To explore the progress and potential of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) in South Africa and Africa the DRM SA Group organised its first DRM Southern Africa Webinar on 22 October. The event brought together broadcasters, industry experts, and technology partners to explore the progress and potential of DRM in the region. Presentations made by South African experts and colleagues in the umbrella DRM Consortium highlighted DRM’s efficiency in energy and spectrum use, its ability to broadcast multiple channels on a single frequency, and its applications in education and emergency communication. To increase audience engagement, attendees participated in live Slido polls, a way to provide live feedback and share their own perspectives. These showed that over half of the participants were already familiar with DRM, while another 25% were somewhat familiar. Interestingly, 43% identified commercial radio and advertising as the sector most likely to benefit from DRM, followed by community radio (29%). A big vote of confidence and interest were shown for the potential of DRM in education/distance learning (29%). As to the challenges and barriers to implementation, costs and limited awareness were cited as the most important, though 56% rated DRM’s energy and spectrum efficiency as “very valuable” to broadcasters. The webinar concluded with a strong call for on-air demonstrations, business plan development, and broader public education as those involved in the event reaffirmed collective commitment to advancing digital radio adoption across Southern Africa.
