News

WorldDAB is pleased to partner with “AI × Radio Europe – From Trust to the Connected Car”, a European policy and innovation forum organised in the framework of UNESCO World Radio Day 2026, taking place on 12 February in Brussels (Residence Palace – International Press Centre). This year, World Radio Day focuses on Radio and Artificial Intelligence. AI × Radio Europe brings together institutions, broadcasters, industry and media to shape the future of radio in the AI era. WorldDAB is a supporting partner of the forum, addressing how radio can remain trusted, accessible and visible in an era of AI-driven production, hybrid distribution and connected dashboards.

The Bournemouth and Boscombe scale DAB digital radio multiplex has launched following 18 months of planning. The launch brings several community and local interest services onto DAB+ in the area for the first time, along with local and national commercial operators. The multiplex is run and operated by BH Community DAB, which was awarded the licence by Ofcom in 2024. “This marks a new chapter for local radio across our region. We can now reach more listeners, sharing local stories, music, and vital information that matter to our communities,” Gary Plumber, Chair at Dorset Coast Radio said.

WorldDAB has announced a technical seminar examining resilience and implementation challenges in DAB+ broadcast networks. The SNIC Seminar on DAB+ resilience and implementation will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CET. The event will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person participation at the European Broadcasting Union in Geneva and an online option for remote attendees. According to WorldDAB, the seminar is organized by its Spectrum and Networking Implementation Committee. It is aimed at broadcasters, network operators and manufacturers involved in the design and operation of DAB+ transmission infrastructure.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, three new radio stations will launch via DAB+ at the beginning of February 2026. The stations Metropol FM, StreamD and Radio MusicStar will expand the range of digital radio options in several regions of the state. Metropol FM will soon be broadcasting its full Turkish-language programme nationwide via several regional DAB+ coverage areas in North Rhine-Westphalia. These include the Cologne/Bonn/Aachen, East Westphalia-Lippe, Lower Rhine, Dortmund and South Westphalia regions, as well as the Düsseldorf, Wuppertal and Mönchengladbach areas. The programme is aimed at a Turkish-speaking audience and combines music, news and cultural content from and for the community.

There has been a short-term change in programming on Hamburg's radio landscape. Radio Wellenrausch has been relaunched on the private multiplex 2 on channel 12C. The station is thus returning to a prominent platform and taking over the slot previously occupied by FG Chic Germany. The latter had only been broadcasting on this channel since spring 2024, but now has to make way for the returnee. For listeners in the Hamburg area, this change means an expansion of the genre offering on DAB+. Since the slot has been swapped within the existing multiplex, all that is required for reception is a quick search on the digital radio, provided the device has not already updated the identifier automatically.

The digital broadcaster Sunshine Live is expanding its presence in the Swiss radio market. Since January 2026, the electronic music programme has also been available in the Bern-Fribourg area via the digital terrestrial network. It is broadcast via the SwissMediaCast multiplex on the regional DAB+ channel SMC D03 BE-FR, which operates on the 8B frequency. Technically, the station is broadcast at a data rate of 64 kbit/s. Within the multiplex, the programme occupies a capacity of 48 capacity units. With this step, Sunshine Live is further consolidating its broadcasting network in western and central Switzerland and using the existing infrastructure of regional digital packages to increase its technical reach.

IB3 Radio takes a decisive step towards the radio of the future with the start of DAB+ digital broadcasts from Ibiza. With this launch, IB3 becomes the first public radio station in the State to begin broadcasting on DAB+, a milestone that opens a new chapter for public radio in the Balearic Islands: more modern, more stable and designed to better reach the public. The broadcast begins from the Sant Llorenç de Balàfia Telecommunications Centre, a strategic location that ensures solid coverage across the island. The rollout will continue over the coming weeks in Menorca, while Mallorca will come on board in early March, completing the first phase of the timetable for the introduction of public digital radio in the Islands.

Since the end of January this year, residents of Třebíč and the surrounding area have been able to tune in to new radio stations as part of DAB+ digital terrestrial broadcasting. Radio Energic has joined Seejay Radio and World Radio on the airwaves, significantly expanding the range of programming available in the region. The signal is broadcast from a newly launched transmitter, which is technically provided by Fiera touch as part of Regional Network 25. The new transmitter is located on the chimney of the heating plant in Třebíč, specifically on Velkomeziříčská Street, which allows for effective signal propagation in the urban area and surrounding countryside. Channel 6B is used for this purpose, on which stations broadcast in vertical polarization.

Starting in February, ZUN Radio is changing its signal distribution strategy within the DAB+ networks in northern and eastern Bohemia. This change will mainly affect its cooperation with Teleko, with the station focusing on more efficient use of available capacity in these locations. The aim of these changes is to optimize broadcasting with regard to the current commercial potential of the region and to ensure the further development of the station. Listeners in eastern Bohemia will still be able to tune in to the station via the Teleko multiplex on channel 10D, which is broadcast from the Králíky – Suchý vrch transmitter. Another stable reception option is the Fiera Touch network operating from the Trutnov – Černá hora transmitter on channel 7D.

At the beginning of February, new radio programmes will be launched on DAB+ digital radio in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Turkish-language Metropol FM will go on air for the first time in Germany's most populous federal state. The launch is scheduled for Monday, 2 February at 11 a.m. The launch of StreamD on DAB+ has already been announced for 1 February. The Düsseldorf-based programme, which can already be heard on the internet, aims to reach a more discerning audience with information, talk shows featuring guests from the worlds of culture and business, and music programmes covering a wide range of genres. Both programmes benefit from the new regional multiplexes that went on air in North Rhine-Westphalia shortly before Christmas.