International industry association

RDS Forum

The association of RDS users, maintaining the Radio Data System standards and supporting the continued evolution of FM/RDS and RDS2.

RDS signal and receiver workflow A simplified diagram showing FM audio, RDS data, receiver decoding, and service information. FM audio 57 kHz RDS Receiver Services

Built around a technology used worldwide

RDS has supported FM broadcasting for more than 40 years. The Forum keeps the standard current, practical, and backwards compatible for broadcasters, receiver makers, transmission providers, and regulators.

1993 The RDS Forum was founded as a professional contact network.
40+ Years since the first RDS specification was published by the EBU.
1B+ FM/RDS integrated circuits are manufactured each year.

What the Forum does

Maintains standards

The Forum maintains IEC RDS standards and tracks implementation issues for RDS, RT+, UECP, and RDS2.

Connects experts

Members exchange experience across broadcasting, manufacturing, measurement, regulation, and service development.

Publishes guidance

Specifications, guidelines, position statements, meeting material, and historical material are collected into a cleaner library.

Priority areas

RDS2 development

RDS2 extends the RDS standard while remaining backwards compatible with existing receivers.

Read about RDS2

Publication library

Key standards, guidelines, position papers, and meeting documents are surfaced from the existing PDF archive.

Browse publications

Products

Product notes cover RDS/RDS2 equipment, receiver ICs, encoders, monitoring, measurements, RDS tools, and utility management applications.

Open products section

Future of RDS

RDS2 expands RDS with additional subcarriers, new data capacity, and backwards compatibility for existing FM/RDS receivers.

Open future section

RDS background

Plain-language explanations of RDS features, terminology, history, logo usage, PS, and ODA registration.

Open background section