Editing NICAM (section)

{{short description|Digital audio compression standard}}
{{about|a compression form for digital audio|the media content rating institute|Netherlands Institute for the Classification of Audiovisual Media}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

'''Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex''' ('''NICAM''') is an early form of [[lossy compression]] for [[digital audio]]. It was originally developed in the early 1970s for point-to-point links within broadcasting networks.<ref name="croll">Croll, M.G., Osborne, D.W. and Spicer, C.R. (1974), ''Digital sound signals: the present BBC distribution system and a proposal for bit-rate reduction by digital companding''. IEE Conference publication No. 119, pp. 90–96</ref> In the 1980s, broadcasters began to use NICAM compression for transmissions of [[Stereophonic sound|stereo]] TV sound to the public.