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Why should I invest in a digital radio, which no matter the standard seems quite expensive when I can use internet and get radio programmes? – Your Question Answered

Why should I invest in a digital radio, which no matter the standard seems quite expensive when I can use internet and get radio programmes? – Your Question Answered

Our best specialists will respond in brief to your questions. We will post them regularly. Please submit them in writing and in audio with your picture and we will post the answers here. Please keep your questions short and relevant and send them to: projectoffice@drm.

Why should I invest in a digital radio, which no matter the standard seems quite expensive when I can use internet and get radio programmes?

(Kenyan listener)

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This is a recent and interesting debate. The short answer would be: radio is mobile (is your laptop?), cheap and effective. This can be seen very clearly in times of crises when internet, mobiles and TV are the first to go, whereas radio is the last line of resistance, potentially saving lives. Besides broadcasting to many immediately becomes viable and economical (and so much more so in DRM or digital) with every new community or listener added in the coverage area. In contrast, internet becomes more expensive for broadcasters with every listener accessing a radio programme (and we have not even mentioned the data plans yet). We can safely assume that the internet will never economically cope with a two-way individual signal to every listener whenever they are most likely to listen. This is particularly true and has been proven to be so during the most popular times, like breakfast programmes, times of emergency and very popular sporting events such as the soccer world cup!