Two major broadcasters are embracing new technology to explore new experiences for their listeners.
The California based Xperi Corporation has announced an agreement between its wholly owned subsidiary, DTS, and BBC Radio, to run a hybrid radio trial for 18 months.
Under terms of the agreement, the UK public service broadcaster will provide content directly into the DTS® Connected Radio™ platform.
This trial will allow the refining of system operations, support on-going global automotive field testing and product development of hybrid radio in connected analog and DAB equipped radios.
General manager, Automotive at Xperi, Jeff Jury, says “The BBC is arguably the leading radio broadcaster in the world, with a rich history of innovation to ensure their audience has the best experience technology can offer.”
“As cars become more and more connected, broadcast radio has a unique opportunity to leverage that connectivity to enhance the broadcast radio experience.
The BBC have been instrumental in leading the growth to DAB, we are pleased to work with them to enrich our DTS Connected Radio offering to ensure the next generation of connected DAB radios remain the dominant audio choice in cars.”
Director of radio and music at the BBC, Bob Shennan, says “The world of content distribution is rapidly changing, and we believe that audiences and radio are best served by a mixed economy; we also need to protect radio in the car and ensure it is able to thrive in the hybrid world of the connected dashboard.”
At the same time in the USA, DTS will partner with PILOT, an innovation initiative of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), to prototype new in-vehicle broadcast radio services and user experiences.
While the program will focus on US domestic HD Radio and analog broadcast radio stations, the aim is for PILOT to be able to prototype services with content from broadcasters on a global scale
Utilizing an IP connection installed in a vehicle, DTS Connected Radio delivers an analog FM and digital (DAB and HD Radio®) experience by pairing broadcast programming with IP-delivered content.
DTS Connected Radio aggregates metadata, such as on-air radio program and talent information, artist and song information, station contact information and more, directly from broadcasters around the world to deliver an enhanced in-vehicle radio experience.