News

Media Broadcast, the largest full-service provider in the broadcast and media sector in Germany, is expanding the channel network for the national DAB+ digital radio offering. In the coming weeks, the commissioning of further transmitter locations in the Federal territory is planned, which will further optimise the national supply of DAB+.

Media Broadcast is expanding mobile coverage of the national DAB+ network to 96% of the area by the end of July by commissioning new broadcasting locations. The main focus of the project will be in rural areas in Baden-Württemberg (connected to the network on 20 April 2017), Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein.

The new SE comes equipped with Media System Plus with eight-inch colour touchscreen, navigation with 3D map display, voice recognition, DAB digital radio and two USB ports.

The new Grundig Sonoclock is equipped with DAB+, as well as DAB and FM, and has alarm and sleeptimer functionality.

Classic radio styling meets contemporary digital radio hardware in Geneva’s rechargeable Touring S model. Designed to fling in a weekend bag or carry-on case, it’s got six FM and six DAB presets – offering potentially hundreds of stations – with up to 20 hours of playing from a full charge.

WorldDAB and Pure International Limited will be at MedPi 2017. The 23rd MedPi event will be held from Tuesday 16 until Thursday 18 May 2017 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. WorldDAB will be on stand M12 as a continuation of Pure's stand M19.

Ofcom has extended its current small-scale digital audio broadcasting trial. Originally intended to last less than a year, the experimental multiplex licenses will all now be permitted to continue broadcasting until at least 2018. In parallel with the extension, the regulator also plans a public consultation later this year, which will examine options for the longer-term licensing of these and further small-scale DAB operations across the United Kingdom.

The German Federal Cabinet has adopted the draft of a Fourth Act amending the Telecommunications Act to ensure that in the future, high-quality radio receivers may only be sold if they are capable of receiving standardized digital signals. Federal Minister of Economics, Brigitte Zypries: "With the amendment of the Telecommunications Act, we are making an important contribution to the digitalization of radio transmission. Broadcasters can thus increase their diversity and offer listeners a high quality product. It was important to us that the regulation is technologically neutral. We want to promote the digitalisation of the radio as a whole." When finally approved, this amendment will mandate that all radio receivers are capable of receiving digital content, for example DAB+ or internet radio. Since the equipment requirement refers only to devices which can display the program name, it is limited to higher-quality devices. In addition, only those devices that are predominantly designed for radio reception are included: mobile phones are excluded, but car radios are included. Subject to the legislative process, the amendment could become effective one year after adoption.

Listeners in Wolverhampton and Shropshire will soon be able to listen to new stations because of the expansion of the DAB system in the UK. Four new DAB mux transmitters have been brought online over the past 18 months and a final transmitter will launch in Market Drayton in the coming weeks.

"We know that DAB listening is increasing across the board, and this trend has been reflected in our own recent listener surveys. Our audience have told us that they want to hear our main offering FBi 94.5fm on DAB," says Managing Director, Clare Holland.