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Air Chief Marshal Dr. Thanaphan Raicharoen, NBTC Committee Member for Broadcasting Affairs chaired a meeting summarising the results of the trial of DAB+ technology, with Lieutenant General Chamnan Changsat, President and CEO. It has tested both outdoor and indoor listening, as well as testing sending short messages and Emergency Warnings or breaking news. The test results were satisfactory, broadcasting quality is good in every sector, except in Chonburi, where parameters need to be adjusted in some areas. “The results of this experiment allow the NBTC office to receive useful information that can be further developed. The next step is to present it to the NBTC for approval in the criteria and methods for granting permission to create a network operator that can provide services to radio station operators in community, public and business categories,” said Air Chief Marshal Dr. Thanaphan.

AIMC (Asociación para la Investigación de Medios de Comunicación) has presented the results of the 10th edition of the study dedicated to radio, carried out through the AIMC Q PANEL, its panel of Internet users formed from the contacts of EGM (Estudio General de Medios) interviewees. The objective of the survey is to deepen the knowledge of individuals who listen to radio and have access to the Internet, in the interaction between analog and digital, expanding and complementing the usual information obtained through the EGM. DAB/DAB+ debuts as the channel of choice for Internet users with almost 3% of the audience. The car remains the most reported place to listen to radio in general: 59% of those who listened to radio yesterday did so in the car.

Good news for all listeners in the south of Saxony-Anhalt: radio SAW is expanding its accessibility via DAB+. To this end, a new transmitter site has been put into operation in Pettstedt near Weißenfels, significantly increasing reception in the Burgenland district. The radio SAW Managing Director Michael Mezödi is delighted: ‘The commissioning of the DAB+ transmitter site in Pettstädt closes a gap in the digital terrestrial broadcasting of VMG Medien's programmes. Our listeners can finally listen to radio SAW, ROCKLAND and 1 A Deutsche Hits in brilliant digital quality in the Burgenland district. This is made possible by VMG Medien's investment in the technical infrastructure of the DAB+ network.’

Patrizia Catenacci is the new director general of the General Directorate for Digital and Telecommunications - MIMIT's Higher Institute of Communications and Information Technology. TeleRadioMagazine: On DAB+ digital radio, what is the expected timeframe for the conclusion of the procedure? Patrizia Catenacci: "The commitment of the Directorate is considerable considering the number of expressions of interest received for all catchment areas, which demonstrates the importance of this technology for the digital radio sector. It is the intention of the Ministry to conclude the examination of all the expressions of interest submitted, for all catchment areas, before the end of July, and to proceed with the issuance of the notices for the beauty contest procedure after the summer."

Australian commercial radio audiences continue to reach new heights, according to GfK Survey 3 2024, with 12.41 million listeners. Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) welcomed the latest results, revealing year-on-year (YOY) growth in morning show listenership, now reaching a record number of 7.19 million. In-car listening saw considerable growth, with more than 10 million listeners. This additional 258,000 listeners mark a nearly 3% increase compared to the same period last year. “The rise in morning listenership, partnered with increased engagement during commutes, shows how seamlessly radio integrates into our lives,” said Jo Dick, CRA chief commercial officer. Morning listening time sits at an average of 2 hours 43 minutes for commercial DAB+ only stations.

Easy to receive via an aerial, digital noise-free and with additional information on the radio display: DAB+ digital radio offers added value and is now becoming even more diverse in Austria. The Austrian Communications Authority (KommAustria) is issuing licences to 28 radio stations to go ‘on air’ digitally on DAB+ on 21 June 2024. The new offering represents a diverse mix of completely new as well as established FM programmes, which will expand their reach digitally terrestrially. This brings the total DAB+ offering in Austria to 58 radio stations. "The new nationwide programme bouquet with 14 DAB+ radio stations will be technically available to 79% of the Austrian population via antenna from 21 June," explains Michael Ogris, Chairman of KommAustria. "Together with the first national DAB+ radio service with 84% population coverage launched in 2019, 30 radio programmes will then be broadcast digitally terrestrially at national level," says Ogris.

Capital, the UK’s No 1 hit music station, has launched a pop-up radio station, dedicated to Taylor Swift. Capital (Taylor’s Version) is being launched to celebrate the highly anticipated UK leg of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour. It’s the first time in the UK that a national DAB radio station has been dedicated to a single artist. Capital are giving Swifties, one of the largest fan bases, the chance to listen to their favourite artist all-day, every-day with the ‘UK’s No 1 Swift Music Station’, Capital (Taylor’s Version). The station will be bringing listeners all the latest on Taylor Swift as she tours across the UK and hearing from fans attending pre and post shows. Capital (Taylor’s Version) is available across the UK on DAB digital radio, and on Global Player, the official Capital app, on your smart speaker (“play Capital Taylor’s Version”), iOS or Android device.

The expansion of the private DAB+ digital radio service will continue in 2024. From 3 June, a further transmitter site will be put into operation in Pettstädt, significantly increasing reception in the Burgenland district. The Chairman of the Assembly of the MSA, Markus Kurze, welcomes the further expansion of DAB+ coverage and emphasises: "The aim of the media authority is to make private radio programmes digitally receivable throughout the country and thus make an important contribution to the equality of living conditions in urban and rural areas. The construction of a DAB+ transmitter site in Pettstädt in the Burgenland district is the next step in this direction, which the assembly of the Saxony-Anhalt Media Authority has unanimously supported with infrastructure funds from its budget."

Digital radio in Austria is celebrating its 5th birthday this year and can also look back on a success story. On 21 June 2024, the largest expansion of private radio stations since the start of private broadcasting in 1998 will take place. From 21 June, 14 more stations will be available on DAB+ throughout Austria. This will bring the national network to 30 stations. The expansion of the DAB+ network in the regions is particularly pleasing. These will cover the broadcasting areas of Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg and Upper Austria, Carinthia and Styria, Southern Burgenland as well as Lower Austria and Northern Burgenland. The regional transmitter networks will also be expanded by 14 programmes. With the new stations, the digital radio offering that can be received via DAB+ will grow to a total of 58 programmes.

With ‘bigFM Hessen’, there will be another Hessian radio programme in future. The basis for this was approved by the Assembly of the Medienanstalt Hessen at its meeting on 27 May 2024. Accordingly, Audiotainment Südwest GmbH & Co. KG will receive a licence for the radio programme for a period of five years. The licence includes the allocation of digital transmission capacities (DAB+) for the DAB multiplex Hessen Nord (channel 6A). Prof. Dr Murad Erdemir, Director of Medienanstalt Hessen, welcomes the new station: ‘With “bigFM Hessen”, a well-known format is now also coming to us in Hesse, which will soon provide listeners with an even more diverse radio offering. I am particularly pleased that young talents will also be given space in the programme. At the same time, this licence makes it clear once again that Hesse is an exciting broadcasting region for established broadcasters from all over Germany.’