ASIA

The DRM Consortium released its DRM Consumer Radio Receiver Functionality Recommendation. The document describes and defines the core functional parameters of consumer radio receivers capable of receiving DRM radio broadcasts. As DRM is being increasingly rolled out, adopted and demonstrated globally such a document is necessary to offer a guide to receiver manufacturers, but also broadcasters and regulators, so that consumers get a common and consistent DRM digital radio experience.DRM – Digital Radio Mondiale – is the international ITU-R standard for digital radio in all radio broadcasting bands, maintained by the not-for-profit DRM Consortium. DRM is the digital successor technology for the former analogue AM and FM transmissions.The DRM Receiver Functionality Recommendation applies to all types of consumer-targeting DRM radio receivers, with detailed application-specific requirements for automotive receivers, personal mobile devices (such as mobile, feature, and smart phones or tablets incorporating built-in radio receiver functionality for terrestrial broadcast radio), and general-purpose receivers (all types of stand-alone receivers, including home and desktop radios).The Consumer Receiver Recommendation builds upon the more technical DRM MRR – Minimum Receiver Requirements Specification (mrr.drm.org), which must be implemented and followed by any DRM receiver. The new Consumer Receiver Recommendation covers DRM digital radio in all broadcasting bands: in the LW, MW, SW and VHF bands (Band I, II and III) and Analogue AM and analogue FM radio.According to the DRM Technical Committee Chairman, Johannes von Weyssenhoff: “The document describes three clear and simple levels of functionality as a guide to receiver manufacturers. These functionality levels do not necessarily need to be implemented on a single chip, module or even device. The level 2 (Feature Radio) defines a well-rounded radio receiver with a key set of features. The Receiver Recommendation is comprehensive and simple to follow. It allows manufacturers to produce excellent receivers, whether they gofor levels 1, 2 or 3 (Essential Radio, Feature Radio or Advanced Radio solutions). No matter the level a DRM receiver will prove it is a fitting and flexible audio broadcasting system for the 21st century.”DRM Chairman, Ruxandra Obreja, also welcomed the release of the DRM Consumer Radio Receiver Recommendation seeing it as “a useful tool for any manufacturer, broadcaster and regulator. The guide will allow manufacturers the freedom and flexibility to produce receivers of variable degree of complexity that offer a consistently good experience for the listener. It also allows for receivers to incorporate applications and services (like distance learning, emergency warning) that fully meet the needs of many economically and socially diverse communities across the continents. The guide will become thus an essential tool in the DRM eco-system that will bring receivers in numbers, with the adequate functionality, to the countries embracing the DRM standard and their millions of listeners.” Dowlnload a copy of the document here. […]

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities raided and suspended the country’s only women’s radio station – Radio Begum, last week.According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC),  on February 4 the station was raided by the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) and the Ministry of Information and Culture, leading to its closure and the arrest of two employees.In a statement, Begum Radio revealed that during the incident, the authorities interrogated employees and confiscated computers, hard drives, documents, and personal phones belonging to female journalists, as well as detaining two male employees. Citing safety concerns, Begum Radio has opted not to provide further comments on the situation until their employees are released.Established on March 8, 2021, coinciding with International Women’s Day, Begum Radio aims to educate girls and support Afghan women. The station has consistently refrained from any political activities.Jawanan (Youth) Radio, which shares its premises with Begum Radio in Kabul’s Wazir Akbar Khan area, stated that its office was also closed due to its proximity to Begum Radio. The station reported that one of its sports program hosts was also arrested. Jawanan Radio has appealed to its listeners for assistance in securing the release of its cricket reporter and resuming operations. Founded in 2008, Jawanan Radio focuses on raising civic awareness and fostering dialogue among various communities.The fate of those detained is currently unknown. Following the raid, an officer instructed the staff of both stations to leave, effectively shutting down their offices.In a press release on X (formerly Twitter), the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture claimed that Begum Radio, was involved in activities that constituted “multiple violations” and was producing content for a foreign television outlet.“Due to the violation of the broadcasting policy and improper use of the license (from the ministry), the radio station was suspended today so that the related documents can be carefully evaluated and the final decision can be taken,” it added.

