The challenge facing international broadcasters is making the right choice. In the future, expectations will be for a higher level of audio quality. However, radio will continue to be a significant means of getting audio to the listener for many years to come. However much the choices may expand, whatever the range of new technologies available, there will still be many occasions during the day when we can't look at a screen, or sit down at the computer, or use the Internet types of technology.
Radio still fills an important gap.
Later that year a formal consortium agreement was completed, putting in place a body committed to the development of a digital standard for the AM bands below 30 MHz. Also, they conducted a series of propagation tests using five converted transmitters around the world. These tests were for the purpose of proving that the theory would work out in practice. In future months, the DRM will be encouraging adoption of the proposed standard, as well as continuing the more detailed development work, and testing the system. They aim to have digital receivers in the marketplace in late 2001 or early 2002.