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Week ending February 21, 2009

Antenna Hungaria - The digital radio transmission continues - February 19, 2009
from Andras Toth / Antenna Hungaria

Antenna Hungária carries on the test transmisson on its DAB+ digital terrestrial radio network, the digital content contributed to the launch of the DAB+ digital radio sets’ distribution in Hungary. The test transmission was broadened with the programs of Sláger Rádió and Magyar Katolikus Rádió, by this the number of available channels had risen to eight.

The DAB+ digital terrestrial radio test transmission of Antenna Hungária is available in Budapest and its surroundings. In line with the launch of the test transmission, DAB+ digital radio sets’ distribution in Hungary has started also, there are 4 types of radio sets available in the retail trade presently and it will increase to 6-8 soon. Antenna Hungária expects the number of DAB+ ready types of radio sets on the market to grow further in the next months.

Antenna Hungária rolled out the first phase of the digital terrestrial radio network until December 2008 covering close to 30% of the Hungarian population. Following this the company started the test transmission on its DAB+ digital terrestrial radio network, the trial is available from January 23 2009 in Budapest and its surroundings and contains at present the MR1, MR2 and MR3 channels of the Hungarian Radio, and three channels of the Swiss Satellite Radio (Swiss Jazz, Swiss Classic and Swiss Pop). The test transmission was broadened in the middle of February with the programs of Sláger Rádió and Magyar Katolikus Rádió, by this the number of available channels had risen to eight, ensuring varied choice for the listeners.

While conducting commercial negotiations with various Hungarian radio stations, AH would like to test the network with live content so as to execute the necessary technical adjustments, to promote this new service for the radio listeners and to demonstrate the quality and the availability of the service to our potential clients.

The digital radio transmission offers several new opportunities for the content providers as there is no additional nationwide analog FM frequency available in Hungary. With the help of digital transmission the content providers can increase their reach of the listeners, by launching thematic channels they can improve and segment better the offered content, and they can broaden the range of services by transmitting picture and text informations. All of these new features can be realized at a fraction of the price of the analog transmission.

According to the market resarch of Digital Radio Group of the Scientific Association for Infocommunications (HTE) as of 2008 in connection with the consumer expectations on digital radio, 74% of the respondents emphasized the sound-proof reception possiblity, 50% the exceptional sound quality and 41% the variety of programs as the most important factors of the digital radio. The participants of the research would prefer to listen hit music, news, cabaret, jazz and world music programs on the digital platform. 7% of the respondents would buy DAB+ receiver even if only one preferred channel is available, almost 65% will be urged to buy digital equipment if they could listen 3-5 channels.

According to AH’s plans, the public and commercial channels will appear progressively on the new platform in the coming months, broadening the choice of content for the listeners significantly.