News

With the entry into force of the new DAB+ licences for local radio stations, the offer via digital terrestrial radio has changed in several places. In addition, a number of networks have switched channels, been temporarily off air or newly put on air. The new licences, valid since 1 September, enable local radio over DAB+ across the country. For this purpose, the National Digital Infrastructure Inspectorate distributed licences to both public and commercial parties in recent months. Through 57 allotments (networks), the whole country can be covered. The number of new networks launched is still limited. This is due to several things. First, licences for commercial stations were granted only last month. In addition, all licence holders must enter into a cooperation agreement for the rollout and operation of the networks. For the rollout itself, licence holders have until September 2025.

Swiss commercial radio stations are preparing for the end of FM broadcasting, which is expected to start on 1 January 2025. At the 25th annual Swiss Radio Day, it was announced that some of the most prominent commercial stations, including Energy Basel, Energy Bern and Radio 24, will begin phasing out their FM broadcasts. This process, known as "Fade out", will allow stations to individually decide on the termination according to their specific needs and conditions. Factors that will influence the decision include economic considerations, the number of FM transmitters and proximity to borders with signal overlap from abroad. As the deadline for the end of the FM broadcasts approaches, Scholz & Friends Zurich will launch a third nationwide information campaign including print, audio and online materials and TV spots.

WorldDAB and Digitalradio Deutschland e.V. proudly announce the launch of the "Automatic Safety Alert (ASA)" system after two years of intensive collaboration. This pioneering innovation in DAB+ digital radio technology aims to protect the public during emergencies by delivering reliable safety alerts without requiring an internet connection. Listeners will benefit from a system that alerts them even if mobile or internet connections are disrupted. ASA operates automatically in the background, can be regionally adjusted for the location, and boasts high resilience thanks to the robust DAB+ radio transmission network. The new standard will be published globally shortly, with initial tests scheduled for the IFA Berlin and the nationwide Warntag in Germany in September. By mid-2025, new generations of DAB+ radios will support the ASA standard.

DAB+ is transforming the landscape of radio broadcasting, offering a fresh, efficient approach to delivering radio content. As Jacqueline Bierhorst said, DAB+ is becoming a global game-changer for radio. DAB+, which stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting, represents a digital alternative to traditional FM and AM radio. Unlike its predecessors, DAB+ broadcasts digitally over the airwaves, providing more channels with better sound quality and lower costs. This system doesn’t rely on the internet, making it accessible and reliable for a broad audience. Bierhorst, President of WorldDAB and a consultant on DAB+ in Flanders, emphasised that DAB+ is not only an upgrade but a necessary evolution for radio.

On 27–29 August, Baku hosted a meeting between representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan regarding coordination of frequencies of terrestrial services. Discussions were held on coordination of frequencies of DAB+ digital radio broadcasting stations, installed in Baku city and planned to be installed in the northern region in connection with the transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB+), approved by Order 818 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated 7 October 2023. At the request of Kazakhstani specialists, an exchange of experience was held on the work being carried out in Baku on digital radio broadcasting.

Our series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2024 continues with Gary Luhrman, Sales & Marketing Manager of Inovonics, Inc., who says they will be showcasing their Off-air DAB+ SiteStreamer products. Inovonics has been a leading manufacturer of innovative radio broadcast products for over 50 years.

RADIO BOLLERWAGEN, the station of the Vienna-based audio company Bollerwagen Audio FlexCo, is now enriching the variety of programmes on the ORS group's DAB+ transmitter network throughout Austria. ‘We are delighted that RADIO BOLLERWAGEN is now also represented among our neighbours on the nationwide MUX III with ‘Xtreme Party Music’. We bring variety to the programme offering and are guaranteed to deliver the right playlist for every party. From après-ski to hut fun - we have something for every musical taste,’ says Harald Gehrung, Managing Director of Bollerwagen Audio FlexCo. “My special thanks go to lawyer Dr Gerald Ganzger and his colleagues from LGP Lawyers, who provided us with perfect support in setting up our company, and to Alexandra Sükar and her team from radio content austria GmbH,” he adds.

In the latest of our series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2024, Wolfgang Peters, Managing Director, AVT Audio Video Technologies GmbH says they will be presenting a complete DAB headend, from Audio Encoder, Switch and Converter to Multiplexers, as well as a Tunnel Break-In Rebroadcast System. AVT is a leading manufacturer of professional audio products for radio and television broadcasters.

The hr programme service can already be received almost everywhere in Hesse on frequency block 7B in the new DAB+ mobile standard. On 27 August, the Schlüchtern transmitter in East Hesse went into regular operation. It improves mobile and indoor coverage for Schlüchtern and the surrounding area. Prior to this, the Herborn-Burg transmitter in central Hesse went into regular DAB+ operation for hr programmes on 25 July 2024. This new transmitter provides DAB+ reception in large parts of your home in Dillenburg, Herborn, Burg and the surrounding area. From now on, both transmitters will also ensure stable DAB+ mobile reception in cars in this region. The further expansion of the DAB transmitter network for 2024 and 2025 is currently being planned.

There is now a concrete timetable for the end of the analogue broadcasting dinosaur in Switzerland. FM is set to end on New Year's Eve 2026 at the latest. However, SRG will switch off its analogue broadcasting facilities as early as 31 December this year, as Marco Derighetti, Director Operations at SRG/SSR, confirmed in a discussion round with private radio stakeholders [at SwissRadioDay]. Anyone who still uses SRG programmes via FM today will receive notifications at increasingly frequent intervals in the near future that there will soon be nothing to listen to on these frequencies. Private radio stations, on the other hand, will gradually say goodbye to FM at the turn of the year in a so-called fade-out process, which according to Peter Scheuerer, Managing Director of the private radio association VSP, is due to the specific situation of the programmes. ‘Every station has different broadcasting areas.’