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Following the National Council, the Council of States also decided last Tuesday to maintain FM broadcasting in Switzerland. The framework conditions on the basis of which the SSR had planned to abandon FM at the end of 2024 have therefore changed. The media company considers this a mandate to restore the broadcasting of its radio programmes on FM waves. Furthermore, digital transformation is inevitable in the field of radio broadcasting as well. Already today, nine out of ten minutes of radio listening are via a digital medium. This is why the SSR will continue to be present mainly on digital channels and via DAB+ – especially for the large proportion of listeners who have already made the switch.

Ofcom has awarded small-scale DAB multiplex licences for four more areas across the UK. Small-scale DAB is an innovative technology which provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves. So far, 82 multiplexes have launched broadcasting to listeners across all four nations of the UK. In total, the small-scale DAB programme will enable the launch of over 100 multiplexes. Following a competitive process, where each applicant was judged against specific criteria, multiplex licences have been awarded for the following areas: Ely & March, Market Harborough, Wakefield and Castleford, and Wellingborough.

Lincolnshire is to get more commercial radio services in 2026 as plans are announced by Magna Radio. It launches alongside a sister service, Magna Mix, which plays music from the sixties to the eighties. The stations will be available on DAB and online, supported by the message Love Music, Love Lincolnshire. They’ve been created by former Lincs FM broadcaster Tom Priestley and is based at the University of Lincoln with support from Dom McOmish. The launch comes six months after another new commercial radio service for the area, Lincs Sound, launched on DAB with a host of local presenters, in reaction to long-established Lincs FM becoming part of the Hits Radio Network in April 2024.

FM channels will be able to continue operating after 2026. On Tuesday, the Council of States narrowly supported a motion from the National Council calling on the Federal Council to abandon the planned deactivation. The National Council motion calls on the Federal Council to extend the current FM licences or to launch a new tender for the allocation of FM licences from 1 January 2027. The deadline for deactivation should be postponed until at least the end of 2031 and set in consultation with private radio stations. Extending FM temporarily does not prevent the gradual migration to DAB+, Isabelle Chassot (Centre/FR) pointed out. In the vote, the Chamber made its decision by 21 votes to 18, with 5 abstentions.

Subject to the necessary approval procedures, NDR plans to further expand DAB+ in the following regions: Spring 2026 - Borkum, Region Fehmarn, Region Mirow-Canow; Summer 2026 - Region Sternberg-Brüel, Region Melle-Buer, Region Osterode-Gittelde Sieber (Harz). Minor modifications to the DAB+ transmitter network are still being planned for 2027.

Phil Becker writes: My radio people will lock into this instantly, but if you’re here for branding, marketing, or turning content into an immersive product experience, you’re in the right place too, because if Season 5 has taught us anything already, it’s that every signal matters, literally and figuratively. What Global and Netflix pulled off with pop-up station WSQK “The Squawk” is a rare example of a promotional idea and a content play landing with equal force. This isn’t a promo stunt. It’s an opportunity masterclass - inspired by the radio station utilized as a plot device in the Stranger Things Broadway show - and Netflix signing on as a creative partner says a lot. Live on DAB in London. Streaming on Global Player. Summoned by voice command “Play The Squawk.”

Radio Woking is proud to announce that it is leading a collaborative bid to secure the Small-Scale DAB licence for the Woking, Aldershot, and Guildford area. The bid aims to create a vibrant digital platform for local radio stations, community broadcasters, and niche services. The bid is being supported and managed in partnership with Rebecca Steers, who first met Justin over a decade ago while working for local radio station Eagle Radio, and brings years of experience running and writing other small scale DAB multiplex bids. She said: “I’m passionate about supporting community radio stations like Radio Woking, and it’s a pleasure to support Justin's goal of getting his station, and other local stations on DAB across the area”

Under the academic leadership of Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kemal Özdemir, Head of the Artificial Intelligence Engineering Department at Istanbul Medipol University, and with the contributions of fourth-year Electrical and Electronics Engineering students Hakan Sabuniş and Yusuf Ünlü, the development and testing process of the DAB+ ASA (Automatic Safety Alert) system, implemented for the first time in Turkey, was successfully completed. The demo test of this advanced technology system, which has only been trialled in Germany in Europe to date, was conducted at the Çamlıca Television Tower. During the testing process, all components of the system were operated flawlessly, and its performance was successfully observed under emergency scenarios.

Radio Berg is modernising its broadcasting technology and preparing to launch DAB+. A new DAB+ antenna will be installed on the transmission mast in Lindlar next week, supplementing the existing FM service and ensuring better, more stable reception. The station expects to be clearly and reliably audible across a larger area in future – including for commuters from the Bergisch region via Cologne to Aachen. Editor-in-chief Alex Pesch says: ‘I am incredibly excited that we will soon be even easier to hear and will be able to offer our listeners even more services.’ Managing director Ralf Steinhausen adds: ‘We are investing in the future of Radio Berg because we believe in the strength and importance of our brand. Radio has a future, and we are actively shaping that future.’

Radio Caroline will broadcast live from Ross Revenge on Christmas Day for the first time since the ship last operated offshore. The programme will recreate the atmosphere of the station’s original pirate era from its mooring in the Blackwater Estuary. Listeners will hear a line-up of presenters closely linked with the 1970s and 1980s offshore years, offering a Christmas Day schedule designed to sound as authentic as possible. The broadcast will run on 648 AM, online and on DAB+, and is supported by US news agency Feature Story News. Radio Caroline says the event marks a significant moment for the station as it reconnects with one of the most recognisable parts of its heritage.