P3: Describe the multiplatform distribution methods
Here are the main examples of multi-platform radio distribution methods:
FM (Frequency Modulation) Radio:
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation (FM) is the encoding of information in a carrier wave by varying the instantaneous frequency of the wave. For this reason, most music is broadcast over FM radio.
AM (Amplitude Modulation) Radio:
Amplitude modulation (AM) is a modulation technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave.
Medium Wave Radio:
Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting.
DAB (Digital Radio):
Digital audio broadcasting (DAB), also known as digital radio and high-definition radio, is audio broadcasting in which analogue audio is converted into a digital signal and transmitted on an assigned channel in the AM or (more usually) FM frequency range.
Internet Radio:
Internet radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, online radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted broadly through wireless means.
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation (FM) is the encoding of information in a carrier wave by varying the instantaneous frequency of the wave. For this reason, most music is broadcast over FM radio.
AM (Amplitude Modulation) Radio:
Amplitude modulation (AM) is a modulation technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave.
Medium Wave Radio:
Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting.
DAB (Digital Radio):
Digital audio broadcasting (DAB), also known as digital radio and high-definition radio, is audio broadcasting in which analogue audio is converted into a digital signal and transmitted on an assigned channel in the AM or (more usually) FM frequency range.
Internet Radio:
Internet radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, online radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted broadly through wireless means.
The types of distribution methods Radio One and Cambridge 105 are known to use:
Looking back at P1 and P2, I have researched that the two radio stations that I looked at for these tasks use some of these distribution methods, but not all of them.
BBC uses Digital Audio Broadcasting, Frequency Modulation, and Internet radio. BBC Radio One uses these methods to reach its mass audience and get its audience as big as possible as it is a public service radio station.
Cambridge 105 uses Local Frequency Modulation and Internet radio. This is because Cambridge 105 distributes locally, being a community radio station.
BBC uses Digital Audio Broadcasting, Frequency Modulation, and Internet radio. BBC Radio One uses these methods to reach its mass audience and get its audience as big as possible as it is a public service radio station.
Cambridge 105 uses Local Frequency Modulation and Internet radio. This is because Cambridge 105 distributes locally, being a community radio station.
Questionnaire
Here I posted a questionnaire about what radio people listen to onto social media to go towards my research. Here are the questions I asked.
Below are the responses I got to these questions
What I found out about my production is that more people listen to the radio digitally, on their phones and in podcasts. I expected digitally to be on the more popular side, but I would have thought that most people listen to the radio in cars using FM radio or am radio. Not on a mobile phone. The responses I got for question 2 were quite unusual as well, one response for example listens to the radio for traffic updates, another listens to news and drama. For question 3 it seems as though the majority of people either listen to the radio all the time or rarely.