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Gorka Zumeta writes: The obvious delay in the introduction of Digital Terrestrial Radio in Spain gives us a competitive advantage over those who have been working with it for years: we know, without taking any risks, the rights and wrongs. While British radio must now migrate from DAB to DAB+, in the case of Spain, we should start the new expansion, practically from scratch, with the DAB+ standard, forgetting the remains of DAB (Madrid and Barcelona). The most notable success of British radio repeats the story of the arrival of FM: new stations, mainly music stations, which have brought the younger audience into radio, so that listeners and also commercial radio revenues have increased.

Radio Fama from Kielce is completing preparations for the launch of an experimental DAB+ multiplex in the city. Jan Jagielski, president of the Fama Radio and Television Agency, tells Wirtualnemedia.pl that the matter is at the stage of technical arrangements. "I think it is a matter of a month and a half and we will act," he adds. The Fama Radio and Television Agency from Kielce obtained permission from the Office of Electronic Communications to operate the DAB+ experimental multiplex in mid-2022. Although the MUX has not started, the UKE extended the permission in June last year and it is valid until 1 July 2024.

Swedish radio can only develop if the terrestrial network is digitised so that both commercial radio and public service can offer a competitive range. Without a larger range, global platforms will take over and Sweden will lose all influence over Swedish audio distribution, writes Christer Modig, CEO of Viaplay Group Radio. "Expanding digital radio with the DAB+ standard is currently the only practical way to increase the number of channels before it is too late, because political decisions are needed," he says. "The DAB network can accommodate 30 commercial channels, more players and a much greater variety for listeners. DAB is a prerequisite for commercial radio to be able to broaden its range and focus on news, debate, sport and youth channels," Modig adds.

The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) has created a directory of community radio DAB+ stations. Some are also simulcast on AM or FM radio, others are exclusively digital stations. At present there are more than sixty community radio services available via DAB+ across Australia which you can find using the CBAA directory link. The directory provides additional information on the type of content the station provides. Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA) provide a similar directory of DAB+ stations.

Following a successful public consultation and the support of Ofcom, all 19 radio stations using the Winchester Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) network, some broadcasting exclusively on DAB, are available again. Managing director of Outreach Radio, Osman Sen-Chadun, founded a new rescue consortium, including Winchester Radio, Winchester Today, Outreach Radio and Southampton’s Voice FM, to get the Ofcom licences and retrieve the equipment from liquidators. On 8 February, they were back on air. With support and guidance from Ofcom, new plans were agreed and the required public consultation began. During this time, the Winchester DAB team prepared a new transmission site, just 200m away from the original site in Crabwood Farm, in sub-zero temperatures ahead of the launch.

The team behind the recreated LASER558 have obtained a licence to broadcast on DAB digital radio. Whilst a DAB (DSP) licence is available upon application these days, it marks another station using a previously unlicensed brand name and taking it legal. LASER558 will soon be on the relaunched Winchester DAB and the forthcoming Basingstoke DAB multiplexes. Station Director, Steve Bannister, said: “We are very excited to be able to announce that, after forty years of being classed a ‘pirate’ radio station, LASER558 is finally broadcasting legally in the UK and that we’ll be available on DAB Radio.

Streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music may dominate the headlines, but radio isn’t going anywhere. 89% of us tune in at least once a week, according to UK radio measurement body Rajar. And, while FM radio is definitely still around, DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) now accounts for the majority of listening. The benefits? You don’t need to tune, so DAB isn’t as fiddly and you’ll pick up the clearest sound quality. Some of the best DAB radios also have Bluetooth connectivity, connectors to charge your phone, or the ability to add more of your favourite stations as presets. If you’re convinced, here are our picks for the best DAB radios in 2024.

On 13 February the World Radio Day event took place in Milan, organised by radiospeaker.it. Among others, Marco Rossignoli, coordinator of Aeranti-Corallo, spoke via videoconference, interviewed by Giorgio D'Ecclesia, coordinator of the Italian edition of World Radio Day. Rossignoli took stock of the procedures for the assignment of the rights to use digital terrestrial radio frequencies in DAB+ technology, confirming the expectation, based on statements collected at MIMIT, to be able to conclude the process by the end of this year; this, of course, subject to the progress of the beauty contest that may be necessary in some regions, and the subsequent disputes.

The aim of the campaign is to sensitise drivers in Switzerland to the upcoming switchover to DAB+ and to support them in converting their vehicles. The campaign focuses on radio reception in the car and at the same time illustrates what would be lost without the changeover - such as music in various styles and editorial formats from news to sport. This is ensured by "Bobbleheads", which are attached directly to the car radio on the dashboard and address radio listeners directly. They symbolise radio content, give the abstract topic an emotional approach and do this in an entertaining way, in keeping with the medium of radio. The campaign is now on air throughout Switzerland on TV, radio, OOH, digital, social media and content. Partners from the radio, automotive and retail sectors also have access to advertising material via a portal.

On World Radio Day 2024, Spanish radio listeners in six cities can begin turning in to the future of radio in the country. In line with plans announced in December, Spanish public-service broadcaster RTVE threw a symbolic switch at the Torrespaña to officially launch new DAB+ services. Starting 13 February, listeners in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, and Bilbao can now tune DAB+ broadcasts of Radio Nacional and Radio 5, as well as Radio 3 in Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao. The new DAB+ channels join RTVE’s existing DAB broadcasts from Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and Radio Exterior in Madrid and Barcelona. Additional DAB+ services are slated to launch in other cities across Spain on a monthly basis, according to a RTVE announcement.