Radio

The radio, colloquially ( and common in Switzerland ) Radio was the first electronic mass media, initially, then referred synonymous with radio as distinguished from television sound broadcasting technicians as. In Germany the regular program operation started in October 1923. Broadcasting can be received with a radio device in the world.

Organizational form

Radio in Germany consists of the radio programs

• Public- service broadcasters under Land law as a one- or multi-country services ( HR, RBB, WDR and others)
• Public-law corporation under Land law with nationwide distribution ( Germany Radio )
• The broadcasters of federal law ( German as a foreign radio wave )
• Private broadcasters under Land law ( private radio stations )
• To supply the members of foreign or international military forces (formerly known as Allied forces ) ( AFN, BFBS, FFB)
• The sending of Germany from international broadcasting service of the United States and Russia (Voice of America, Voice of Russia, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty )
• Non-commercial local radio station ( free radios / open channels / Event Radio ), by country and legal
• Unapproved (and therefore illegal ) pirate radio station.

The broadcast of the GDR was an exclusively state broadcasting.

In addition, may be on long wave, medium wave and short wave as well as in the border area on ultra-short wave radio programs that are broadcast by foreign broadcasting locations, received.

The classification makes it clear that the radio broadcasting in Germany takes place always under state law because of the broadcasting sovereignty of the states. This concerns both the public broadcasters and commercial broadcasters. The Germany Radio is no exception, although it is nationwide spread, because it is indirectly a joint project of all federal countries, in that it is directly a project of the ARD and ZDF, the ARD is an umbrella organization of regional broadcasters and ZDF by treaty between the federal states is legitimized. As a result, a federal policy with the exception of the Allied Radio transmitter and the foreign service Deutsche Welle is non-existent.

History

Production of radio programs

In analog studios, as they were common until the 1990s into a large amount of physical material has been moved. Tapes and records had to be purchased and prepared from the archive. Manager and sound engineer were responsible for the smooth operation of, where they were based on the schedule.

Today, not only the program preparation, but also the processing takes place almost exclusively via computer. The central instrument is the digital broadcast schedule, a special software that includes all program elements that are needed during a broadcast. The broadcast schedule is similar to a list that contains a variety of audio files that are located in various archives ( program folders on different disks within the home network or intranet ). They can be accessed and played ideally from any PC within the transmitter. The digital broadcast schedule lists these components chronologically and can either fully automatic or play with a mouse click. Collections of music, jingles and various word posts are available as audio files ready to disks.

The schedule can fully automatically, semi- automatically or fully by hand can be programmed. Pure music systems are usually automatically created in compliance with specific criteria. The editor is, for example, a what kind of music should be played and, if necessary, the "rotation" is present in which is calculated according to how many pieces a title can be repeated. The songs are (comparable to the MP3 tags ) equipped with digital metadata that stipulate certain criteria such as musical style, speed or target group. According to these criteria, the PC can generate the music program automatically, of course, can always music "by hand" to be inserted can be flexibly incorporated into the playlist. Also jingles and verbal contributions will be automatically inserted in this case according to predetermined criteria into the program.

The word posts are divided roughly into moderation, jingles, commercials and other word posts, for example correspondent reports or headings. Added to this are the news and service posts such as weather or traffic report. Because of the New News, moderation or service contributions will be created only in the short term or even played live (for example, from the news studio ). For these contributions are in the schedule called " placeholder" installed that refer to any specific file, but later in the meantime prepared program components (eg: "Post 1 " ) or live Contributions replaced ( "updated" ) are.

The software can automatically pause at certain times of the running program ( ie, news) assume a specific audio stream or call saved time announcements. The program then returns to the music routine. This principle is often found in the night programs of smaller private stations or in non-stop music loops. Many program elements are prefabricated in its entirety and may be retrieved from the hard disk (eg posts, features, magazine programs ).

It is now possible to insert all shipments as recording the current program (Voice Tracking). This method is often used in commercial channels and is mostly ( all announcements are produced at a stretch and later mixed with the music, although no moderator is present ), for cost and efficiency reasons applied ( "clean", versprecherfreie moderation). Especially on weekends are barely staffed broadcasting studios, thanks to pre-recorded shows, which run automatically in the respective transmission systems.

To save time occasionally pitched songs with some ad-supported Popsendern. The playback speed is increased slightly, despite frequent advertising breaks to accommodate in a broadcast hour more music, or the length of a piece of music adapt to tight deadlines.

Live broadcasts are sometimes made ​​without exact schedule, instead watch presenters and broadcast technicians on the exact implementation of the timetable. The feed -prepared contributions or the selection or preparation of the music is almost always on the PC. The live presenter today enjoys a large degree of freedom in arranging and prepared (eg request broadcasts ) directly invoked song.

Playout

Similar to the television control room is the center of technical broadcast operations and at the same node all incoming and outgoing audio signals. Under a sound but is meant primarily the broadcast- end signal is routed directly to the transmission facilities, in addition also in-depth contributions from correspondents, Outdoor Studios, partner stations or transmission vehicles. Smaller stations take on the news and various mantle programs (eg moderated night programs ) often by external service providers that supply is usually via satellite, increasingly, online.

