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03.06.2025
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Top story
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Germany
Deutschlandradio is pushing ahead with the digitalisation of radio broadcasting. The network operator Media Broadcast has been commissioned to commission a total of 12 new transmitters for 2025. One focus is on Schleswig-Holstein, where the switch from FM to DAB+, which was agreed by politicians and public and private programme providers, began this year. Three new transmitter sites in Schleswig-Holstein - Bredstedt, Garding and Itzehoe - are to follow on 30 June and 1 July according to current plans. At the same time, the FM broadcasting of Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur will be discontinued in June and September in some regions with very good DAB+ coverage.
(Deutschlandradio) Read more
30.05.2025
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Top story
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RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia)
WorldDAB Member
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Indonesia
Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) Yogyakarta distributed 148 digital radios at the RRI Yogyakarta Auditorium on 28 May 2025. Receivers were distributed to the Yogyakarta Regional Government, municipalities and regencies throughout Yogyakarta, RRI Yogyakarta partners, and loyal RRI listeners. The distribution of receivers is an instruction from the Directorate of RRI in an effort to digitalise radio broadcasts. RRI Director of New Media Engineering (TMB) Muhammad Sujai explained that digital radio has been available at RRI in various regions. Most recently, digital radio procurement was carried out in Bengkulu, Gunungsitoli, and Yogyakarta in 2024. Sujai said there are a number of advantages that digital radio has.
(Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI)) Read more
30.05.2025
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Top story
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Czechia
Radio Proglas is preparing for a major technological change, which means the end of the era of FM broadcasting from two important transmitters - Ještěd and Žďár nad Sázavou. This move represents a historic milestone not only for the station itself, but also for the entire Czech radio market. In an interview with Digitalk, Martin Holík explains that the main motive is the shift to DAB+ digital broadcasting, which will enable the station to cover up to 80-95% of the country's territory, whereas FM transmitters only reached thirty to thirty-five percent. Proglas is thus responding to the overcrowding of the FM band and the impossibility of further expanding coverage via this route. ‘We are going in to save money and cover new territories,’ says Holík.
(Český rozhlas) Read more
MDR expands its DAB+ transmitter network in Saxony-Anhalt
03.06.2025
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Germany
"We are already very well positioned with DAB+ reception in Central Germany. Now we need to close individual gaps in coverage and optimise reception of all MDR radio programmes via DAB+ as a whole," says Niels Schulze, Head of Programme Distribution at MDR. With the commissioning of the Salzwedel site, MDR is continuing to expand its transmitter network for DAB+. In the town of Salzwedel, digital radio reception inside buildings is now possible for the first time for around 14,000 residents. In the region around Salzwedel, digital radio reception indoors will also be further improved and stabilised for a total of around 28,000 residents. This will increase the level of coverage in buildings in Saxony-Anhalt from 98 to 99 per cent; coverage for mobile reception is already at 99 per cent.
(Mitteldeutsche Rundfunk) Read more
Expres FM and Classic Prague expand coverage, PLAY.CZ DAB+ mux takes them to new regions
03.06.2025
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Czechia
Radio stations Expres FM and Classic Praha have newly expanded their digital broadcasting thanks to their inclusion in the PLAY.CZ DAB+ multiplex. They complemented Relax Radio from Kladno, which was the only one in this network until now. Both stations use a bitrate of 64 kbps, which corresponds to the standard of this network. The change means better availability of these stations for listeners in a wider area of the Czech Republic. At the same time, the Expres FM and Classic Praha programmes were disconnected from the ČRA DAB+ REGION network, which currently includes five radio stations. The change reflects transfers between network operators and optimisation of distribution.
(Český rozhlas) Read more
MediaMarkt Austria launches its own radio station on DAB+
03.06.2025
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Austria
MediaMarkt Austria is expanding its marketing portfolio with its own radio station: Radio MediaMarkt is now broadcasting around the clock throughout Austria on DAB+ and offers a programme of music, technology news and exclusive offers. The station is aimed at both tech-savvy listeners and customers who want to find out about current promotions. Radio MediaMarkt combines a varied music programme with current information from the electronics industry. In addition to chart hits and classics, it also broadcasts tech talks with experts and lightning-fast news from the world of electronics. The new programme will be broadcast on all regional DAB+ networks (MUX II) and can therefore be received throughout Austria.
(RADIOSZENE) Read more
Italian DAB+ mux expands reach
03.06.2025
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Italy
Until now, GoDAB's DAB+ package, which is based in Friuli in Italy, could only be heard via a small transmitter around Udine. Since mid-April, the transmitter network has been expanded to include three more locations - including one with a wide reach. The Faedis/Pedrosa-Prati della Chiesa site, which was activated on 29 May, is in a somewhat bigger league. It has a wide range and has also been used in the past to broadcast German holiday stations for the northern Adriatic on VHF. The Pedrosa site transmits the GoDAB package on channel 9B with 630 watts ERP. The final expansion of the GoDAB transmitter network will include a total of eleven sites in Friuli. All of these will be operated with low transmission power.
