News

Roughly six months after Switzerland’s public broadcaster SRG SSR switched off FM, its radio stations still hold the largest market share across all language regions, at 53%. While total radio reach declined as expected compared to the previous half-year, the drop is primarily attributed to the early-2024 FM shutdown. For the first time since the end of FM broadcasting by SRG SSR in late 2024, Mediapulse AG, the organization responsible for measuring radio and TV audiences in Switzerland, has released reliable figures on radio usage. Nationally, SRG SSR’s group of stations saw a 6-percentage-point drop in market share compared to the same period last year, which is well within expectations. These results are consistent with SRG SSR’s quarterly figures released in April.

The digital terrestrial broadcasting standard remains on course for success. Numerous radio programme providers are reducing their FM broadcasting capacities or switching them off completely. Studies on radio usage confirm the growth in the share of digital radio. According to ma 2025 Audio II, the convergence currency for radio and online audio usage, radio is maintaining its position as one of the most widely used media offerings. In particular, distribution via DAB+ continues on a visible growth trajectory: DAB+ is listened to by 32.9 per cent in the WHK (ma 2025 Audio I: 30.3 per cent) and is used disproportionately, especially in the target group of 30 to 59-year-olds (WHK: 39.9 per cent - ma 2025 Audio I: 36.4 per cent).

Südwestrundfunk (SWR) is further expanding its transmitter network for DAB+ digital radio reception in Baden-Württemberg. The commissioning of the Weinheim DAB+ site will improve DAB+ coverage in Weinheim, Hemsbach and Laudenbach. The following Südwestrundfunk stations will then be available on the "SWR BW N" DAB+ ensemble, channel 9D: SWR1 BW, SWR Kultur, SWR3, SWR4 BW (SWR4 Heilbronn, SWR4 Karlsruhe, SWR4 Mannheim, SWR4 Stuttgart, and SWR4 Ulm), SWR Aktuell, and DASDING.

Factum Radioscape has announced the launch of an experimental DAB+ transmission in collaboration with Radio Mais, part of the Mais Media Brazil group, in Florianópolis-the capital of the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. Beginning with the low-powered, localised transmission of three radio services: Radio More, K Radio, and P7 Nosta, all services are being broadcast using Factum Radioscape’s MultiMuxa system.

The Spanish Government has just launched the prior public consultation on the new National Technical Plan for Digital Radio. This will address the deployment of digital terrestrial radio through the DAB+ standard. David Fernández Quijada, co-founder and research director of South 180, outlines the potential public incentives that Spanish administrations should offer to ensure the consolidation of DAB+ ahead of the next National Technical Plan for Digital Radio.

RTV Krimpenerwaard's DAB+ reception has improved significantly in recent months. Thanks to recent optimisations to the DAB+ network in the Randstad Zuidwest region, listeners in Krimpenerwaard, Capelle aan den IJssel, and Zoetermeer, among others, can now count on a more stable and powerful radio signal. The recent improvements to the DAB+ network represent a major step forward for RTV Krimpenerwaard and its listeners. With a more stable signal, greater reach, and improved listening convenience, the local broadcaster is ready for the future of radio in the region.

For a large state like Schleswig-Holstein, the digitalisation of radio broadcasting offers various advantages: more programmes can be broadcast using less power and less transmission masts; this means that listeners in Schleswig-Holstein can already listen to significantly more stations in clear sound quality via DAB+ than was previously possible via FM. Now, other broadcasters have reduced their FM frequencies, including both private and public broadcasters. In addition to Klassikradio, Deutschlandradio is also relying on digital broadcasting. Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur have discontinued analog broadcasting at a total of nine locations, with only two remaining in operation temporarily.

Hessischer Rundfunk (hr) plans to integrate the Marburg and Aulhausen locations into its DAB+ transmitter network. This is reported by radioblog.eu, citing data from the Federal Network Agency. According to the report, Marburg will be coordinated with 2 kW ERP and Aulhausen with 1 kW ERP for the statewide ensemble on channel 7B. Last year, hr commissioned the three new DAB+ transmitters Rhön, Herborn/Burg, and Schlüchtern for eastern and central Hesse.

The Austrian Communications Authority (KommAustria) has published its "Digitalization Concept 2025" for the introduction, expansion, and further development of digital broadcasting (television and radio) and other media services. The regulation will enter into force on August 1, 2025. Although the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) has so far refused to enter digital terrestrial radio DAB+, the media authority has reserved national coverage (MUX IV) for ORF.

Since February, he has been at the helm of the digital transition of French radio within Arcom. With his eclectic listening habits and commitment to the diversity of the radio landscape, this fervent advocate of DAB+ is drawing up an ambitious roadmap for a medium that he wants to be ever more accessible, innovative and rooted in the regions. Meet Romain Laleix, a passionate listener turned strategist, determined to make regulation and transformation go hand in hand. "Today, we have two battles to wage simultaneously," Laleix says. "On the one hand, we need to create the conditions for the successful roll-out of DAB+ and its subsequent adoption by the public. It must become the sovereign, free, anonymous and universal broadcasting network. Secondly, to make radio accessible everywhere and on every medium, so as to widen the points of contact with the public and enhance their experience of radio."