digital music in MP3.
The
iPodmanía Easy to use, minimalist style, completely portable, with a capacity to store over 5000 songs, the iPod of Apple, was one of the biggest commercial successes of recent years.
Since its launch in October 2001, the ailing Apple, which also makes Macintosh computers, has only accumulated record breaking numbers point topped more than 75% market share for digital music players from the USA, has sold over 45 million units in the world, Apple's earnings increased by 65% \u200b\u200bin the last 12 months, Apple shares rose more than 140%.
What was the key to success? He made the great mass of non-customers, some pertaining to the technology, fans of the player. Market studies show that, from the moment you acquire it, are more intelligent, productive and timely.
must highlight the importance of design in the choice of these devices. In particular, women have a strong influence on technology purchases for the home and have to meet them at the time to offer a range of designs gadgets [8] .
With 5,000 songs in your pocket, it is possible create a playlist own by changing the mode and style in a single click. We must find a different way to capture the attention of consumers, with additional content that are more attractive, since the current listener wants to control and interact with the content provider.
The digital paradigm shift directly affects the business model of traditional analog radio, as it decays the perception of effectiveness for advertisers.
convergence and digitization eventually changing the business model of the current radio.
CHAPTER 5 Conclusions
Today's society is no longer homogeneous. Today shows fragmented, scattered. This new scenario poses new challenges and a need to rethink the offers and messages. New technology makes feasible a new form of consumption is characterized by increasing fragmentation and increasingly centralized power in the receiver, compared to the possibilities of the public to stop, rewind, fast forward, repeat, or skip certain content. A good example is TiVo technology
Against this we see a reduced presence of the traditional batch growth of SOPs. Such as advertainment [10] or advergames [11] Internet. Targeting and segmentation
seem to be part of the new stamp to mark the heat content and new media advertising.
The distribution of the advertising pie has changed their proportions. There's a new player to the Internet that captures the focus of consumers, and growing at rates exceeding 35% annually.
In England Internet ad spending has already surpassed that of radio, and is on track to match the road. The culture of zaping
[12] has led companies to rethink their business strategies. Advertising budgets prioritize direct marketing, NTPs, sponsorships and targeted advertising, rather than the traditional round of radio and TV. The enormous amount of alternative media that appeared in the last two decades to prove it.
In our country, the 2001 economic crisis, which we have not recovered, falling purchasing power of the middle class and lower economic partner of all kinds, have played havoc with the finances of the mass media who are losing their meager daily slice of advertising budgets of companies. Meanwhile
smartphones and advanced mobile solutions quickly and without stopping, powered by a large flow of capital investments that bet on these technologies. The phone has become, for millions of people in a device of continuous, permanent and portable, such as house keys or credit card, making any development of new technologies on this platform, be sure beforehand success .
These new technologies have become a major threat to traditional media. Surely you can spend many more pages than those written to refer to this phenomenon, but the truth is that the transmit-receive paradigm is changed. Traditionally we had a few transmitters and receivers mass. Today we have multiple receivers, multiple global issuers. The user defines how, where and when to listen to the content that you select.
Maybe one day we close our plants transmitters. We may listen online with a mobile device. Maybe they will delayed on an iPod or a TiVo platform eliminating the commercial breaks.
The future of radio is undoubtedly linked to the digital world, but the question we ask is: Will IBOC the indispensable vehicle for the transformation required by the radio?
not the government regulators who must choose the technical options for implementation digital radio. These options must be the result of cooperation and planning of these, with broadcasters, manufacturers of transmission equipment and receivers, and to adopt a long-term vision with regard to technology and market developments.
A new technology is irrelevant if not through the impact this has on the business processes. The implementation of new technology through three key stages that must be analyzed individually. The first phase of experimentation, making a second and third generation of value.
In the initial phase of experimentation necessary, users are familiar with technology, they find out what it is, what brings new features, how it benefits their use. Comes only after the adoption.
In the case that we have to analyze, yet it is not clear, how we will achieve adoption by the people, and how we create value with digital radio. You can have a cutting edge technology, but if used for the same as was used above, is the same as nothing. If we do not discover the strategic value that involves the implementation of new technology, then we ask: To what do we do?
When we see failures like those mentioned in this work, because it has failed the testing stage, because you have not provided the user, this fell to the listener, a compelling experience, that motivates him to reach the second stage of adoption.
Then, faced with this situation, one might ask: What is our destiny as broadcasters, this new scenario, full of new forms of communication that do not allow open media?
The answer, in my opinion is: doing what we do best, which is to generate content.
The user can decide how, when and where you want to hear, but what to listen, we must continue defining ourselves. Our core business is the generation of content and advertising production, and we must focus on it.
is necessary to rescue the values \u200b\u200band key factors that gave birth to the success of radio in the past. The emotion, imagination and fantasy is what has made this medium is so exciting. It is not just technology, but content. It tries to interpret what they want young consumers of the new era, and reinvent the radio, restoring the splendor and the leadership that once had for several decades.
Also, broadcasters must continue in the work of exploring new themes and forms of alignment and segmentation for each of these young people can feel it as a vehicle for self expression.
Prof. Eduardo Daniel Esarey
REFERENCES
[ 2] Diffusion continuous audio or video over the Internet
[3] Martín-Barbero, Jesus - From media to mediations-1986
[4] González Jorge-cultural fronts - 1987
[5] PlayStation is a registered trademark of gaming consoles of the multinational Sony Corp. will mention a generic model, as one of the most widespread, the same way that one can mention other consoles such as Nintendo, Sega or Microsoft X-Box.
[6] The Sims: This is the most popular computer game of all time. It sold 8 million copies of originals that piracy multiplied by 10 or more use in the real world, it is estimated that there may be about 100 million users.
[7] decoders that allow home- discrimination of the received signal in voice, data and video to be used by different devices. Through these decoders receive HDTV (high definition TV) and converted to view in the common TV.
[8] Small technological devices eelectrodomésticos and small household appliances in general
[9] TiVo: Technology that allows you to record TV at home, in digital format on a disk drive (DVR), eliminating the commercial breaks, and other fringe benefits. View
http://www.tivo.com [10] Advertainment: advertising + strategy that combines entertainment
[11] Advergames: Similar to the previous concept, which is based on game development custom product brands.
[12] Zaping: practice in the use of mass media, that is to change the tuning to avoid commercial breaks.
BIBLIOGRAPHY CONSULTED
- Negroponte, Nicholas, "Being Digital" - 1996
- Sbert, José María - "End of time, and a new era?" - 2000
- Martín-Barbero, Jesus, "" From media to mediations "- 1986
- Gonzalez, Jorge -" cultural fronts "- 1987
- Brunner, José Joaquín -" Media, modernity and culture "- 1989
- Cortés, Carlos Eduardo -" Digital Radio " - Chasqui Journal No. 1989 to 2004
- Ducey, Richard - "Multimedia Broadcasting and the Internet" - Research and Information Group, NAB - 2001
- DAB Digital Radio Report on the Ministry of Culture of Norway
- Conclusions annual NAB Convention in Las Vegas USA - April 2006
- Radio World Magazine - various issues 2005 and 2006
- Intermanagers.com weekly eNewsletters - various editions, 2005 and 2006
- Balaguer Prestes, Roberto, 2002, Video Games, internet, children and adolescents in the New Millennium Magazine KAIROS - Year 6 N ° 10 2 nd half of 2002
- Eugeni, Ruggero, Matteo Bittanti-symbiosis. Di-simulating Sims. In Carlos Scolari (ed) deSignis 5 - Barcelona 2004
- Interview Gonzalo Frasca. The games do not (only) are a thing of children
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