Commercial Radio Australia has signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MoU) with Beijing Jolon Digital Media Broadcasting Co.,Ltd to develop a DAB+ radio application that will allow podcasts to be sent via the broadcast band directly to a listener’s radio without the need to connect to the internet and downloaded to an iPod or mp3 player.

Named “Push Radio”, the technology, is already under development by Jolon which is affiliated to Radio Beijing Corporation.

Mr Xuegang Qin, managing director of Beijing said Jolon is delighted to be working with Commercial Radio Australia.  “Jolon and CRA will harmoniously work together to promote the application of DAB+ Push Radio and explore its many practical applications.”

The MoU outlines a framework for a strategic partnership to identify, define and manage all stages of technical co-operation to develop and jointly promote technical specifications of DAB+ Push Radio.

The two organisations will set up a task force to operationally test the current technical standards for DAB+ and DAB+ Push Radio and hope to have a trial of the system in Australia late in 2010.

CRA CEO, Joan Warner said, “Commercial Radio Australia is very pleased to announce we will be working collaboratively over the next 12 months with one of the most influential Chinese public broadcasters, Jolon,  the market leader in digital broadcasting in China, to further develop and test Push Radio.”  

Podcasts have been a huge success for the radio industry with more than 4,661,046 downloaded each month in Australia. (Source: CastMetrix, February 2010).

“To free listeners from the necessity to connect to the internet to receive podcasts and other specific information and targeted programming is a major step forward for DAB+ digital radio,” Ms Warner said. “Push Radio will make a podcast even more accessible for all digital radio listeners.”