Convergence in Broadcast and Communications Media

5Sound

 

 

5.1 Introduction

Sound is important in convergent systems both in its own right and as an accompaniment to some form of image. Traditionally the consumer could receive sound radio at a time decided by the broadcaster, or purchase prerecorded media. Digital technology allows a much greater variety of sound-delivery mechanisms. Sound radio is now broadcast digitally, with greater resistance to multipath reception than analog FM could offer, but still at a time decided by the broadcaster. Prerecorded media reached their pinnacle of sound quality with the Compact Disc, followed by the smaller but audibly inferior MiniDisc, but these are only digitized versions of earlier services.

However, network technology allows digital audio to be ...