News

Even today, despite the technological revolution brought about by AI, radio remains the medium most trusted by European citizens as a source of information. It is a value that stands as a guardian of freedom, serving pluralism and the democratic system. This is the view expressed by Alessandro Gisotti, Deputy Director of Vatican Media and Vatican Radio’s representative to the European Broadcasting Union, where he also serves as President of the Radio and Audio News Group. Speaking to Luca Collodi, during the Vatican Radio program “Sound Magazine”, Gisotti reflects on the ongoing European debate surrounding the “Digital Networks Act” (DNA). A key priority for the EBU, he explains, is ensuring that radio broadcasters remain fully accessible, starting with automobiles.

Digital radio has been on the air in the Thessaly region since 28 May, following the installation of a digital broadcasting center in Pelion, after Athens and Thessaloniki. This is the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) service, which utilizes digital radio signal transmission technology and offers much clearer, interference-free sound compared to traditional analog FM. Listeners, using the DAB function available in their car’s audio system or on a standard radio equipped with this feature, can listen to all ERT radio programs digitally, with the exception of regional stations that broadcast locally in each area.

The Ensemble pour le DAB+ association has announced a partnership with Fnac-Darty to promote DAB+ digital radio receivers. Until 31 May, nearly 300 Fnac and Darty stores are showcasing DAB+ compatible radios with discounts of up to 20%. This initiative forms part of the ongoing roll-out of DAB+ in France, which currently covers 70% of the population and is set to reach 80% by the end of 2026. The promotion began on 15 May and will run until 31 May in nearly 300 Fnac and Darty stores, as well as on both retailers’ online platforms. DAB+ receivers are available with discounts of up to 20%. The association notes that this is a first in France for the digital terrestrial radio sector. The campaign is led by Ensemble pour le DAB+.

Bay Broadcasting has announced the “imminent” rollout of three of its radio stations to DAB, making them available to an estimated 85% of the population. Radio Nova, Classic Hits Radio and Sunshine 106.8 will broadcast on the Failte DAB Mux2 trial, which will reach most of the country outside Dublin when launched. Bay claims the move marks a new era of national scale and audience growth for the group and describes the launch of the three radio services on national DAB as the most exciting development for radio choice in over a decade. To find out more about this, Ronan Leonard spoke to Kevin Brannigan the CEO of Bay Broadcasting.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) has underscored the need for African broadcasters to embrace honesty, collaboration and innovation as the media industry undergoes digital transformation. Speaking during the Africa Broadcasters Conference in Nairobi, KBC Managing Director Agnes Kalekye noted that the broadcaster is also collaborating with the Communications Authority of Kenya on DAB+ technology aimed at easing frequency congestion and expanding broadcasting access. “We are also making significant progress toward Digital Sound Broadcasting through DAB+ technology in collaboration with the Communications Authority of Kenya. This transition is helping address frequency congestion in our major cities while creating room for more broadcasters and more diverse content,” she said.

Gorka Zumeta writes: Radio is about much more than just a button on the dashboard. The strategic decision taken by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) marks a turning point in the defence of the medium: ensuring that vehicles continue to be fitted with FM and DAB+ receivers and that free-to-air radio maintains a visible, accessible and prioritised presence in the face of the rise of digital platforms and internet audio services. Because the threat is no longer just theoretical. Radio broadcasts—those transmitted over the airwaves, freely, universally and at no cost—are beginning to disappear quietly from new vehicles. And with them, the industry warns, the decline of Europe’s main radio listening platform could also begin.

The MIDAS Survey is designed to provide context and insight into how, when and where audio content is being consumed in this current liberated environment. Weekly audio listening in the UK remains strong, albeit varied between age and gender. The Spring 2026 wave of MIDAS finds that the weekly reach for audio consumption that is solely listened to and not viewed, remains very high with 56 million adults or 96% of the UK population (adults 15+) doing so in a week. Listeners spend on average 27.3 hours a week engaging in their favourite audio type. The total number of weekly hours listened to audio is over 1.5 billion; this has increased by 7% since MIDAS Spring 2024. 66% of listening hours are consumed by traditional FM or DAB radio sets.

The audiovisual sector met as an Advisory Board at the CSA to examine a draft decree from the Government of the French Community setting out the conditions and procedures for the potential phasing out of analogue terrestrial radio broadcasting (FM), as well as the extension of the duration of future licences. This proposed revision of the decree is presented as an important step in the digital transition of radio stations, which would also put an end to the double cost of broadcasting for stations that transmit via both FM and DAB+.

From 9 June, local public broadcasters will be able to apply for a second licence per allotment. This will enable local broadcasters, for example, to broadcast a second channel digitally over the airwaves. At present, local public broadcasters are permitted to hold a maximum of one licence per allotment. Only the local broadcasters in the four major cities have held a second licence for the local editions of FunX for some time now. At the start of this year, the National Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) began the allocation procedure for remaining capacity on the 57 local DAB+ networks in the Netherlands.

Italian digital terrestrial radio has now moved beyond the experimental phase: this is confirmed not only by the growth in coverage, the expansion of the network plan and the annual registration of over one and a half million new cars fitted with DAB+ receivers as standard, but also by the convergence of industrial, technological and infrastructural indicators that point to a fully mature ecosystem. Agcom, too, now appears to be capturing a transformation that has already taken place in the real market.