News

The digital radio network of the operator Fiera Touch, which will broadcast on channel 5C in the capital, has been completed. Pavel Hájek, its managing director, told the Czech Radio digital portal. The multiplex will be launched in the coming months. The Prague transmitter located on the water tower in Devín is still distributing the TV signal. "We have a fully equipped transmitter, including DAB+, so after coordination with the Czech Telecommunications Authority we can start spreading the signal. We will switch on DAB+ as soon as we have some radio stations on this network," said Hájek. In addition to Prague, the network will also reach southern Bohemia, Vysočina and the Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem, Liberec and Hradec Kralove regions.

Austrian Power Radio began regular broadcasting operations as planned on 1 May. Test broadcasts could already be heard in recent weeks on the regional DAB+ multiplex for the greater Vienna area on channel 11C and via the Internet. On DAB+, the broadcasting position of the Russian-language programme Alpha was taken over. The station emerged from the former web radio Austrian Pub Radio. Apart from a few specials, it broadcasts an unmoderated music programme that clearly stands out from other Austrian radio stations with songs from the 1960s to the present day and a large rotation. ‘We want to be Austria's biggest jukebox,’ says the station.

WorldDAB – the global industry forum for DAB+ digital radio – has produced new guidelines for broadcasters and manufacturers on the use of phonemes and aliases, which allow listeners to find their favourite stations using voice commands more easily. The new easy-to-follow, 18-page “how-to” guide is aimed at broadcasters and those who work in radio stations, to help them check their phonemes are correct. The document is available for free on the WorldDAB website. There is increasing use by listeners of voice commands to navigate radio stations, particularly as the list of stations is becoming much longer. Smart speakers and virtual assistants use voice recognition to understand what is said to them, and voice reproduction to confirm choices and results to users in natural language.

Embark on a journey into the world of delivering studio feeds to the DAB head-end! Studio-to-Headend Audio Delivery Unveiled: 16.05.2024 – 10:00 CEST Our experts will navigate the complexities of delivering studio feeds to the DAB headend, offering practical insights for broadcasters, system integrators, and network operators. Discover the diverse audio sources and robust transport solutions available, with a focus on the efficiency brought by Audio over IP (AoIP) and dedicated DAB+ encoders. Additionally, don’t miss the live demo showcasing these features in action. Gain valuable knowledge to elevate your DAB infrastructures with 2wcom’s expertise.

The Christian radio station has revealed its plans to boost DAB+ coverage and in turn cut back on FM broadcasting in the coming years in the current edition of Christian Weekly, published on Tuesday 30 April. It reassures listeners that the toning down of analogue broadcasting will be gradual, and seniors need not worry about it. According to Martin Holík, director of the station, Proglas is not being capricious, but rather needs to save money, reduce electromagnetic pollution and benefit both nature and humans by significantly increasing coverage. "While reflections from ground obstacles and tin roofs spoil FM broadcasts, the same reflections from DAB+ signals help," says the director of the Christian radio station, which has been one of the promoters of DAB+ digital broadcasting among non-commercial programmes for many years.

ExeDAB, which runs the existing Exeter digital service, is planning to apply for the East Devon small scale DAB licence. East Devon is in the next round of areas to be covered by small scale DAB and will cover a mainly rural area of around 136,000 adults. ExeDAB chair Dr David Treharne, who also leads Phonic FM, said: “These new digital networks increase listener choice in specific areas and allow new entrants to launch radio stations at a modest cost. In Exeter, it has enabled community stations like Phonic and South Devon Radio to extend their reach, something that was previously unaffordable. The recently launched speech station from Radio Exe, Devoncast Radio, is the county’s only non-stop speech service, and it is only because of small-scale DAB that a station like this has become possible.”

Eirewave, the station playing and showcasing the pop-rock music scene, has launched on DAB in Derry, Northern Ireland. Olivier Mauxion, owner of Eirewave, says: “While there are numerous radio stations in Derry that play pop, dance, and R&B, the pop-rock genre has historically played a pivotal role here.” Eirewave also plans to extend its reach in cities such as Bangor and Newry in Northern Ireland while continuing to develop micro-local programmes and music news for each city, and will be assembling dedicated teams for each new city.

As the automotive industry accelerates towards a future dominated by connected vehicles, the EBU is working to safeguard radio’s relevance in this evolving landscape. A new guide – the EBU Connected Car Playbook – is a united call to action for ensuring how radio can – and should – be visible and easy to find in the car, placing user experience at the forefront. In collaboration with key members including Swedish Radio, ARD, BBC, and Radio France, the EBU addresses three significant challenges facing the industry: radio’s relegation; uncertain trajectory of voice interaction; and dominance of global players. Speaking at a specially convened expert panel during the 2024 Media Summit in Geneva, Cilla Benkö, EBU Vice President, emphasised that the Playbook calls for an alignment of strategy across the radio industry and a roadmap for engaging audiences in the connected car space.

‘What will be left of Spanish radio in a decade?’ The author reflects in this Radio Exterior microprogramme on the need for the Administration to promote new legislation to regulate and boost DAB+ digital terrestrial radio as the successor to the analogue technology, from the last century, which continues to be the predominant channel: FM. The National Technical Plan that regulates digital radio in Spain dates back to... 1999. Yes, you read that right. From the last century. And although it was partially modified in 2011 with the aim, and I quote, of ‘optimising broadcast coverage and facilitating access to the digital radio service for a greater number of citizens’, it backfired and population coverage was reduced from 50% to 20%.

Rutland and Stamford Sound is joining the local multiplex owned by Creativity Media Services Ltd. The radio station has been online since it launched after the rebranding of Rutland Sound to Greatest Hits Radio in 2020. The multiplex also now carries Embrace Radio and Massive Hits. Rob Persani, Station Manager, Rutland & Stamford Sound told RadioToday: "We’re excited for our listeners to try us on DAB, and to tell us how they get on. We know SSDAB is still a developing technology and we’re grateful to the team at Creativity Media Services for giving us the opportunity to reach our listeners this way, and to Ofcom for their support."