However, the statement did not clarify the specifics of the raid or the detention of employees.AFJC strongly denounced the raids and the subsequent closure of these stations as a serious infringement of the fundamental rights of these media outlets and their personnel. It urged the de facto Ministry of Information and Culture and the General Directorate of Intelligence to promptly and unconditionally release the detained employees, lift the restrictions imposed on these media outlets, and allow them to resume operations in accordance with the country’s media law.Reporters Without Borders (RSF), posting on X, demanded “the ban be lifted immediately”.The freedom of information watchdog says the Taliban authorities closed at least 12 media outlets in 2024. […]

As the world wide audio industry keeps expanding, the newest commercially viable category is Audio Books. It will be a major new topic at this year’s Radiodays Europe conference in Athens next month.A recent US Court decision  in a copyright case concerning Spotify has ruled that audio books can be bundled as ‘premium content’ and charged accordingly, pushing them into an important money generating category for radio, podcast and audio book platforms.Amazon’s audio book platform Audible was one of the first into the audio book sphere, leveraging off its text based Kindle book catalogue. Then came book publishing media companies such as Australia’s ABC and Britain’s BBC, that already owned publishing rights for many titles and often also employed the authors of the books on their radio and tv shows.Audio music streaming companies such as Spotify are the latest to the party, and this ruling now sets a precedent for some clear copyright parameters, at least under American law, for other audio services to produce and offer audio books.Audio books are a new source of revenue for voice actors, audio production studios and media companies, and the category is likely to be a fast growing sector of the audio industry over the next few years.The forward-looking RadioDays Europe conference next month will feature a significant section devoted to audio books. In 2025, radioinfo will also introduce a new coverage area called Audioinfo which will cover this growing revenue segment.In RDE’s Audiobook Summit in Athens, the conference will examine how audio companies can diversify their business to drive content and profitability. Alongside creating and monetisation, there will also be a session about the different platforms available for all audio, so listeners get the best experience possible.There will be discussions on the subscription sales model, how AI is impacting IP rights and ethics, plus how to create, distribute and market audiobooks. The sessions will also look at the main consumer segments.

Henriette Hoj Gharib, who is programming the audio book summit said: “Audiobooks should be a consideration for all audio companies, with many commercial opportunities as well as accessing audiences that you might not be reaching through other platforms.”Sign up for the summit at the RDE registration page.Explore other sessions at RDE, including the CEO Summit, hosted by radioinfo’s Steve Ahern.Related articles:Book podcasts and audio books a new growth area: Bologna Book Fair ConferenceMore children listening to audio books […]

The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), in collaboration with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and UNESCO, will present a special program in celebration of World Radio Day 2025. This year’s theme, “Radio and Climate Change”, underscores the critical role of radio as a communication tool in addressing the growing impacts of climate change on communities worldwide.The program will feature an hour-long radio broadcast with readings from the acclaimed book Disaster Matters, edited by Drs. Yvonne Weekes and Wendy McMahon. These thought-provoking excerpts will highlight the role of storytelling in building public awareness and resilience in the face of climate challenges.The broadcast will be available on participating CBU member stations across the region beginning February 13, 2025.World Radio Day provides a unique opportunity to celebrate the enduring impact of radio as a platform for inclusive dialogue and action. This year’s theme highlights the medium’s ability to disseminate timely information, support vulnerable communities, and amplify the voices of those most affected by climate-related disasters.The CBU invites all listeners, media practitioners, and stakeholders to tune in and join the global conversation on February 13.Has your station planned something for #WolrdRadioDay2025? If yes, why don’t you tell us about it and we will cover it, just share your activity with us at [email protected]. […]

Opinion from Steve Ahern.The short TikTok shutdown in America has started radio broadcasters and podcasters thinking about the role that social media plays in building their audience.TikTok has become a conduit feeding users to podcasts via its short videos. It is a particularly good platform for channeling young listeners to podcast publishers, according to Edison Research.After TikTok went dark on January 18th, 2025, Edison did some analysis of audience habits between TikTok and podcasts. After assurances from US President Trump, TikTok turned itself back on the next day, but it served to get podcasters thinking about who really owns their audience.Edison’s podcast metrics showed that “20% of the American podcast audience ‘ever listens’ through the short-form video platform. TikTok’s role is more prevalent among younger listeners.”Numbers and podcast discovery are even higher with young demographics. “Thirty percent of podcast listeners in the 13-24 age range engage with TikTok to tune into their shows… users are likely reporting listening to clips rather than full episodes on the platform.”Edison’s Gen Z Podcast Listener Report highlights the platform’s “critical role in how consumers uncover new shows.”“As of 2023, 75% of Gen Z podcast listeners aged 13-24 reported using TikTok. Among them, 80% discovered podcasts through their TikTok feeds, meaning it was the second most popular social media app for podcast discovery after YouTube among this group,” says the research.

