News

Gorka Zumeta writes: DAB+ is here, now what? In the following lines, we analyse the reality surrounding DAB+ in Spain. Radio Nacional de España announced on 13 February, World Radio Day, that it was launching DAB+ broadcasts in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao. In principle, only RNE (formerly Radio Uno), Radio 3 and Radio 5 Todo Noticias. Radio Clásica, Ràdio 4 (in Catalonia) and Radio Exterior de España (which does broadcast on DAB) are left out for the time being. Little by little, public radio will gradually bring its digital broadcasts to other cities in Spain, subject to the corresponding announcement. At the same time, the Government of Navarra has granted its first 19 DAB stations with local coverage.

Aeranti-Corallo interviewed Fausta Bergamotto, Under-secretary of State at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy. "As far as DAB+ is concerned, we are in a challenging transition phase with the national networks coexisting with the experimental licences granted at local level," Bergamotto said. "The allocation phase for local DAB networks is drawing to a close, as is the allocation of rights of use for the national ones, and we are confident that the entire system will soon be able to benefit from the quality and cleanliness of the sound guaranteed by digital. In this sense, too, in the new service contract with RAI, we wanted to emphasise the need for the concessionaire to invest in the network in order to improve its coverage."

With DAB+ set to cover 60% of the population of mainland France in the coming weeks, and other French-speaking countries around the world showing significant interest in DAB+, WorldDAB is publishing its first digital book in French: "Mise en place du DAB+ - la radiodiffusion numérique". This 118-page publication, which can be downloaded free of charge from the WorldDAB website, is a French translation of the highly acclaimed ebook "Establishing DAB+ Digital Broadcast Radio", which is an exclusive and comprehensive guide to the regulatory, technical and commercial aspects of successfully setting up a DAB+ digital radio service.

The first national DAB+ multiplex is to be greatly expanded once again over the next four years. This is according to the latest report from the Commission to Determine the Financial Requirements of the State Broadcasting Authorities (KEF). With its application for the 24th report, Deutschlandradio is aiming to complete its DAB+ transmitter network from the current 165 to 200 to 210 transmitters by 2028. This will achieve almost universal DAB+ mobile coverage, but without aiming for portable indoor reception at every location, the committee said.

The Casino-Palace multi-storey car park is in a prominent location in Lucerne – directly on the lake between the casino and the 5-star Grand Hotel Mandarin Oriental (formerly The Palace). In order to remain one of the most innovative car parks in Switzerland, the management of the Casino-Palace car park decided to offer guests real added value with a high-quality audio system and comprehensive DAB+ radio reception. While in most car parks the radio goes silent shortly after passing through the barrier, visitors to the Casino Palace car park can now enjoy undisturbed and crystal-clear DAB+ reception right into the furthest corner on all five underground parking levels. Thanks to DAB repeaters, reception is not interrupted in the middle of the news or during your favourite song.

Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications, Malaysia, is slated to officiate the opening ceremony of ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium 2024 on Tuesday, 5th March. The theme of this year’s symposium is ‘Navigating AI Horizon’ and will explore opportunities of the changing media business landscape and ways on how broadcasters and media organisations can collaborate to future proof their operations. At the event, WorldDAB is holding an expert DAB+ seminar, and hosting a digital radio pavilion with WorldDAB members AVT, GatesAir, Paneda and RadioDNS joining the pavilion.

On 22 February, Maison FG celebrates its 115th DAB+ frequency with the launch of Radio FG in Dinan, Brittany. Maison FG is thus continuing to develop its DAB+ network in France, with its radio bouquet of 4 programmes in DAB+. In addition to its network of 35 FM frequencies, Radio FG, a national network present in 108 towns, is also developing FG Chic "the lounge and nu disco radio" present in Paris, Monaco, Nice and Côte d'Azur, Maxximum "the new music radio", broadcast in Paris IDF and DanceOne which is broadcast in Paris and Île-de-France as well as in Marseille, Nice and Cannes, Bordeaux and on the Bassin d'Arcachon. "DAB+ makes it possible to listen to digital terrestrial radio stations free of charge in digital quality," says Antoine Baduel.

The Government of Navarre has awarded the first 19 digital radio licences (digital audio broadcasting or DAB) in the Autonomous Community of Navarre, after the Evaluation Committee made public the evaluation of the 45 proposals received. The 19 licences will be distributed in the following locations: Pamplona / Iruña (5 licences), Altsasu / Alsasua (2), Baztan (2), Estella - Lizarra (2), Larraun (2), Lesaka (2), Tudela (2), Sangüesa / Zangoza (1) and Tafalla (1). The largest number of licences was obtained by Abian Media S.L., with licences in the nine areas in which licences will be awarded.

In this guest EBU blog, Tomas Granryd, Head of Digital Partnerships at Sveriges Radio (SR), writes about one of the major strategic focuses for the EBU in 2024: How radio can preserve its prominent position in cars. He sets out why radio deserves to be prioritised and what the EBU is doing, along with its Members and the wider industry, to achieve this. "Public service broadcasters from across the EBU membership have agreed to create a common, clear map of who are the key players (including broadcasters) and what is required to ensure that audiences can continue to easily find and listen to the content they love. The project is called The Playbook and is all about collaboration – all parts of the value chain: the car industry, operating system providers, app stores and the radio industry must work together."

As part of a drive to broaden its horizons, Toulouse-based radio station Le Bon Mix, whose chairman is Pierre Denjean from Cadur, is announcing its expansion into Switzerland via DAB+ broadcasting in the cities of Geneva and Neuchâtel, covering an area of more than 1.3 million inhabitants. "The introduction of DAB+ in Switzerland is an important step for Le Bon Mix, but we're keeping a close eye on the reactions of our new audience and are ready to adapt," said Denjean. Broadcasting is entrusted to the Swiss company DIGRIS via two transmitters in Yverdon/Neuchâtel and two transmitters to cover Geneva, with outdoor listening possible as far as Annecy, as well as in the Arve Valley as far as Chamonix.