NEW DELHI: DRM Platform is being launched in Southern Africa by the DRM Consortium to coordinate the various industry stakeholders in the countries of Southern Africa interested in the technology and to stimulate the introduction and roll-out of such broadcasts.

A voluntary group without financial aims, DRM South Africa aims at demonstrating a business case for producing and selling DRM radio sets or auxiliary devices. 0

The DRM Platform in Southern Africa joins thus the Indian, Brazilian, German and other DRM national platforms working together with the DRM Consortium but using national knowledge and expertise.

The launch of the Southern Africa DRM Platform is scheduled on 25 June and will be followed a week later by the beginning of the first DRM medium wave trial (by Radio Pulpit) in South Africa.

Dr Roelf Petersen of Radio Pulpit who is the Chairman of the new Platform said: "My role will be to coordinate the strength of all the African parties involved, in order to ensure that the great potential of the DRM technology becomes a practical reality for serving the peoples of Southern Africa."

The DRM Consortium has already been presented in Southern Africa, recently attending a well-attended SABA Digital Radio Broadcasting Summit in Cape Town, and being part of other SABA events in Johannesburg and in Arusha (Tanzania) last year.

"The DRM global standard can be used in all radio frequency bands and is ideal for the large countries of Southern Africa", DRM Consortium Chairperson Ruxandra Obreja stressed. "From national networks and regional stations to smaller commercial and community stations, all would be able to broadcast their digital radio programmes with enhanced content and in excellent sound quality to everyone in their respective countries. DRM is an ideal African digital solution and we have high hopes of the activity of the newly created DRM Southern Africa Platform, now open to all those interested."