Germany’s New Wave Radio has signed onto the European Broadcasting Union’s Smart Radio Initiative, formerly known as the Euro-chip, according to the WorldDMB Forum.
The aim of the initiative is to motivate the appliance industry across Europe to offer receivers that work with analog, digital terrestrial and Internet radio signals. This initiative began in Europe in 2012, aimed primarily at manufacturers of radios and producer of smartphones and tablets.
Willi Carpenter, the CEO of New Wave, said the Smart Radio initiative would benefit broadcasters, as well as commerce and industry in Europe.
The initiative aims to ensure that all radio users in Europe have the opportunity to buy receivers that work across Europe.
EBU Radio boss Christian Vogg characterized the addition of New Wave to the movement as a positive sign because it is another step forward toward the future of hybrid radio — the combination of terrestrial broadcasting and the Internet.
The signatories now includes all public service broadcasters Germany, as well as from Italy, Sweden, Norway, to domestic and foreign private broadcasters such as RTL Belgium or the Sky Group in the Netherlands.
