2GB has announced it will use the ongoing digital radio broadcast trials to begin a new state of the art National Rugby League (NRL) score service.
Trial participants will be able to:
* view up to the minute game scores, while a match is in progress
* see scores on screen in real time for games immediately after completion
* get behind the scenes details on try scorers, statistics and players.
After successfully developing the specialised technology, 2GB will launch the new service on 12 March to coincide with the start of the NRL season and the return of the Continuous Call team.
Macquarie Radio CEO, Angela Clark, says: “2GB is the home of rugby league radio. Our listeners want to know every detail of the game as it’s being played and dissect every move after the match.
“Our Continuous Call team, led by Ray Hadley, and the new NRL score service will give footy fans the ultimate coverage of every game we broadcast.
“We think the potential of digital radio is enormous and have reached an agreement with NRL Stats to conduct season long research on the trial of expanded text services.”
Commercial Radio Australia (CRA), which is coordinating the digital radio trials on behalf of the Digital Radio Broadcasting Australia consortium, has experienced an overwhelming positive response to the digital radio trials from participants.
Listeners to 2GB’s sister station, 2CH, have been able to access track title and artist information on their digital radio text displays, as well as program information, news headlines and weather since the station installed the RCS DABText program which outputs the information directly from the Selector Log to the DAB Radio screen.
CRA chief, Joan Warner, says: “The 2GB trial is very exciting and demonstrates how digital technology will drive industry innovation and broaden the services radio can offer.
“Listeners on the digital trial are saying they listen to radio more often and for longer than they did previously, and we will continue to track their attitudes as new features are trialled.”
Digital radios are available from Bing Lee’s Skygarden store in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall. People can also view a mobile display of the latest models from around the world.