Many small radio stations in the commercial sector work closely together. They produce many posts or jointly take all the transmission routes of a common program. These radio syndicates, which emerged after the American model, there is, among other things in Bavaria ( BLR) and North Rhine -Westphalia ( NRW Radio ). They produce as an independent service provider news and verbal contributions, maintain our own network of correspondents and produce one or more mantle programs that are accepted by the local and special interest channels at certain times. The financial contribution to the syndicates usually depends on the transmitter size (market share and reach).

The ARD operates its highly efficient program exchange within one 's own technical network, the ARD - star. The data is exchanged via the HYBNET, an extremely broadband intranet are connected to the all broadcasters ARD. Technical hub is the ARD broadcasting center in Frankfurt am Main.

Many radio stations use in signal processing sound processors. This allows, for example, the transmitted signal optimally adapted to the given FM peak deviation of 75 kHz. The radio stations use to influence the sound dynamic compressors, they use some stations also to the creation of typical " sound design ". Highly Compressed programs often sound " squashed " and unnatural.

Digital radio signals are generated by analog-to- digital converters (A / D) converter of the analog audio signal, and compressed with the conventional MPEG method. Before the retransmission via satellite and / or cable or DAB -T, the individual signals using so-called multiplexer with other signals ( television programs, other radio programs, data services) are combined into a single transport stream. The transmitter supply is common on most ARD programs and several private radio stations directly via satellite.

Transmission paths

Radio is used:

• Via antenna, see Terrestrial transmission
• Over cable network
• Via communications satellites, p satellite radio (including DVB-S)
• Via the Internet as a live stream, see Streaming Audio
• As Internet Radio

The radio will transmit:

• Analogous
• Digital, see Digital Radio

This is to be replaced soon, the analog process by the digital process (see Analog "switch - off")

Frequency ranges

On the distribution of terrestrial radio transmissions different frequency ranges are used, and used various technical specifications:

Or COFDM the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM )

Or COFDM the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM )

Or COFDM the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM )

Broadcasters of the long-wave and medium wave range occupy a width of 9 kHz ( 10 kHz in the Americas ), the short- wave range, a width of 10 kHz and the FM area has a width of 300 kHz.

In the short- wave range and radio broadcasts are carried out by the method of single-sideband modulation. For your reception, you need a receiver with a special demodulator. There are also AT -compatible single-sideband modulation. They will not be used.

For digital radio transmissions, especially digital radio ( DAB), including frequency bands are used, the former for television transmission were used. Digital radio is now operated in many parts of the world ( and Others in Germany, Austria, Switzerland ) in parallel alongside the existing FM releases and this is superior in quality.

With Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM ), the frequency ranges of LW, SW and MW (which were previously operated amplitude modulated ) used and operated at DRM only with a COFDM modulated digital signal. So far analog -powered transmitter switch in part for certain hours of the day on the digital modulation of DRM, which the world's diverse programs already be received today. DRM is not specified or are licensed for release in the frequency range of FM.

Radio usage in Germany

Average daily heard in Germany more than 54 million people ( over 14 years ) radio. In the years 2000-2010 the radio use is thus remained stable. However, the use of the radio is 14 - to 29 -year-old in the same period from 79 to 71.5 % declined. Although the Internet has greatly expanded the possibilities of the use of radio, receives the majority of listeners the programs nor in the conventional way, that is a static receiver or in the car. Only about 15 % of the younger generation listens to the radio on your computer.

Yet seem so far not to crowd the radio mp3 player. Development default, the radio listening in spite of competitive new media has remained constant at a high level. The reasons given such as the adaptation of broadcasters to the online medium are given by the broadcasting programs on the Internet and a parallel recipients use of the radio and the new media.

No clear evidence is there as to which journalistic effect played by the radio and the impact it has on public opinion. In a study published in 2010, the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media at the radio transmits only about 15 % to the formation of opinion. Critics of the study before methodological flaws, however. Also, they would not take into account the peculiarities of radio reception.

Strengths of the radio medium

Galt the radio earlier mainly as the "fastest medium" of this unique feature has made in part to the Internet. From a qualitative Audience Survey of RBB - media research shows that listeners over the radio may have a strong emotional bond. "It is with emotion that manage moods throughout the day. In the morning, it is expected that radio joins in the fun, stimulating, positive mood for the day. On the day it is to minimize the stress and in the evening relieve emotional and harmonize. Young people describe the radio as a ' comfort zone ', as a world ' which also creates daydreams ', as a medium ' that pulls me through the day .' "

The radio is also still the primary access route and discovery space for new music. In particular, young people, it is considered to be a medium that leaves room for spontaneity and provocation: " There may be room the feeling of rebellion and challenge to consciously set actions. In comparison, the media are the leeway within the bracket of ' political correctness ' for the radio greatest. It can set political issues to controversial issues of free and courageous and controversial debate accordingly. " A particular strength of radio is its ability to surprise his audience with issues and make them curious about things. As " the way media " it offers the possibility that " one is confronted with issues that to never deal you look at a newspaper reading time would take ."