It’s a difficult dilemma.No doubt a social media publisher such as TikTok, plus others such as Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and the like, can deliver large numbers of people to your podcast, but who owns those listeners. Are they loyal to you, or are they an audience that is more loyal to TikTok.As Facebook taught web publishers when it arbitrarily changed its algorithms to disadvantage certain content, publishers who depend too much on social media to deliver audiences can quickly come unstuck if priorities change.The same is happening with search. Google used to channel searchers to the original source of articles or information, but now Google’s built in AI engine gobbles up the text from your website and presents it at the top of its own search list, so that searchers who only need a simple answer no longer even need to click through to your site, depriving you of hits.So who really owns your audience?If you have built a radio or podcast audience over the years, listener by listener, be careful of giving that audience away to social media and search businesses. It might be better to encourage them to engage with you via phone calls and texts, or messages directly on your podcast feed, rather than through another publisher’s social media feed.On the other hand, you can’t not be on social platforms, because they will certainly expose your radio station or podcast to new people who have never heard about it. But once you have them, how are you going to build a relationship directly with them? Do you have a capture strategy to get them on your direct mailing list? Once on it, how will you develop a direct conversation with them that doesn’t depend on channeling them through a third party?If a third party owns your audience they are only lending them to you, and can take them back at any time.If you own your audience, like successful podcasters such as Mamma Mia have achieved through chat groups, interaction, IRL events and the inclusion of listener content, then it is harder to lose them through someone else’s actions.This is why broadcasters and podcasters around the world are constantly monitoring and adjusting their social media strategies as new developments emerge in the search and social media arenas.Never stop checking who owns your audience.Steve Ahern is the founding editor of this publication. […]

Saudi Media Forum, the largest specialized event in the media industry in Saudi Arabia, is set to take place in Riyadh from February 19 to 21.The annual event provides a platform for dialogue to discuss prominent global issues from a media perspective. It offers opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration among experts, decision-makers, and practitioners in the media field. The event also provides a unique experience to explore new media spaces, discuss the latest global trends in the sector, and stay updated on the latest technological innovations.This is complemented by the Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX), the largest content, technological, and production media exhibition in Saudi Arabia, featuring a variety of activities including sessions, seminars, and workshops.The forum will feature more than 200 speakers, including Boris Johnson, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.It will also focus on how the industry is evolving in response to global shifts. Experts will discuss critical issues, such as adapting to the new media reality, overcoming sector challenges, and exploring strategies for maintaining investment viability. A key theme of this year’s forum will be the implementation of a sustainable approach to media management, as well as strategies to effectively address emerging challenges while fostering innovation.In addition, the forum will focus on the new concept of media management, delving into areas such as reconsidering the sources of media flows, re-evaluating media and resource management strategies, and identifying innovative solutions to drive the sector forward. This session will also explore how to foster resilience and adaptability within the rapidly changing media landscape.The event will culminate in a grand awards ceremony, where achievements across six key media categories will be recognized. The awards will celebrate excellence in journalism, broadcasting, digital media, and innovation, honouring those who have made significant contributions to the media sector.Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthi, Chairman of Radio and Television Authority and Chairman of Saudi Media Forum said: “The Saudi Media Forum in its fourth edition seeks to keep pace with the great momentum witnessed by the Kingdom at all levels and in various fields within Saudi Vision 2030. As His Highness the Crown Prince launched, the forum today is one of the specialized international media forums in foreseeing the future of media, developing it, and exploring its latest technologies by providing opportunities for companies and individuals to develop their media capabilities and learn about the latest developments in this changing industry. It exchanges local and international experiences, in addition to creating a vital and effective community for learned lessons that responds to changing the Kingdom’s story through media, so that Saudi media in all its institutions and outputs keeps pace with the path of national development and the Kingdom’s ambitious vision.” […]