Enduring connotations of terrestrial TV and radio

Terrestrial TV and radio broadcasting is essentially an alleyway of RF waves, which cognates milking of sky and burrowing of ground. Despite evolution of disruptive broadcasting technologies and trends, relevance of terrestrial broadcasting cannot be overlooked in near future, rather it has emerged as a significant player in the realm of broadcasting.

With the advent of new broadcast technologies, such as DVB-T2, ASTC 3.0, HbbTV, ISDB-T, and digital radio services like HD radio, DAB, DRM, the people’s choice for listening/viewing is in a formative stage of broadcasting, despite the presence of upcoming 5G/6G mobile medium cellular telecommunication services like social media, YouTube, podcasting, blogging, Spotify (with integration of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.), music plays (e.g., JioSaavn, SoundCloud, Deezer, Tidal), Twitch (video live streaming service), OTT, etc. The classical bonding of high-power high-tower (HPHT) with low-power low-height (LPLH) provides a unique broadcasting platform. The terrestrial platform enables broadcasters to reach remote and underserved areas, expanding their audience base and market presence.

One of the key strengths of terrestrial broadcast is its unparalleled ability to reach a large and diverse audience. Now with the availability of terrestrial TV and radio signals on mobile phones, laptops, vehicles, and other such gadgets, using inbuilt tuners or dongles, the person-on-the-move make a green pasture for broadcasters. The terrestrial signals are all weather reliable source and prove to be a boon during disasters like wartime, tsunami, floods, big riots, and big festivals or yatras like Kumbh Mela, Amarnath yatra etc., where thousands of audience watch/listen the same content and many times the streaming fails there.

Car, bus, train, truck, or tempo/rickshaw, rehari, etc., may provide passengers with information and entertainment, using terrestrial means while on the move. Some of the RF standards that are supported in modern automotive infotainment devices are 5G, HbbTV, DVB-T/DVB-T2, ATSC 3.0, DAB, DRM, HD radio, AM/FM, GPS, etc. Therefore, multi standard/multi-channel integration is quite feasible using the same chip or on multiple chips assembled side by side in order to fit into the vehicle dashboard. The underground metros can be served using leaky cables laid along the tunnel for terrestrial signals where hundreds of people may use radio signals simultaneously without any breaks.
The relevance of terrestrial by off-loading absorbing contents, live programs or any UGC may generate massive appeal to the masses at a given time and available on any platform.
By weaving advertising content into news, sports, or entertainment programming provides opportunity to businesses in front of potential buyers. With the funding from advertisers, the video content itself can be made available to consumers to encourage the widest viewership. DVB-T2 and ATSC facilitates city-specific local advertisement insertion facilities in the national programs. DTT provides opportunistic data insertion facilities for data broadcasting (data casting) applications.

Local contents find the best platform on terrestrial TV and radio. Terrestrial is still used extensively by people traveling in motorized transport that does not have internet access on mobile devices. People on the move want to access the local news, weather, traffic information, sports, and social events. People still consider radio/TV news programs and talk shows as most trusted sources. The digital terrestrial TV and radio can create a more impactful and memorable experience for the audience. The trending set-top box, smart and integrated digital television, pocket-size digital radio receivers, mobiles, and laptops with built-in tuners for digital radio and TV, give manufacturers and broadcasters an opportunity to be more relevant to audience.

The enduring terrestrial television and radio signals continue to be in consonance with millions of people and have useful connotations for social awareness, marketing, education, entertainment, and all walks of life. Terrestrial TV/radio can leverage the inherent trust and authority associated with these platforms. Terrestrial platform is spectral efficient and considering its tenacity need attention of broadcasters, regulators, manufacturers, and content creators. Policy makers/broadcasters should expand the network of digital terrestrial TV and digital radio with gap fillers to increase the reach of terrestrial signals and provide subsidies on receivers.