About Us

The DRM SA GROUP is the product of the re-launch by the DRM Consortium of what was previously known as the DRM SA PLATFORM.

After the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies issued the policy direction on the introduction of Digital Sound Broadcasting in July 2020, it prompted the re-launch of the DRM South African group to accelerate the awareness and promotion of the standard to prepare for its implementation in the radio industry.

The evaluation and demonstration of the various digital audio broadcasting standards started in South Africa over 20 years ago. In 2014 the DRM Consortium established a Southern Africa Platform led by the Managing Director of Radio Pulpit, as this community station took the initiative and conducted a successful DRM for AM (mediumwave) trial. This was followed by the successful DRM in FM trial of Kofifi FM 97.2 by Wecodec, a community radio station in Johannesburg supported by South African organizations and Consortium members. The trial report has been accepted as an ITU document to be published imminently.

The objectives of DRM SA are to:

Advocate the use of DRM as the preferred standard for digital sound broadcasting in South Africa
Create Awareness of DRM with the general public, stakeholders, suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and all government entities
Influence industry and stakeholders on the use of DRM
Be the credible Authority on the DRM standard in South Africa (the knowledge hub for everything DRM related)

The DRM SA Group joins the ranks of other DRM national platforms (in Germany, India, Brazil, Russia or USA) engaged in promoting the rollout of the DRM standard globally.

The DRM global standard can be used in all radio frequency bands and is ideal for the large countries of Southern Africa, from national networks and regional stations to smaller commercial and community radio stations, all would be able to broadcast their digital programmes with enhanced content and in excellent sound quality to everyone in their respective countries. DRM is an ideal African digital solution.

DRM SA is a non-profit group.

OUR MEMBERS

About DRM

Digital Radio Mondiale™ (DRM) is the universal, openly standardised digital broadcast system for all broadcasting frequencies including the AM bands (LW, MW, SW), as well as VHF Bands I, II – (FM band) and III (including the 214 – 240 MHz).

In the past the AM flavour was known as DRM30 and the VHF variant as DRM+. This gave the false impression that there are two standards or that one is the more modern of the other. There is only one DRM standard, sharing the same features and benefits across all the bands. To be more explicit and get rid of possible confusion nowadays we call is DRM for AM (below 30 MHz) and DRM for FM (VHF band). DRM is one standard, free for all and on all bands.

DRM ensures the efficient and complete digitisation of those countries committing to the digital radio roll-out. The great flexibility of DRM supports all types of coverage needs – from local, regional, nation-wide to international. DRM allows a seamless transition to digital radio with the upgrade of existing transmitter infrastructure as well as with analogue-digital simulcast configurations. DRM digital radio can save broadcasters up to 80% in energy and maintenance costs.

Click on any of the icons below to learn more about the standard.

DRM Features

Latest news from the DRM Consortium

Visit the https://news.drm.org website for up to date news on DRM activities worldwide.

For key facts about the DRM standard you can visit https://pocket.drm.org.