(Digital Fernsehen) Read more
‘Never before has audio been listened to more’
02.06.2025
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Spain
I am a believer in Digital Terrestrial Radio. But not a radical. I believe that radio in Spain must tackle this subject that has been pending for two decades. But I understand the reality of the private sector, their fears and reservations (because I also worked from this side of the stage). But then you realise the huge role played by FM radio during the blackout, proving that it can continue to broadcast, even if the power is out. We talk about the future, and our mouths are full defending IP radio, streaming. But broadcast - over-the-air radio - continues to save lives in the midst of natural disasters and national emergencies. We defend progress and identify it with the network of networks. But dictatorships have an enormous facility to censor and cut off access to internet content, while they can do nothing to cut off terrestrial broadcasts.
(Gorka Zumeta) Read more
Panjab Radio adds DAB coverage across key Midlands areas
02.06.2025
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United Kingdom
Panjab Radio is expanding its DAB digital radio service to cover seven key areas with large Panjabi communities from midday on 2 June. Listeners in Derby, Royal Leamington Spa, Nottingham, Wolverhampton, Shropshire, Telford, Coventry and surrounding towns will now be able to hear the station on DAB. The move extends the station’s reach across central England and brings its 24/7 schedule of Panjabi music, news, faith and talk programmes to more households and businesses. Founder Surjit Singh Ghuman MBE said: “Expanding our DAB digital services to these key cities and towns means more families, businesses and individuals can rely on Panjab Radio for music, news and conversations that matter to them.”
(Radio Today UK) Read more
Radio Ariston continues digital expansion in Liguria
30.05.2025
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Italy
Radio Ariston continues to grow and brings its voice to Pietra Ligure as well.
The Sanremo broadcaster is now also available in DAB+ on channel 6D in the renowned tourist resort overlooking the Ligurian Sea. This is a new step in the broadcaster's ambitious expansion strategy, which aims at increasingly widespread coverage of the region. With this new installation, Radio Ariston extends its presence to neighbouring municipalities and the surrounding hilly areas, reaching almost 80% of the Ligurian territory. ‘We are happy to continue expanding our signal,’ comments Enzo Sangrigoli, station manager of the radio station. "Thanks to the MediaDAB consortium, of which we are members, we now broadcast to almost the entire region. In the near future we expect to activate new systems and reach the entire Ligurian territory."
(FM-world) Read more
Questions and answers on the FM partial switch-off
30.05.2025
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Germany
On 24 June 2025, MDR will permanently switch off selected FM frequencies. This will happen in the early hours of the morning. As a modern multimedia house, MDR has digitised the entire production and distribution chain in recent years and made it fit for the future. Only FM broadcasting is still analogue. For many years, MDR's radio programmes have been broadcast in parallel in analogue and digital form in order to offer listeners a long-term opportunity to switch to digital radio reception. This parallel broadcasting of analogue FM and digital DAB+ is designed for a long-term, albeit limited, period. Starting early in the morning of June 24, 2025, selected low-power FM frequencies will no longer be receivable at 11 locations in Central Germany.
(Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR)) Read more
Istanbul's DAB+ tower is 4 years old
30.05.2025
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Turkey
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu reported that approximately 2.3 million people visited Çamlıca Tower, the highest point of Istanbul, in 4 years. Emphasising the importance of the tower for broadcasting, Minister Uraloğlu said, ‘Currently, 100 FM, 16 analogue terrestrial TV and 15 DAB+ broadcasts are actively carried out.’ Uraloğlu also reported that with the DAB+ launch, the number of broadcasters, which was initially 11, quickly reached 15. Uraloğlu said, “DAB+ technology offers a more stable spectrum structure and wider coverage area compared to FM systems; creating new opportunities.”
(Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey) Read more
Indonesia's radio digitalisation part of information resilience infrastructure
30.05.2025
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RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia)
WorldDAB Member
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Indonesia
The digitisation of terrestrial radio broadcasts in Indonesia is part of a larger agenda to transform the national broadcasting system. Radio digitisation is not just a service improvement, but also an important part of the emergency information and communication resilience infrastructure. This was expressed by Yogyakarta Regional Secretary Beny Suharsono at the RRI Auditorium on 28 May 2025. Beny added that with this initiative comes a shared hope to be the beginning of strengthening a sustainable digital broadcasting ecosystem. The DIY Regional Government is also ready to collaborate and support RRI's efforts, both in terms of equipment utilisation, information dissemination, and institutional and community capacity building.
(Radio Republik Indonesia) Read more