News

It's getting loud in Saarland: ROCK FM, the radio station for 80s and 90s rock, launches its programme in Saarland on 1 July - right in the heart of one of the liveliest music regions in Germany. With its passion for handmade rock music, legendary bands and a strong community, ROCK FM sees itself as a new and active component of the Saarland music scene. ROCK FM is now broadcasting on DAB+ channel 9c in Saarland and can be received via web, app and smart speaker. ROCK FM is the station for 80s and 90s rock in the south-west: it can be heard via DAB+ in Saarland and Baden-Württemberg. The core target group is people aged between 30 and 59 with an affinity for rock.

Ofcom has today published its final decisions on the BBC’s plans to launch four new DAB+ stations and extend the hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra. The UK media regulator says: "Following a consultation on our provisional conclusions, we have today published our final decisions. In summary: Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3 Unwind can proceed. We found these stations would have a limited impact on fair and effective competition, which would be justified by the public value of the proposals. The BBC Radio 2 extension cannot go ahead; plans to extend the broadcasting hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra may not proceed."

Angel Radio is back on the Bournemouth DAB multiplex from today, bringing its nostalgic mix of music and conversation to digital radio listeners across Dorset. The station targets older listeners with specialist programming that blends music, memories and advice. Ash, Digital Development Manager at Angel Radio, added: “The expansion to DAB in Dorset is an obvious next step for Angel Radio. We need to be where our listeners are, whatever the platform. Having previously built up a following in Dorset, our return will be a huge boost for us and our audience.” Angel Radio already broadcasts in Portsmouth, Havant and Chichester on FM, and is also available on DAB in South Hampshire, Surrey and South London, as well as in several cities via small-scale multiplexes.

The importance of the car as a core location for broadcast radio listening has been highlighted by new research revealed at WorldDAB Automotive 2025 in Madrid on 19 June. Nearly 200 senior executives gathered at the annual event organised by WorldDAB, the global industry forum for DAB+ digital radio. It opened with public and private broadcasters joining forces to deliver a unified message to the automotive sector: broadcast radio must remain prominent in the evolving in-car environment. Edison Research’s Megan Lazovick unveiled new consumer data about in-car listening, including the latest Infinite Dial Australia survey. “DAB+ leads the way,” she said.

‘DISCOFOX ANTENNE, the first radio station for millions of Discofox fans, has gone on air under the motto ’Deutschland tanzt! It is broadcast in Berlin via aerial from the television tower. The station can be received on the new DAB+ radio standard and on the Internet throughout Germany. DISCOFOX ANTENNE broadcasts danceable German and international hits non-stop around the clock. DISCOFOX ANTENNE can be received in Berlin via DAB+ on channel 7B and throughout Germany via online stream, app and smart speaker. DISCOFOX ANTENNE is a programme of radio B2 GmbH, which also operates Schlager radio.

On 30 June, Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur will switch completely from FM to DAB+ at twelve locations and a total of 16 transmitters. In Schleswig-Holstein, the switchover from FM to DAB+ agreed by politicians and public and private programme providers began this year. The first stations will switch from 2025 and the switchover should be completed by mid-2031 at the latest. From then on, radio in Schleswig-Holstein will only be available via aerial via DAB+ and, as before, via the internet. On 30 June, Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur will switch completely from FM to DAB+ at twelve locations and a total of 16 transmitters.

Several local and regional broadcasters will be able to be heard digitally on air from 30 June. In South-West Brabant, allotment 49 will be put into operation on this day. As a result, three local broadcasters can be heard on channel 8B. They are Omroepstichting ZuidWest, Stichting Lokale Omroep Tholen and Stichting Lokale Omroep Steenbergen. The transmitter operator of this allotment is Radio Netwerk Nederland (RNN). Allotment 49 is set up for DAB+ reception in Roosendaal, Bergen op Zoom, Woensdrecht, Steenbergen, Tholen and surrounding municipalities. One of the radio stations to be received on channel 8B in this region is ZuidWest FM. Besides via DAB+, the radio stations can also continue to be heard via FM and online.

Founded on 13 February 1975, RAS has been providing the German and Ladin-speaking community with radio and television programmes from abroad for half a century. At a celebration on Friday, 27 June 2025, at the Kronplatz transmitter site, representatives from politics, media and technology paid tribute to the unique RAS model. RAS currently broadcasts 38 radio and 22 television programmes, including 19 radio and 14 television programmes from Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as numerous local programmes. Since 27 June, RAS has been broadcasting Deutschlandradio's Deutschlandfunk programme as an additional radio station via DAB+. The state government made the decision on Tuesday, 24 June.

When I travel, I like to rent vehicles from different manufacturers to see what they’re doing infotainment-wise. On more than one occasion, I’ve become frustrated when it comes to finding the radio functions. Why would anyone bury a radio, something that’s been part of the driving experience for almost 100 years, so deep in the interface that you can’t use it? The good news is that there’s plenty of pushback. At the WorldDAB Automotive 2025 Conference in Madrid, public and private broadcasters — some 200 senior executives — from all over the world got together to deliver this message: Broadcast radio must remain prominent in vehicles. If not, motorists will miss out on a lot — and radio itself could fatally suffer from underexposure.

ARN is extending its KIIS brand with KIIS Dance, a digital station dedicated to electronic dance music. Now available on DAB+ and the free iHeart app, KIIS Dance delivers a curated mix of current dance hits, iconic club anthems and era-defining throwbacks. Lauren Joyce, ARN Chief Audience & Content Officer, said “KIIS Dance is a high-energy, highly targeted station built to match how audiences are engaging with audio – digitally, on-demand, and by genre. Dance music is having a huge cultural moment, and KIIS Dance puts ARN at the heart of it. This is all about giving audiences more of what they love, while broadening our network footprint in a smart, future-facing way.” KIIS Dance is now available on DAB+ in Melbourne and the Gold Coast, and via the free iHeart app.