News

This article aims to help consumers in Belgium choose the best DAB+ reeiver for their needs, whether that's at home or in the car. In Belgium, 41% of new vehicles are factory-fitted with DAB+.

Approximately 38% of the total radio listening volume in Dutch-speakin Belgium is now digital. DAB+ listening particularly high, claiming 17% of total listening in the region, compared to 9% this time last year.

To mark the one year anniversary since the launch of DAB+ digital radio services in French-speaking Belgium, maRadio.be has organised the Digital Radio Week - taking place from 16 to 22 November. As part of the event, information campaigns on DAB+ are now live across various platforms in French-speaking Belgium.

The WorldDAB Asia-Pacific Technical Group will offer participants the opportunity to discuss, learn and collaborate on all technical aspects of DAB+ digital radio, with information tailored specifically to the region. The group will ensure all activities are aligned with the DAB standards and will refer sustained new ideas or thinking back to WorldDAB Committees.

South Africa regulator ICASA has published draft digital radio regulation, outlining its intention to introduce licences for DAB+ digital radio. The draft regulation is open for consultation until 29 December 2020.

In 2021, DAB+ radio stations in Switzerland are set to benefit from financial packages covering around 50% of the DAB+ broadcasting cost, as opposed to 30% as originally outlined.

DAB+ is taking off in France. DAB+ launched in Bordeaux and Toulouse at the start of November, and is now available to 30% of the population. Two national multiplexes are set to launch in 2021, hosting a total of 25 stations.

Next year is set to be an important year for French radio, as confirmed by Nicolas Curien of the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel, at the WorldDAB General Assembly. Not only will France be celebrating 100 years since the launch of its first radio broadcasts, it’ll also celebrate the rollout of national DAB+ services, with two multiplexes launching in summer 2021.

At last week’s General Assembly, the BBC’s Sustainability Data Scientist Chloe Fletcher presented the a BBC study comparing the energy footprint of BBC radio across AM, FM, DAB, IP and DTV radio services. The study found that DAB radio services have the lowest energy consumption per device hour.

Media Broadcast announced an expansion of the transmitter network for the nationwide digital radio offering - nine additional locations are expected to be covered by this expansion by the end of 2020.