News

Matt Deegan writes: UK radio has been on a long march to consolidation in ownership alongside an explosion in new stations driven by the growth in listening to DAB Digital Radio and streaming. Analogue listening (AM/FM) now only accounts for 27.8% of radio’s consumption here. Indeed, streaming radio is neck and neck with analogue (with a 27.0% share). Listening on a DAB Digital Radio leads the pack, 35.9m radio listeners tune in that way, and it accounts for 42.7% of listening. This change in behaviour has led commercial radio’s big groups - Bauer and Global - to really jump on station expansion, particularly spin-offs from their existing brands. This quarter sees at least 10 new stations publish figures for the first time, including Greatest Hits Radio 60s (with 386k listeners) and Heart Love (201k).

CRA has launched the operation of its DAB+ digital radio network and the broadcasting of commercial radio stations on frequencies acquired in the frequency auction organised by the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU). At the moment, 48% of the population coverage of the planned multiplex has been completed, and 6 commercial radio stations have started broadcasting there today. A total of 17 transmitters are now covered by the new digital radio multiplex, which is being launched by the CRA on 4 February. The second phase and the launch of 15 more transmitters will follow by the end of March, with coverage reaching 80% of the Czech population. The new multiplex already has a customer, the Radio United Broadcasting media group.

WorldDAB's work on the development of Automatic Safety Alerts (ASA) for DAB+ has been recognised at the Grand Prix of the Paris Radio Show. The ASA system was nominated in the ‘Best Technical Innovation’ category, which recognises new concepts, emerging technologies and innovative solutions. Three key features differentiate this DAB+ emergency alert system from all other existing solutions. Firstly, geographical targeting (only people in the relevant areas receive the notification). Secondly, inter-set signalling (receivers analyse references to alert announcements on other radio stations, increasing the flexibility and range of alerts). Finally, wake-up mode (receivers can be activated by the DAB+ signal, a particularly useful function for clock radios).

New WorldDAB member Factum Radioscape recently recently upgraded the commercial and community DAB+ multiplexes in Australia with their partner TXA, providing modern, reliable systems for multiple broadcasters in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. We learn more about Factum Radioscape's plans in this interview with James Waterson, Sales Manager at Factum Radioscape.

The Netherlands has a new radio station. Lega-C can be heard on air in the Haaglanden region via DAB+. A remarkable change in the DAB+ station offer in and around The Hague: Lega-C has taken the place of Feel Good Radio 60‘s & 70’s Hits. The radio station can be heard via the DAB+ transmitter set up in Delft since last weekend. The station started broadcasting mixes on the first day and meanwhile broadcasts a format of dance and house tracks. Totaal TV spoke to a spokesperson for Lega-C. She indicated that Lega-C is a radio station that does not necessarily pay attention to whether it is commercially interesting, but mainly whether it is fun to listen to. ‘We are going to emphasise classics, that also goes with our name, but every now and then we will also play a new record in the ‘future Lega-C’ category.’

The first transmitter of the Regional Radio Network 20, which is to cover the South Bohemia region, was launched by the company Fiera touch in Tábor on Friday. So far, it has been transmitting at a reduced power of 400 W on channel 9A from the Cihelna locality, from where the same company also broadcasts the TV Regional Network 11. "The transmitter in Tábor has been in operation since 1 pm on Friday," Pavel Hájek, owner of Fiera touch, confirmed to Televizníweb.cz. The network includes five radios: Energic, ZUN radio, Hey radio, Color Music Radio and Rádio Sázava. The last three belong to the media group of Miroslav Pýcha, who is also a DAB+ network operator and also has frequency allocations for the South Bohemia region, but his company Joe Media has so far launched a transmitter in České Budějovice.

České Radiokomunikace (CRA) has started broadcasting its nationwide digital network for commercial radios. It includes six programmes from the Radio United Broadcasting group. Other commercial radios have joined CRA's regional networks in Prague, Pilsen and now also Liberec. Almost half of the Czech Republic's population can tune into another nationwide network for digital radio from today. The CRA-owned Czech Digital Group has put into operation the first 17 transmitters and decoders of multiplex B (referred to as CRA CZ or CRA DAB+ CZ), which includes six programmes from the Radio United Broadcasting group. Three of them were previously broadcast in the competing multiplex C of RTI cz. CRA also launched the first transmitter of Regional Network 4, which is to cover the Liberec, Ústí nad Karlovy Vary regions.

MIX 92.6 has launched on DAB+ in addition to its community radio FM licence in South Hertfordshire. Station Manager Nick Hazell emphasised the strategic importance of this development, stating: “I am really delighted that we’ve been able to take this next big step in growing our local radio station. At a time when others are retrenching and moving away from local radio, this move makes a clear statement about how important we think it is to support and serve our local community.” The station, previously known as Radio Verulam, has been serving the area via various methods since the 1990s.

Südwestrundfunk has detailed its DAB+ expansion plans for 2025. In Baden-Württemberg, the Mosbach-Bismarck Tower and Murrhardt-Auenwald sites will be added alongside Alpirsbach, Bad Wildbad and Langenburg, which were planned last year. Neumagen is among the planned sites in Rhineland-Palatinate, while the Hohe Derst site in South Palatinate remains on hold due to structural issues. The Medienrat der Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg has approved a tender for several private radio DAB+ slots serving the city. Channel 10B has two available capacities, while channels 7B and 12D each have at least one open slot following the withdrawal of rbb’s Cosmo program. Private radio station Antenne Wiesbaden will launch on May 2.

WorldDAB’s work to develop Automatic Safety Alerts (ASA) for DAB+ has been recognised by Paris Radio Show Grand Prix Awards. WorldDAB Project Director Bernie O’Neill said: “This new feature will help broadcasters and regulators to position broadcast radio as an asset in emergency situations given it is a robust and hack-resistant technology - while meeting the objectives of cultural diversity. This helps justify the required investment in the technology.”