News

Denmark welcomes a new radio station: Radio Mars. The station can now be received nationwide on DAB+ on channel 12 C and on the Internet. Behind Radio Mars are the experienced DR radio presenters Alex Nyborg Madsen and Søren Rebbe. Both bring their many years of experience and passion for music to the project. Radio Mars will be an advert-free music radio station that plays less of what other stations often play and more of what they don't. Radio Mars went on air as a digital radio station on 1 May 2024. Founders Søren Rebbe and Alex Nyborg Madsen wanted to create a music radio station that was different from any other in Denmark.

The Federation of Autonomous Radio and Television Organisations (FORTA) has appointed Juande Mellado, director general of Radio and Television of Andalusia (Canal SUR - RTVA), as its new president. Mellado, who already led FORTA in the first half of 2020, has pointed out the digital transformation of regional radio and television stations as a key axis of its management. According to Mellado, this will allow regional television and radio stations to compete in a constantly evolving audiovisual market, marked by a growing consumption of on-demand content and new players in the sector. The arrival of Juande Mellado as president of FORTA coincides in time with the announcement of an agreement between this regional body and RTVE to jointly promote the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Radio, in DAB+ standard, and to fight against piracy.

The largest media concern in the Baltic States, Duo Media Networks, and the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) have signed an agreement that will make the Russian-language news radio station Radio Liberty available 24 hours a day on the DAB+ digital radio platform in Tallinn, Harju County, Tartumaa and Pärnu County. Funded by the U.S. Congress, the station has been in operation since 1953, providing accurate information to people who have been influenced by communist propaganda for decades. ‘Bringing Radio Liberty to the DAB+ platform in Estonia will help expand the reach of high-quality Russian-language news and promote a culture of open debate,’ said Duo Media Networks CEO Risto Rozimannus.

Central FM wants to increase the range of its small-scale DAB multiplex to add an extra 50,000 potential listeners to its coverage area. The licensee is proposing a power increase from 260W to 490W for the existing transmitter at Earl’s Hill and from 50W to 140W for the existing transmitter located at Central FM’s studio. Ofcom is consulting on the request to vary the licensed area to improve the commercial viability of the service. None of the listeners who are currently served by the multiplex would lose coverage under the revised plan and previously unserved areas, including parts of the city of Dunfermline, would be covered. Ofcom says it is minded to approve the application and is seeking views from interested or affected parties, which must be submitted by 3 February 2025.

The establishment of the "Hellenic Radio Broadcasting Publishing Company S.A." marks a dynamic collaboration in the media sector, bringing together four leading players in the Greek media landscape. Alexandra Daskalopoulou (CEO of Frontstage), Theocharis Filippopoulos (head of Attica Publications), and the Vardinoyannis Group together with United Media, which recently joined Audiomax, join forces with a common vision to upgrade radio and multimedia in the new digital era. The first Board of Directors consists of Konstantinos Fotopoulos (Chairman & CEO), Eleni Tsakiri and Nikolaos Michalopoulos. The activities of Hellenic Radio Broadcasting Publishing S.A. include "Provision of radio and multimedia services via live streaming, internet and modern technologies (DAB+, 5G, multiplatform radios)".

After three months it is possible to tune in to ZUN radio in East Bohemia again on DAB+. The multiplex of the operator Teleko digital, which left the programme at the beginning of October 2024, has been replaced by the Fiera Touch network. The entrepreneur Pavel Hajek from Vysočina thus gains another valuable paying customer for his offer. Five stations are distributed on channel 7D. The Fiera Touch multiplex includes not only five radio stations, but also additional services such as slideshow (visual information including the station logo) and radiotext. These offerings provide listeners with interactive content, such as information about the music currently playing or photographs. The programme line-up includes stations such as Color Music Radio, Energic, Hey rádio, Rádio Sázava and ZUN rádio, which will satisfy a wide range of musical preferences.

Another strong partnership for digital radio broadcasting was formed between the two winners of the auction of frequencies for commercial radio networks. GG Omikron, which auctioned networks for Prague, Moravian-Silesian and South Moravian regions, has agreed with Progress Digital to use its transmitters and infrastructure. This company belongs to the media group founded by Radim Pařížek, which is in direct competition with Czech Radio Communications, the largest domestic broadcaster. GG Omikron signed a service contract with the company in December, Jana Špičková, spokesperson for GG Omikron, confirmed to Médiáři.

Play.cz has been granted an individual licence for the use of frequencies from six Czech Radiocommunications (CRA) transmitters by the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU). It can thus start broadcasting on all six digital radio networks it won in the frequency auction. The permits cover the Žižkov transmitter in Prague (Regional Network 1), Beech Mountain in Ústí nad Labem (Regional Network 5), Kojál in Moravia (Regional Network 8), Hošt'álkovice in Ostrava (Regional Network 10), Černá Hora in the Krkonoše (Regional Network 21) and Kleti in South Bohemia (Regional Network 11). Play.cz can broadcast from Žižkov and Kleti with a power of 20 kW, and from Kojál, Černá Hora, Beech Mountain and Hošt'álkovice with 10 kW.

From Friday 14 February, the Netherlands will have a new radio station: CREAM. Where can you hear Stevie, Schubert and Sade in one breath? Bowie, Bona and Brubeck in a blend, and Michael, Miles and Mozart in the mix. From pop to jazz, soul and rock, world to classical and everything in between and beyond. CREAM brings together the cream of the world's best music on one station, with an emphasis on quality, diversity and discovery. With the slogan ‘Listen Further’, CREAM invites listeners to broaden their musical horizons. Programme director Merijn Tiemessen has selected thousands of tracks that form the core of the station. You never hear the same song twice in one day. CREAM can be listened to from Friday 14 February via DAB+, the app and creamradio.nl.

FORTA [Federación de Organismos de Radio y Televisión Autonómicos / the Federation of Regional Organisations of Radio and Television] - and RTVE have signed an agreement to promote the implementation of digital radio in Spain within the framework of collaboration established between the two entities, known as the ‘Compostela Agreement’. National and regional public radio want to remain competitive in the digital environment, providing a better service to citizens on the basis of a long-term service provision that can guarantee the future of radio as a media. The members of FORTA and RTVE assume a dynamic role as a meeting point that should serve to foster consensus with all the agents involved and promote the necessary actions to develop digital radio in Spain.