News

No need to panic for RCF listeners in the Belfort region – the station isn’t going anywhere. RCF Besançon-Montbéliard-Belfort will continue to broadcast its programmes. However, for financial reasons, broadcasting on 88.4 FM will cease when the contract with the operator TowerCast expires on 31 May 2026. The transmitter located at Les Glacis will no longer broadcast the station’s programmes, which are now focused on digital terrestrial broadcasting, commonly known as DAB+. The station has decided to divest itself of its Belfort transmitter, which is more expensive than the others. Annually, for the regional broadcaster, “it comes to just over €10,000. That’s a significant amount for us,” explains Pierre Arnaud, president of RCF Besançon.

In the week after Australia’s first radio survey this year, focus has turned to the growing audience and increasing number of stations on DAB+. The fourth profile in this series is Jacqueline Bierhorst, currently President of WorldDAB. She advocates internationally to keep radio a resilient and universally accessible medium. The series, Wisdom of Women in Media explores the career and personal journeys of women in the audio media industry. The aim of the series is to reflect on the wisdom they have gained, to mentor and to share their hopes for the industry. "I serve as President of WorldDAB, a global industry forum representing over 120 member organisations across more than 40 countries," says Bierhorst.

Isle of Wight Radio will expand onto small scale DAB with a new retro service this April. The new station, Isle of Wight Radio Retro, will broadcast on the Island’s small scale DAB multiplex, marking a new move for the long-running commercial station. The launch also forms part of the wider rollout of small scale DAB locally, increasing digital listening options for those on the Island. Claire John, Managing Director of Isle of Wight Radio, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be helping bring small scale DAB radio to the Isle of Wight. As well as being able to listen to our main station on DAB, Retro will offer something a little different — a fresh but familiar sound for the Island.”

There was a session dedicated to the importance of DAB+, facilitated by Bernie O’Neil (Project Office Director) and Jacqueline Bierhorst (President) from WorldDAB. Australia and parts of Asia are seen as the leaders in digital radio. Some European countries’ digital migration is complete and, with Estonia’s highest point just 300 metres, the ability to capture large areas with ease, straightforward. But some countries, like Ireland and Portugal for example, are still just trialling DAB+. In these troubled times Jacqueline and Bernie said wherever DAB+ is implemented it can support national, regional and local audiences. It protects language, culture and freedom. A healthy broadcast radio industry should be able to incorporate traditional linear radio, internet streaming and digital broadcasting.

The Berlin-Brandenburg Media Authority (mabb) is paving the way for a radical overhaul of digital radio broadcasting in the capital region. The tender for DAB+ transmission capacity, approved by the Media Council on 3 March 2026, marks the start of a multi-stage transformation process that will fundamentally alter the existing structure and, from September 2028, transition to a new, regionally differentiated system. The focus is on moving away from the previous nationwide multiplex structures towards a more regionalised model. “We want to make the entire DAB+ landscape future-proof,” emphasises mabb Deputy Director Dr Marco Holtz to RADIOSZENE. The reorganisation is intended to take into account the differing needs of both nationwide and locally operating broadcasters.

The launch of digital networks for commercial radio stations two years ago opened up the market to stations that could no longer fit within the analog FM band. In addition to new specialty stations launched by established radio companies, a dozen entirely new radio stations have emerged. Televizníweb.cz reached out to them with a few questions about how they’re faring on the air. Five of them responded. Astra Radio in Frýdek-Místek is one of the newest digital radio stations in the country. It focuses on electronic music and is led by Ukrainian musician Dobrynya Lavrukhin. According to him, DAB+ broadcasting has proven successful for Astra Radio so far, even though he does not have complete information about its own listenership.

Bernie O’Neill, Project Office Director of WorldDAB introduced the session by saying we are at an unusual point in time with different countries in different places in the digital transformation as well as telecoms regulations changing around the world which means it is a critical moment for the future of audio and radio. Jacqueline Bierhorst, President of WorldDAB then gave an overview of the progress that has been made with DAB+ in Europe over the past year. Jacqueline began by saying that radio faces challenges and gave a few examples. Advancing adoption of DAB+ needs the support of smart regulation and can often be a catalyst for strengthening the audio ecosystem.

Minister Heleen Herbert (Economic Affairs and Climate Policy) has launched a consultation on the future of the oldest commercial national DAB+ multiplex. This digital package is the only one that has never been split into licences per radio station. Instead, a single technical operator, Mobiele TV Nederland (MTVNL), holds the licence itself. The key question is: should this remain the case? In 2028, DAB+ layer 3 (channel 7D, 9A in Zeeland) will be reallocated. If a single operator is again permitted to operate this, this will, in theory, result in lower costs, more efficient use of bandwidth and flexibility for new entrants and those leaving the market. The alternative to this piecemeal approach is to distribute this digital audio layer in the same way as all the others.

After a lengthy period without digital broadcasting, Rundfunk-Kombinat Sachsen will return to the statewide DAB+ platform on 31 March 2026. This officially marks the end of the period of technical restrictions during which the programme could only be broadcast via alternative channels. The comeback will be celebrated with a special day of programming that once again highlights the diversity of the project’s content. The programme is designed by and for people in Saxony and aims to give a voice to those who are often overlooked in the commercially driven media landscape. The relaunch on DAB+ is a crucial step for the team behind the station to secure a statewide presence and permanently establish non-commercial broadcasting even outside the major urban centres.

The Halifax DAB multiplex has launched, offering a greater choice of listening for audiences across the region. Stations now broadcasting on the multiplex include Sunrise Radio – already on air across Calderdale on 100.6 FM, Sunrise Radio Gold, Phoenix Radio – the Halifax-based community statio, also available on 96.7 FM and Culture City Radio. Director Raj Parmar said: “This launch represents a major step forward for local radio in Calderdale. By bringing together a mix of established broadcasters and new digital services, we are proud to offer listeners more choice than ever before, while supporting community-focused and culturally diverse programming.”