Phoneme guidelines for broadcasters help accurate voice navigation.
WorldDAB – the global industry forum for DAB+ digital radio – has produced new guidelines for broadcasters and manufacturers on the use of phonemes and aliases, which allow listeners to find their favourite stations using voice commands more easily.
The new easy-to-follow, 18-page “how-to” guide is aimed at broadcasters and those who work in radio stations, to help them check their phonemes are correct. The document is available for free on the WorldDAB website.
There is increasing use by listeners of voice commands to navigate radio stations, particularly as the list of stations is becoming much longer. Smart speakers and virtual assistants use voice recognition to understand what is said to them, and voice reproduction to confirm choices and results to users in natural language.
Many typical words and phrases can be represented by plain text. But two situations are not well handled: when listeners often call a radio station by something other than its exact official name, and when a radio station name isn't said the same way as it is written down in text. Aliases and phonemes can help listeners find radio stations in these cases.
The publication of the new guide comes with just weeks to go until WorldDAB Automotive 2024, which takes place in Prague and online on 13 June. The unique annual event unites auto manufacturers and broadcasters to explore the future of DAB+ broadcast radio in automobiles and is free to attend. Alongside expert speakers from around the world, Nick Piggott, Vice President, WorldDAB will lead a session on the importance of metadata and phonemes in providing the best possible in-vehicle experience for listeners.
Alongside the new guidelines, WorldDAB’s website also contains other useful information and expert advice, including user experience and driver distraction guidelines, and a set of country factsheets for automotive manufacturers.
Info: www.worlddab.org/dab/phonemes
Notes: Press Release - WorldDAB - 03 May 2024
