NEW DELHI: All India Radio (AIR) has begun transmitting two of its channels – Vividh Bharati and FM Rainbow – in digital (DRM) mode from New Delhi via its 20kW Medium Wave (MW) transmitter at Mall Road in north Delhi.

DRM or Digital Radio Mondiale is a digital radio standard that has been designed specifically as a high quality digital replacement for current analogue radio broadcasting in Medium Wave.
This digital transmission of the two channels, which commenced on 19 June, can be heard through DRM receivers on 1368 kHz according to the schedule:

· 05:55 Hrs to 11:00 Hrs  (IST)

· 12:00 Hrs to 17:30 Hrs  (IST)

· 18:15 Hrs to 23:10 Hrs  (IST)

Both these channels will continue to remain on FM Mode as well. The presence of AIR channels on DRM is expected to evince good response from DRM receiver manufacturers.

AIR Engineer-in-Chief Animesh Chakraborty said that since the future belongs to digital broadcasting, DRM receiver manufacturers should come up with low-cost, affordable solutions as far as DRM receivers are concerned.