Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of "FM broadcasting"

Play Trivia Questions online!

or

Skip to study material about Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of "FM broadcasting"

Ad spacer

⭐ Core Definition: Digital Audio Broadcasting

Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is a digital radio standard for broadcasting digital audio radio services in many countries around the world, defined, supported, marketed and promoted by the WorldDAB organization. The standard is dominant in Europe and is also used in Australia, and in parts of Africa and as of 2025, 55 countries are actively running DAB broadcasts as an alternative platform to analogue FM.

DAB was the result of a European research project and first publicly rolled out in 1995, with consumer-grade DAB receivers appearing around the late 1990’s. Initially it was expected in many countries that existing FM services would switch over to DAB, although the take-up of DAB has been much slower than expected. In 2023, Norway became the first country to have implemented a national FM radio switch-off, with Switzerland to follow in 2026 and others territories in the process of planning a switch-off. Terrestrial digital radio has become a requirement for all new cars (not buses and trucks) sold in the EU since 2021.

↓ Menu

>>>PUT SHARE BUTTONS HERE<<<
In this Dossier

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of Radio broadcasting

Radio broadcasting is the transmission of electromagnetic radiation (radio waves) to receivers over a wide area. Most broadcasts are audio (sound), sometimes with embedded metadata. Listeners require a broadcast radio receiver to receive these signals. "Terrestrial" broadcasts, including AM, FM, and DAB stations, originate from land-based transmitters, whereas "satellite radio" signals originate from a satellite in Earth orbit.

Stations may produce their own programming or be affiliated with a radio network that provides content either through broadcast syndication or by simulcasting, or both. The most common transmission technologies are analog and digital. Analog radio uses one of two modulation methods: amplitude modulation (AM) or frequency modulation (FM). Digital radio stations transmit using one of several digital audio standards, such as DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), HD Radio, or DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale).

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of AM radio

AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions. It was the first method developed for making audio radio transmissions, and is still used worldwide, primarily for medium wave (also known as "AM band") transmissions, but also on the longwave and shortwave radio bands.

The earliest experimental AM transmissions began in the early 1900s. However, widespread AM broadcasting was not established until the 1920s, following the development of vacuum tube receivers and transmitters. AM radio remained the dominant method of broadcasting for the next 30 years, a period called the "Golden Age of Radio", until television broadcasting became widespread in the 1950s and received much of the programming previously carried by radio. Later, AM radio's audiences declined greatly due to competition from FM (frequency modulation) radio, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), satellite radio, HD (digital) radio, Internet radio, music streaming services, and podcasting.

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of Greatest Hits Radio

Greatest Hits Radio (GHR) is a classic hits radio network in the United Kingdom, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK. It currently includes 18 local and regional radio stations operating over 50 FM and DAB licences in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as a national DAB station in areas not served by a local Bauer-owned licence.

The GHR brand launched on 7 January 2019 as an "older" companion to Hits Radio, which Bauer had launched in 2018. It is a rebranding of the former Bauer City 2 Network (launched on 5 January 2015) due to the success of Radio City 2 in Liverpool on FM. All GHR stations are networked and include localised opt-outs for news, weather, travel and advertising. Until 31 October 2024, the stations aired a three-hour regional afternoon show on weekdays.

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of BBC Radio London

BBC Radio London is the BBC's local radio station serving Greater London.

It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at Broadcasting House in Langham Place, London.

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of LBC News

LBC News is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Global. The sister station of LBC, it broadcasts rolling news 24 hours a day nationwide on DAB and Global Player. The station used to broadcast on analogue radio in Greater London on 1152 AM until Wednesday 30 October 2024.

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of Very high frequency

Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted high frequency (HF), and the next higher frequencies are known as ultra high frequency (UHF).

VHF radio waves propagate mainly by line-of-sight, so they are blocked by hills and mountains, although due to refraction they can travel somewhat beyond the visual horizon out to about 160 km (100 miles). Common uses for radio waves in the VHF band are Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and FM radio broadcasting, television broadcasting, two-way land mobile radio systems (emergency, business, private use and military), long range data communication up to several tens of kilometers with radio modems, amateur radio, and marine communications. Air traffic control communications and air navigation systems (e.g. VOR and ILS) work at distances of 100 kilometres (62 miles) or more to aircraft at cruising altitude.

↑ Return to Menu

Digital Audio Broadcasting in the context of BBC World Service

The BBC World Service is a British public service broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest external broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach. It broadcasts radio news, speech and discussions in more than 40 languages to many parts of the world on analogue and digital shortwave platforms, internet streaming, podcasting, satellite, DAB, FM, LW and MW relays. In 2024, the World Service reached an average of 450 million people a week (via TV, radio and online).

BBC World Service English maintains eight regional feeds with several programme variations, covering, respectively, East and Southern Africa; West and Central Africa; Europe and Middle East; the Americas and Caribbean; East Asia; South Asia; Australasia; and the United Kingdom. There are also two online-only streams, a general one and the other more news-orientated, known as News Internet. The service broadcasts 24 hours a day.

↑ Return to Menu