Kathryn Sabel Brown (Kath Brown) has left Commercial Radio Australia.
Looking back on her 25 years with the industry body, Kath has told radioinfo she is “proud to have made a significant contribution to the launch and adoption of DAB+ digital radio in Australia.”
With her background in audience research at News Limited, Kath started as a media planner in the Radio Marketing Bureau back in 1995, presenting to agency and client teams on the benefits of including radio in their campaigns. She became an early advocate for DAB digital radio as it allowed broadcasters to offer niche audio formats and additional text and graphics.
“With 73% of new vehicles (many with screens) and close to a million ads on DAB+ services so far this year, it is pleasing to see that vision is starting to become a reality in Australia…
“I have worked with many wonderful Board members, Chief Engineers/CTOs, programmers and station management over the years, and have enjoyed close collaboration with the public and community radio sectors,” says Brown.
Working internationally with WorldDAB, RadioDNS, EBU, ABU, NAB in USA and broadcasters, receiver manufacturers, retailers and the automotive sector over many years, she “has built close and enduring relationships.” Some of her achievements in her time with CRA include:
- support for the early industry trials of DAB on L Band 1999-2002
- collaboration with industry engineers to establish the first DAB trial on Band III in Sydney 2003
- helping to develop the DAB+ standard now used in Australia, Europe, Arab States and parts of Asia Pac in 2007 – Australia was the second country to adopt DAB+
- winning and then project managing a $2.23m Industry Collaboration and Innovation Grant (with matched industry funding) to help the development of DAB+ in Australia 2006-2009
- establishing many aspects of the full deployment of DAB+ in 5 state capitals in 2009
- project managing the DAB+ trials in Canberra and Darwin and assisting their transition to permanent services
- active member of the RadioDNS Steering Board to establish hybrid radio standards and champion uptake of hybrid features
- participating in numerous international DAB+ development activities
- participating in the Australian Government’s Digital Radio Planning Committee and its Technical sub-Committee to plan for the expansion of regional DAB+
- assisting broadcasters launch DAB+ in Hobart and Mandurah
She also represented the radio industry in the Government’s Communications Sector Group over many years, to raise awareness and understanding of the essential role of local radio during emergencies.
Kath has told radioinfo she “wishes her colleagues well in these difficult times and looks forward to using her experience and unique skills to work on exciting new projects in the future.”
Contact:
Kathryn Sabel Brown
Phone: 0421 088 838
Email: [email protected]
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