The Hindu Business Line : To be heard above the din…

The competition for listeners’ ears couldn’t get keener. In the city of Chennai alone, there are nine FM stations, including two belonging to All India Radio. BIG 92.7 FM, the flagship FM channel of Reliance-Adlabs, says technology is helping it do things with that edge. It leverages Internet Protocol (IP) technology — the company claims it was the first to introduce it in the country — to ensure its programmes reach people in the 18 cities that it is present.

Soumen Choudhary, Chief Technology Officer, BIG 92.7 FM, shares more with eWorld. Excerpts from the chat:

What is the IP technology being used at the radio station known as? In a general context, what are its features?

All BIG 92.7 FM studios are based on IP technology using RTP (Real time Protocol) called Livewire sourced from Axia Audio/Telos Systems. The audio travels across the studio through an Ethernet switch that is used for data (mail/Internet/software application) in offices. Instead of using a single wire for stereo audio signal, in Livewire, one carries 25 stereo audio signals simultaneously. We use normal IT components such as switch to deliver audio to different studios.

Does the IP technology ensure that broadcasting is fully digitised, and that it does not require a person to man the process?

Yes, through IP technology, broadcasting is completely digitised from the point of delivery (of content) till the transmitter (of content). From broadcasting consoles, to routing of signals to different studios, the way we handle audio across stations is different compared to the conventional TDM (time-division multiplexing) technology that has been in use in the last 20 years in the broadcasting world. We can manage stations and audio routing remotely and the system can run completely on an automated system.

Could you give an example?

For instance, we have our main broadcasting studio called ‘On Air’ studio. If, for some reason, this fails, software in the station can automatically switch on the ‘Back up studio,’ which acts as the ‘On Air’ studio. The software handles all this automatically.

What’s the difference between TDM technology and the IP-based technology?

TDM is a method of putting multiple data streams in a single signal by separating the signal into many segments, each having a very short duration.

Each individual data stream is reassembled at the receiving end based on the timing. The IP-based technology started its use with VoIP (Voice over IP) technology in the late nineties.

The technology that we use is an advanced version of VoIP and IP technology, through which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet. The first broadcast console made with this technology was in 2003-04 in the US. In broadcasting, the important parameter is reliability, quality of audio and simplicity to use. The IP technology provides more benefits over conventional broadcasting consoles and equipment based on TDM technology.

Could you quantify the cost benefits?

IP-based technology is 20 per cent lesser than (the actual cost was not given by the company) the conventional technology.

How has the IP-base helped the company in getting talent?

The advent of private FM radio stations in India is still a nascent phenomenon. We had 21 Private FM stations at the beginning of 2006. The number of people with technical capabilities and knowledge of terrestrial FM broadcasting set-up was very limited. It was a big challenge for BIG FM to set up 45 stations in nine months.

However, with the use of IP-based equipment, people with technical resource, with basic knowledge in IT equipment, networking and IP, were already available. We only had to train them on the adaptation of the same for FM stations set-up, which is much easier compared to taking raw talent and training it on audio and radio basics.

raja@thehindu.co.in

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