News

Slow Down Radio, which was launched last October by former Color radio presenters Rudolf Rokoš alias DJ Pufaz and Jaro Cossiga, has decided to enter the digital terrestrial broadcasting. On 5 June, the Radio and Television Broadcasting Council (RRTV) received an application from them for a nationwide licence for DAB+. This would be the 40th radio with a digital licence on the Czech market, if counting the 23 other stations that are currently waiting, like Slow Down Radio, for the RRTV's decision on the licence. Of these, Media Bohemia is applying for 16 licences, Radio United Broadcasting for six and Radio Content (Radio Energic) for one.

Znojmo has seen the expansion of digital radio broadcasting. On 16 June, RTI cz launched a new transmitter of its nationwide network C, which covers the South Moravian region from the Znojmo-Kuchařovice site. It is broadcast on channel 9B with a power of 4 kW. The new transmitter brings to the residents of Znojmo, for example, Radio Proglas, Radio 7 or the music station DAB plus Top 40. The offer is also expected to be expanded thanks to the Media Bohemia group, which, in addition to its existing programs such as Hitrádio, Blaník, Fajn or Rock Rádio, plans to enrich this platform with Hitrádio 90, Český Blaník, Oldies radio or Helax. So far, only the Czech Radio multiplex has been broadcasting in Znojmo.

STV today announces that David Treasurer will join its recently announced new national radio station as Programme Director. David brings with him over 25 years of radio industry experience gained in both commercial and public service broadcasting. He joins STV from BBC Scotland where he has spent the last 10 years as the Senior Creative (Audio), shaping Radio Scotland’s sound and promotional strategy and creating campaigns for the wider BBC Scotland portfolio. David will work closely with Graham Bryce (MD of Audio, STV) and Bobby Hain (MD of Audience, STV). The studio will be based at STV’s headquarters in Pacific Quay, Glasgow, and the mainstream music station, aimed at 35–54-year-olds, will be available on DAB and online.

Today Radio has officially been selected as one of twelve broadcasters granted a DAB+ operator license in Luxembourg, marking a major milestone in its development after three years of digital-only operation. "After three years operating as a digital station we're delighted and very excited to be able to bring Today Radio to a wider audience with the launch of DAB+", said Sam Steen, Head of Programming at Today Radio. "As the only fully English language radio station in Luxembourg, we look forward to engaging with the whole community of those living in the Grand Duchy – and doing it to a soundtrack of great music, all day, every day." Other selected DAB+ broadcasters include RTL Radio Luxembourg and Eldoradio.

The decision on the development of a regionalised platform for DAB+ radio broadcasting in North Rhine-Westphalia has been made. At its meeting today, the Media Commission of the State Media Authority NRW decided to allocate the DAB+ transmission capacities put out to tender to Media Broadcast GmbH as the platform operator. The allocation was preceded by a constructive mutual agreement procedure between all applicants, which was moderated by LFM NRW. As a result, residents of Germany's most populous federal state can look forward to up to 16 new and well-known programmes in various formats in the five regions. Following the trend towards regionalised radio broadcasting in other federal states, LFM NRW put DAB+ transmission capacities out to tender in five of a total of six regions in the state last year.

The alternative radio station egoFM is facing a drastic change: on 1 July 2025, the station will end its analogue FM operation and will focus exclusively on digital distribution channels such as DAB+ and streaming in future. This was confirmed by Fred Schreiber, Programme Director of egoFM, in an interview with RADIOSZENE. Schreiber now confirms: "Yes, that's right. egoFM will give up its FM frequencies on 1 July 2025. The end of FM has been politically decided anyway - we are going this way earlier." Instead, egoFM wants to focus on digital reach. According to Schreiber, the proportion of digital listeners (via DAB+ and the internet) almost doubled between 2020 and 2025 - to around 48 per cent. ‘The trend is inevitably rising,’ says the programme director.

In the auction of non-national commercial DAB+ licences, 13 parties, including Radio Simone, Radio Limburg, Regional Radio Frequency, 4Ever49 Radio, Gigant FM and Team FM managed to secure one or more licences. Through the auction, which started on Tuesday morning, the central government distributed 44 DAB+ licences on the seven allotments of the supra-regional DAB+ network. This is the network on which also the regional public broadcasters as well as non-national commercial stations that also have an FM lot broadcast. There was residual capacity left on this. The new licences take effect on September 1 and are valid for 10 years.

Jean-Marc Dubreuil, representative for the WorldDAB forum, made an impassioned plea for DAB+ to an audience of more than 150 industry professionals at the opening of the Casablanca Broadcast Days on 10 and 11 June. A first in Morocco for the man who travels the world to promote this technology, which he describes as ‘the backbone of tomorrow's broadcasting’.

Jacqueline Bierhorst didn’t mince words at Radiodays Europe in the Greek capital on March 11. The WorldDAB president delivered a clear warning to radio broadcasters: don’t surrender control to unregulated tech giants. In a passionate speech, she made the case for DAB+ as the key to radio’s future, highlighting its cost efficiency, resilience in emergencies, and ability to keep broadcasters independent from third-party platforms. Here is an excerpt from that speech. Jacqueline Bierhorst, WorldDAB president: "I want to explore not only the global growth of DAB+ and how it can re-energize radio but also why I believe broadcast is crucial for broadcasters. That may seem a strange thing to say or that it’s obvious. But let me explain why I think it’s important..."

2 June saw the official launch of Q8 Radio, the new digital radio station from Q8, designed to accompany Italians in their daily lives, whether they are travelling or at other times of the day. Available on DAB+ in 38 cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Florence, Bari, Palermo and Cagliari, Q8 Radio was created with the aim of being a constant, engaging and useful presence during the daily commute. The birth of Q8 Radio, in fact, is part of a context of great vitality for the radio medium: DAB+ technology, also chosen by Q8, is destined to grow steadily in the coming years, thanks to its superior audio quality compared to FM, signal stability and integration of visual content.