SWR has selected The Technology Partnership (TTP) to join the ‘Future
Radio’ project which will trial innovative new
visual interactive radio services in Germany. The ‘Future
Radio’ project will start its first trial in
Stuttgart this summer. SWR and TTP will present the aims of the ‘Future
Radio’ project to broadcasters and operators
at CeBIT in Hannover, 4th-9th
March 2008.
Under the ‘Future Radio’
project SWR and TTP will work to define an open service delivery
specification that enables new visual, interactive and download services
on any digital radio receiver. These services will enable mobile phone
users to listen to digital radio and to view, navigate and store visual
content, such as images, slides, weather information, music tracks and
podcasts which are broadcast in association with radio stations.
TTP’s nanoDABTM
accessory, the world’s first Bluetooth
headset accessory with built-in DAB digital radio, and mobile phone
software will provide the test platform for the trial. nanoDABTM
was publicly unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona a few weeks
ago where it received excellent feedback from both broadcasters and
mobile operators.
Martin Orrell, General Manager, Digital Media at TTP commented: “German
digital radio services have thus far struggled to reach the mass
audience but TTP believes that SWR is the pioneer to make this happen,
much like the BBC did in the UK, by adding digital-only radio content.
SWR has the vision and innovation to drive delivery to Germany’s
critical younger audience and this will also lead to new revenue
opportunities for commercial broadcasters. A key vehicle for this will
be our nanoDABTM Bluetooth and DAB hands-free
mobile phone accessory.”
Bernhard Hermann, SWR Director of Radio Programmes commented: “A
radical rethink of digital radio services is required to captivate the
younger audience and penetrate mass market appeal in the future. The ‘Future
Radio’ project aims to do this by giving 500
young trialists the ability to give feedback on what content is engaging
to them and how it should be delivered. Where as traditional radio is
normally a one-way medium with occasional feedback our trial aims to
actively encourage users take part in creating exciting services.”
The team believes visual, interactive and rich multimedia services will
stimulate the evolving listening habits of young consumers and will help
position digital radio on mobiles as a viable broadcast medium offering
new areas for public service broadcasters and their wealth of public
value content as well as revenue opportunities for commercial radio
stations and network operators, who can offer their commercial services.
These will include mass advertising through downloadable special offers
and coupons, as well as a range of value-added content services
requiring user interaction, for example competitions, music charts,
shopping, voting and user generated content.”
SWR and TTP will be in hall 26, stand A59 at CeBIT in Hannover, 4th-9th
March 2008.
- ends -
Editor’s notes:
A high-resolution image of the nanoDABTM
accessory is available to download from: http://www.eml.com/images/ttp11.jpg
High resolution screenshots of SWR’s visual
interactive radio services are available to download from http://www.eml.com/images/ttp12.jpg
and http://www.eml.com/images/ttp13.jpg
About TTP and its Digital Media technologies
TTP is Europe´s leading independent product and technology development
and licensing company providing software, intellectual property and
hardware services. Its nanoDABTM digital
broadcast technology includes both DAB radio & data services and
supports the main open broadcast standards for delivering multimedia to
mobile devices - using Bluetooth. It is completely independent of mobile
phone hardware - making it suitable for all major markets around the
world where spectrum is available. nanoDABTM is
part of TTP’s digital multimedia platform
that allows content to be delivered in broadcast or point-to-point form
in a seamless manner to connected devices ‘anywhere
any time’.
For more information visit www.ttp.com
About SWR
Südwestrundfunk ("Southwest
Broadcasting") is a public broadcasting company for the southwest of
Germany, specifically the states of Baden-Württemberg
and Rhineland-Palatinate. SWR is an affiliate belonging to the ARD
group. It includes two TV stations and several radio stations.
SWR covers an area of 55,600 square kilometers, and reaches an estimated
14.7 million residents. SWR employs 3,700 members of staff in its
various offices and facilities.
For more information mail to futureradio@swr.de
The Technology Partnership
Jean Thompson, +44 (0) 1763 262626
press@ttp.com
www.ttp.com
or
EML
Chris
King, +44 (0) 208 408 8000
ttp@eml.com
