News

Subscribe to the WorldDAB newsletters and get the latest news on industry developments and upcoming events.

Share with us your news, articles and white papers and have them featured on the WorldDAB website.


Maradiobe_logo_600

Most French-speaking Belgian stations support voluntary, simultaneous 2030 end for FM

20.03.2024 - Top story - maRadio.be WorldDAB Member - Belgium Belgium

The entire sector (with the exception of the CraXX association of 16 community radio stations) is in favour of the voluntary and simultaneous cessation of FM broadcasts by 2030, in consultation with the Flemish and German-speaking communities, subject to two conditions, maRadio.be has announced. This could see most radio stations stop broadcasting on FM by the end of the decade. The sector has also agreed to take a joint stance to ask the next government to implement a major "Plan for the Digital Transition of Radio". The plan consists of support for the roll-out of DAB+ to significantly improve its coverage, strong economic measures to accompany the digital transition, and changes to the legal framework for radio that take account of the digital transition.

(maRadio.be) Read more


Agma_600

Germany's ma 2024 Audio I: "DAB+ continues to be a trend"

20.03.2024 - Top story - Germany Germany

The key data on audio usage confirms the unchanged high overall performance of the radio/audio genre. In the widest group of listeners (WHK), 93.7 per cent (ma 2023 Audio II: 94.1 per cent) of the German-speaking population aged 14 and over use at least one traditional and/or online audio offering (Audio Total). Listeners remain loyal to their stations at a high level with more than four hours of daily usage (duration: 245 minutes) (ma 2022 Audio II: 242 minutes). Distribution via DAB+ continues to be a trend: DAB+ is listened to by 28.5 per cent in the WHK (ma 2023 Audio II: 28.6 per cent) and is used particularly heavily in the target group of 30 to 59-year-olds (WHK: 34.0 per cent - ma 2023 Audio II: 33.6 per cent).

(Arbeitsgemeinschaft Media-Analyse e.V. (agma)) Read more


Santiago_de_compostela_600

Radio Nacional de España starts DAB+ in Santiago de Compostela

19.03.2024 - Top story - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain Spain

It is now possible to enjoy the programming of Radio Nacional, Radio 3 and Radio 5 in DAB+ in the metropolitan area of Santiago de Compostela, thanks to the start of broadcasts from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre located on the emblematic Monte Pedroso, a prime viewpoint of the city. This start of broadcasts in Santiago de Compostela is part of RTVE's commitment to progressively increase RNE's DAB+ offer and the coverage of the service, starting broadcasts in different Spanish cities until the end of the year. Once deployed throughout Spain, DAB+ will allow Radio Televisión Española to provide the public radio broadcasting service in the terms currently entrusted to it by law: providing maximum geographical and social coverage with better quality, free-to-air broadcasts, complementary information and free reception.

(RTVE) Read more


WorldDAB member focus: RTVE
28.03.2024 - WorldDAB News - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain Spain
New WorldDAB member RTVE recently launched DAB+ services in Spain. We learn more about RTVE's plans in this interview with Javier Sánchez, Head of Strategy at RTVE Innovation Center, RTVE. “WorldDAB is the only organisation where all stakeholders involved in the deployment of DAB+ worldwide are represented,” he says.

Read more


What are the plans of the Czech DAB+ network operators?
28.03.2024 - Czechia Czechia
Next week marks the three-month anniversary of the publication of the results of the auction of frequencies for networks dedicated to commercial DAB+ radio. What are the plans of the eight tender winners and where and when do they want to start broadcasting? A total of nine bidders took part in the frequency auction organised by the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU). One of them, Infinity Telecom, withdrew from the tender before the auction started. The remaining eight companies succeeded and shared a total of 29 DAB+ digital radio networks, two of which are nationwide and 27 regional.

(Televizníweb.cz) Read more


Best DAB radios 2024: portable, Bluetooth and digital radio systems tested
28.03.2024 - United Kingdom United Kingdom
Despite having myriad options for listening to music and accessing news headlines, we still love the original 'wireless' radio. There are times when switching BBC 6 Music on in the kitchen just can't be beaten. With the advent of DAB/DAB+, internet radio and Bluetooth streaming, the humble radio has also come a long way since its bedside clock integration. What follows is our pick of the best DAB radios that have graced our test rooms (and our homes) over the years, put through their paces by our experienced team of in-house reviewers.

(What Hi-Fi?) Read more


DAB+: The WOLF expands to Hesse, Bremen and Hamburg
26.03.2024 - Germany Germany
Following the successful launch on 13 July 2023 via the Lower Saxony DAB+ platform and the launch on the Rheinhessen Mux, The WOLF - Deutschlands Country Radio is further expanding its broadcasting area. On 1 April, the programme will be launched via DAB+ in Hesse, Bremen and Hamburg under the slogan "New Country and the Legends". "We are delighted that the country station has received a very positive response following its launch in Lower Saxony. We have therefore decided to continuously expand The WOLF's coverage area," says Managing Director Steffen Müller.

