News

RTI cz was granted individual authorisation for the use of frequencies for digital radio broadcasting from Trutnov - Černá hora and Hradec Králové - Stěžery. From both locations, it can launch its national multiplex C, which it won in the frequency auction at the beginning of this year. As in the case of the Moravian sites, RTI cz will also use the transmitters of Teleko digital in eastern Bohemia, which already distributes the signal of its radio Regional Network 6 from Černá Hora and Stěžery. Thus, four digital radio networks will already be broadcasting from Černá Hora.

Schleswig-Holstein, Germany’s northernmost state, will transition from FM to DAB+ digital radio by 2031. This decision, made by private and public radio stations, the state government and the state media authority, aims to enhance radio quality and expand programming options. The decision comes amid strategic shifts in broadcasting consumption in Germany. The “Audio Trends 2023” report shows a 19% rise in DAB+ radios in German households, now at 283 million. The transition will occur in phases from 2025 to 2031. By mid-2031, FM broadcasting will be completely phased out in Schleswig-Holstein with all radio programs accessible through DAB+ and online platforms.

As of 1 November, Estonia has three new radio stations on DAB+ from NOSTALGIA MEDIA, a media company known for its successful RADIO NOSTALGIA project, which is loved by listeners for its atmosphere and quality sound. The new stations are a variety of music formats: RADIO TOP is an Estonian-language radio station that offers modern hits and new releases of this year. NOVOYE RADIO is a Russian language radio station that emphasises music from the current year. ALL THE BEST RADIO is a premium radio station broadcasting in Estonian language, oriented towards people who like a variety of hits from the past and modern hits.

In Saxony, there are new licences for four radio stations that can be broadcast via DAB+ digital radio. In Bavaria, digital radio has been expanded. Silvacast GmbH has been granted a licence for state-wide DAB+ coverage for the Free State of Saxony (channel 12A) for its "Radio Paloma Sachsen ’ programme. This was decided by the Media Council of the Saxon State Media Authority at its meeting on 29 October 2024. The SLM Media Council has also decided to grant BCS Broadcast Sachsen GmbH & Co. KG, based in Dresden, with licences to broadcast the locally oriented programmes ‘Radio Erzgebirge 2’, ‘Radio Lausitz 2’ and ‘Radio Zwickau 2’.

Listeners in Saarland can now receive Antenne Schlager via DAB+. With the slogan ‘Feel good’, the station is now also broadcasting its popular Schlager hits on the Saar and Blies. Antenne Schlager offers a wide range of pop hits and cult hits. The morning show with Tom Meyer and the afternoon show with Hanna Alschner are just some of the highlights that await listeners. The station promises good humour around the clock with music by Helene Fischer, Ben Zucker and Udo Jürgens. Antenne Schlager can be received via DAB+ in Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and now also in Saarland.

SRG SSR is making sure listeners understand why the Swiss public broadcaster is moving quickly to end its FM broadcasts. Swiss lawmakers set a 2026 deadline for stations to transition to digital, but SRG SSR is ready to make the change at the end of the year. In June 2024, the broadcaster announced it would leave the FM band at the end of 2024. Now, it is going into detail about the benefits of the full switchover, stating that “Analogue broadcasting modes, such as FM, which have been operational since 1952, have had their day.” According to SRG SSR, ending its FM broadcasts will reduce energy demands by several gigawatt hours of energy each year, saving a significant amount of money. Savings are also expected from reduced maintenance and replacement of antennas and transmission systems.

Celtic Music Radio is pleased to announce that the station is now available on DAB digital radio in the Inverclyde area, the third Scottish area to enjoy such a service. “Celtic Music Radio has been providing a service via DAB in the Greater Glasgow and Edinburgh areas for some time,” said Alex Jenkins, chair of the station’s board of directors. “Inverclyde has been in the pipeline for a while so we are delighted to finally provide DAB there as it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering quality programming to more and more listeners.”

Spark Radio will be broadcast around Southport and the surrounding area on DAB+, reaching an audience of up to 330,000 listeners. This is a fantastic milestone as our learner-run station brings its shows, podcasts and music to a wider community. This will not only provide a valuable platform for our talented students to showcase their skills but also enriches the local radio landscape with fresh, creative content from the next generation of broadcasters.

Ofcom has published an outline of frequency block usage for small-scale DAB across the United Kingdom. The UK media regulator says: "The maps show which frequency blocks have been allocated to each small-scale DAB area that Ofcom anticipated advertising when considering the licensing of small-scale DAB. The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the frequencies used, or planned for future use, by small-scale DAB across the UK. With over 60 multiplexes on-air, about 40 more licensed and yet to come on-air, and 25 areas being assessed, the overall frequency plan is not expected to change significantly. However, all frequency plans evolve over time and the allocations depicted on the maps may change to some extent."

Two digital network operators for commercial radio, Teleko digital and RTI cz, are expanding DAB+ signal coverage in Moravia. Teleko has started broadcasting from the Velká Javorina transmitter in Slovakia, while RTI cz has launched its first Moravian site on Lysá hora in the Beskydy Mountains. On Thursday, RTI cz began testing transmissions from Lysá hora, where its full-range multiplex C signal is being distributed from its own transmitter by Teleko digital. The tests are running on channel 9D and the network should ultimately transmit at 3 kW. From Lysá hora, RTI cz will cover the entire Ostrava-Karviná region. This operator broadcasts from Lysá hora with an output of 2 kW. From Thursday to Friday, Teleko digital also launched the Velká Javorina transmitter, located on the Slovak side of the Czech-Slovak border near Uherský Brod.