News

Confindustria Radio Televisioni welcomes the European Commission’s decision to recognise the validity of the Italian legislative initiative requiring all motor vehicles to be fitted with FM and DAB+ radio receivers. This is an important step towards ensuring that citizens have simple, free and immediate access to information, even in emergency situations or where there is no data connection. According to the President of Confindustria Radio Televisioni, Antonio Marano, ‘radio remains an essential safeguard for safety, pluralism and social cohesion. The European endorsement demonstrates that Italy has successfully defended a principle of public interest, even before industrial interests’.

New figures across BBC Radio show how listeners consumed the BBC’s audio content in the first quarter of 2026. According to the latest RAJAR figures for the period (5 January – 5 April 2026), the BBC continues to be the number one radio brand with 31.4m people tuning in each week for live output across BBC’s radio stations, with share up on last quarter at 43.4% and reach at 54%. This quarter is the first where figures are reported for the new brand extensions on DAB+ - Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3 Unwind - which have all performed strongly since their launch in September 2025 with an average of 400K listeners each. BBC Radio 1 has a total brand reach of 8m 10+ listeners (7.4m 15+) with new brand extension Radio 1 Anthems reaching 433k 10+ (417k 15+) and Radio 1 Dance reaching 505k 10+ (437k 15+).

Südwestrundfunk (SWR) is continuing to expand its network of transmitters for DAB+ digital radio reception in Rhineland-Palatinate. The launch of the Neumagen site will improve DAB+ coverage in the region. The following programmes from Südwestrundfunk will then be available on channel 11A of the DAB+ ensemble “SWR RLP”: SWR1 RLP, SWR Kultur, SWR3, SWR4 RLP (SWR4 Kaiserslautern, SWR4 Koblenz, SWR4 Ludwigshafen, SWR4 Mainz and SWR4 Trier), SWR Aktuell and DASDING. The Neumagen site will go live on Tuesday, 12 May 2026. The launch of the site will improve DAB+ coverage in the Moselle Valley between Detzem, Klüsserath and Brauneberg along the B53 and L48 on frequency block (channel) 11A.

Sports Entertainment Group (SEG) is excited to confirm it will expand distribution of its local sports offering, with SEN WA also available on DAB+ radio in Perth from June 1. The digital distribution addition on DAB+ allows SEN WA to further showcase its strong slate of WA focused programming, alongside SEN’s premium national content. With streaming (up 41%), podcast downloads (up 16%) and podcasts listens (up 26%) all increasing year-on-year in Western Australia, this new distribution method means that even more sports fans can listen to their favorite WA and national show on DAB+ radios and cars across the Perth metropolitan area, providing greater reach and convenience for audiences tuning in at home, in the car or at work.

With the broadcast and automotive sectors undergoing rapid transformation, WorldDAB will bring industry leaders together in Frankfurt on 11 June for WorldDAB Automotive 2026. Taking place at a pivotal moment for radio’s position in the connected car, the event will feature the first presentation of significant new international research into in-car radio listening. The 2026 multi market Car Buyer’s Research, conducted by Fifty5Blue (formerly Kantar), provides a detailed look at how drivers use audio in the car, what they expect from radio, and how prominence, defaults and user experience shape listening behaviour. The findings offer robust evidence to support decision making across the automotive, broadcast and regulatory communities.

BBC Radio 4’s Long Wave (LW) service will close on 27 June 2026. The BBC says: "We will broadcast daily on-air reminders to help everyone switch to other ways of listening. The company that owns and operates the LW broadcast equipment has confirmed that the system is reaching the end of its life. As LW is an older broadcasting technology, recent years have seen a decline in listener numbers, with the majority now opting for FM and DAB digital platforms. Given these factors, investing in upgrading the LW equipment is not considered a cost-effective solution for licence fee-funded services. To facilitate this transition away from LW and ensure it is as smooth as possible, we will be producing comprehensive guidance on alternative ways to listen."

As DAB+ technology continues to gain ground in new markets, consistent and recognisable design and marketing communication becomes increasingly important. The DAB+ styleguide was developed by ARD for the German market, and given the international relevance of coherent DAB+ design and marketing, it is made available free of charge from the WorldDAB website and may be adopted as a reference framework by organisations and partners worldwide. The latest update builds on the DAB+ design styleguide established in 2017. The updated guidelines now cover all media, including online applications, social media, moving image formats and radio, and define minimum requirements for wording and verbal brand communication.

Following an in-depth review of the applications, the Media Council of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM) today decided who will be awarded the DAB capacity in the contiguous digital terrestrial coverage area of Upper Bavaria-Swabia, Middle Franconia and Upper Franconia, which was put out to tender at the end of last year: The licence has been awarded to CHILLOUT ANTENNE. Dr Thorsten Schmiege, President of the BLM: “What the BLM predicted in its audio strategy became reality last year: by 2025, daily usage of digital reception channels will be on a par with FM for the first time. With today’s decision, DAB+ is receiving a further boost directly from Antenne Bayern. I welcome that.”

For listeners in the coverage area of the Oberammergau/Laber transmitter, the FM frequencies for five BR radio stations will change from 19 May: Bayern 1, Bayern 2, Bayern 3, BR Klassik and BR24. From the Oberammergau/Laber site, the BR will in future broadcast these programmes exclusively via DAB+. You will still be able to receive them via FM on the frequencies of the Grünten or Hühnerberg transmitters. This may require a new station search on your FM radio. This is due to the closure of the Oberammergau/Laber FM transmitter for economic reasons and to improve energy efficiency in broadcasting.

The radio station Ráádio Presstón is expanding significantly and broadening its reach via DAB+. The station is now part of the Play.cz network, which was officially taken over by České Radiokomunikace this past April. The new distribution is being broadcast from Ústí nad Labem – Buková hora on channel 10C and Trutnov – Černá hora on block 10B. The capital is covered by the Prague – Žižkov transmitter on channel 8B, which has a power output of nearly 20 kW. In northern Moravia, signal distribution is provided by Ostrava – Hošťálkovice on block 5A, while southern Bohemia is covered by České Budějovice – Kleť. Other key points in the network include Brno – Kojál on block 7A and the northern Bohemian peak of Liberec – Ještěd within block 10C.