(radioWOCHE.de) Read more


DAB+ connected to the internet, plans Jan John from Play.cz
26.03.2024 - Czechia Czechia
One of the winners of the auction of DAB+ frequencies, Play.cz, is preparing a unique radio platform that will connect terrestrial digital radio broadcasting DAB+ with internet radio streams and the possibility of listening to them via smart car apps in Android and iOS operating systems. Play.cz will be a complete newcomer to terrestrial broadcasting, so its participation in the auction has already raised surprises and much speculation. One of the main creators of the concept of the new radio platform Play.cz, including DAB+, is a member of the company's supervisory board, Jan John, who previously worked as a salesman at Czech Radio Communications. In an interview with Televizníweb.cz, he explains why Play.cz wants to enter DAB+ and what it is planning for digital radio broadcasting.

(Televizníweb.cz) Read more


WorldDAB Automotive 2024 opens registration
25.03.2024 - WorldDAB News
In just eleven weeks, WorldDAB will host WorldDAB Automotive 2024, which unites auto manufacturers and broadcasters to explore the future of DAB+ broadcast radio in automobiles. WorldDAB Automotive 2024 will be on June 13, in the picturesque city of Prague, Czechia, and online. Broadcast radio continues to dominate as the most listened-to source of in-car entertainment worldwide. However, the rapid transformation of the digital dashboard underscores the urgency for radio broadcasters to devise strategies to maintain their content’s visibility.

(RedTech) Read more


Digital Radio Day notes continued decline in FM
25.03.2024 - Belgium Belgium
On March 12, maRadio.be, an organisation representing about 90% of Belgium’s public and private French-speaking radio stations, celebrated Digital Radio Day. The organization presented the results of the 6th survey by Ipsos on the digital transition in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. maRadio.be also celebrated its first decade of promoting radio in the South of Belgium and Brussels. According to the Ipsos survey, for the first time, the number of digital listeners equals the FM audience. “It took only a few years for digital channels to find their way on the radioscape,” commented Eric Adelbrecht, CEO of maRadio.be. “FM accounted for 82% of the total listening volume in 2018. Today, it is 54%. We expect that sometime this year, DAB+ listening will surpass FM.”

(RedTech) Read more


ZUN radio: looking forward to new DAB+ listeners
25.03.2024 - Czechia Czechia
The operator of the digital radio station ZUN radio plans to remain on the DAB+ multiplex of Teleko digital, and will expand the signal as the operator plans to proceed, the station's director Ladislav Antoš confirmed to the Digital Radio portal. "We consider Teleko digital to be a quality and reliable partner with whom we want to continue to cooperate. We are carefully monitoring our broadcasting costs, but we are noticing a growing interest in our advertising spots. This gives us optimism for the future and we look forward to expanding our broadcasts to new locations and reaching more listeners," Antoš said.

(Český rozhlas) Read more


June's Digimedia 2024 conference features DAB+ operators' push for customers
25.03.2024 - Czechia Czechia
On 13 June, the 19th Digimedia 2024 conference on media and digitalisation will be held, welcoming major representatives of private and public media, digital service providers and government. Of course, the conference will feature the most anticipated event of this year in terms of radio digitalisation - the building of DAB+ multiplexes for commercial radio. The third block of the conference, traditionally focused on digital radio broadcasting, will be very popular this year. This year we have just seen the allocation of frequencies for DAB+ digital networks for commercial radio, so this time there will be no academic debate. Participants of the conference will learn how the CTU is working on digital radio broadcasting.

(Český rozhlas) Read more


U.K. broadcast radio considers the future
25.03.2024 - United Kingdom United Kingdom
Change is in the air for broadcast radio in the United Kingdom, with a slew of potential developments in the offing and likely to impact its future delivery, both in terms of licensing and regarding technical implementations. In what would be the first significant development in its portfolio of national services since as far back as 2002, the BBC is proposing introducing various new DAB services, using DAB+ at scale for the first time. Commenting on the plans, Lorna Clarke, director of BBC Music, stated that the corporation wants to provide more choices as listening habits change. “Our extensions for Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 3 will allow listeners to deep dive into more pop and classical genres and periods of music they love the most.” Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, the U.K. Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport is considering responses to its consultation on analog community radio licensing. This consultation follows the 2022 Digital Radio and Audio Review, which concluded that analog broadcasting should continue at least until 2030.

(RedTech) Read more