Quincy, IL—Broadcast Electronics (BE), Emmis Communications Corporation and NDS, along with iBiquity Digital Corp., jointly announced the successful conclusion of initial HD Radio conditional-access field testing of traffic data services at Emmis station WKQX-FM (Q101) in Chicago.
Pilot testing occurred May 23 and 24 and was the first conditional-access test for broadcasting real-time traffic information over the HD Radio system to vehicle navigational systems.
“Our goal was to establish a foundation for HD Radio conditional access that would provide additional revenue opportunities for broadcasters beyond audio programming. We’re very pleased with the results,” said Ray Miklius, Vice President Studio Systems for BE, which supplied the digital broadcast equipment for the test.
Initial testing at Q101 addressed the ability of broadcasters to allocate bandwidth and protect content for mobile delivery of traffic information.
BE, a leading HD Radio equipment manufacturer, and NDS, which specializes in conditional access (CA) technology, provided the end-to-end HD Radio solution that included NDS encryption and bandwidth provisioning by BE’s IDi 20 HD Radio importer unit. A primary global provider of digital maps for vehicle navigation and Traffic.com, a leading provider of personalized traffic information for drivers coast-to-coast, provided the real-time traffic content.
“Participating in HD Radio technology pilot tests is an important step for us in understanding how radio broadcasters can develop business models for their new HD signals,” said Paul Brenner, Vice President of Integrated Technologies for Emmis Communications.
The trial included authorization and de-authorization of the receiver for the data service, testing of end-to-end system functionality, successful reception/decryption of the traffic data at the receiver and the recording and logging of data to determine latency and data stability in the encrypted channel. Test drives in various multipath environments around the Chicago area showed no dropped data packets or loss of service.
“This pilot program has provided valuable insights into the operational requirements and delivery of protected data content,” commented Joe D’Angelo, Vice President of Advanced Services for iBiquity Digital Corporation. “This has been an important milestone in expanding the functionality of the HD Radio system and providing broadcasters with the capabilities they’ll need to compete in the digital age.”
About NDS
NDS Group plc (NASDAQ: NNDS), a majority owned subsidiary of News Corporation, supplies open end-to-end digital technology and services to digital pay-television platform operators and content providers.
About Emmis Communications
Emmis (NASDAQ:EMMS) is an Indianapolis-based diversified media firm with radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and magazine publishing operations. Emmis owns 21 FM and 2 AM domestic radio stations serving the nations largest markets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as St. Louis, Austin, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN. In May 2005, Emmis announced its intent to seek strategic alternatives for its 16 television stations, and has announced the sale of 15 of them. Emmis also owns a radio network, international radio stations, regional and specialty magazines, an interactive business and ancillary businesses in broadcast sales.
About iBiquity Digital Corporation
iBiquity Digital Corporation is the developer of the HD Radio system, which is powering the AM/FM digital radio revolution.This transformational technology allows AM and FM stations to broadcast digital signals in tandem with their analog signals, providing broadcasters with a platform to offer multiple channels of programming on the same frequency (multicasting); crystal-clear, CD-quality sound; advanced services such as traffic updates; and scrolling text and graphics content. Over 1,300 HD Radio stations are now on the air in the United States, with more than 600 offering additional content via multicast channels. iBiquitys investors are global leaders in the technology, broadcasting, manufacturing, media and financial industries.
About Broadcast Electronics
Broadcast Electronics (BE) is the premier provider of mission-critical solutions for over-the-air and Internet radio. Our products encompass program generation, audio and data management, interfacility transport, and analog and digital transmission. For more than four decades, our pioneering developments have set industry standards for innovation and reliability, while providing broadcasters with new options for operational productivity and income generation. BE is headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, and is represented worldwide by our network of local representatives.