News

A NEW era of digital radio is arriving in East Hertfordshire and West Essex with the launch of Xtra DAB, a brand-new digital radio network dedicated to expanding listener choice, championing local voices, and supporting independent broadcasters. The official public launch will take place on Saturday 14th February from midday at The Harvey Centre, Harlow, where visitors are invited to celebrate the arrival of the region’s newest digital radio service with a free, family-friendly event. Wayne, Founder of Xtra DAB, said: “This launch is all about giving our communities more choice, more creativity, and more opportunities to be heard. East Herts and West Essex are full of incredible voices and vibrant stories — Xtra DAB is here to amplify them.”

At its meeting on 27 January 2026, the Media Council of the Saxon State Media Authority (SLM) decided to grant VIUS SE & Co. KGaA the requested DAB+ transmission capacities for the nationwide distribution of the full radio programme "NIUS – Das Radio" on the nationwide DAB+ multiplex, which covers the entire Free State of Saxony, for a limited period of 10 years. The programme focuses on politics, business, society and sport. In addition, the Media Council has decided to grant Medienpiraten GmbH, Ismaning, transmission capacities in the DAB+ standard on the four DAB+ coverage areas for the digital terrestrial distribution of the Saxony-wide full-service radio programme ‘egoFM’ for a limited period of 10 years.

A new report from the Norwegian Media Authority says the diversity of broadcasters in the national radio market is stable, with NRK being the largest in terms of listener numbers, accounting for 66 per cent of daily listening in 2024. This is followed by P4 with around 22 per cent and Bauer Media with close to 12 per cent. The market shares of the national radio players have been stable in recent years. The local radio market is becoming more concentrated, with more and more licences being concentrated among the largest owners. Figures from December 2025 show that 41 per cent of local radio licences are now concentrated among the three largest local radio owners. The largest growth in licences has been on DAB.

The diversity of broadcasters in terms of the number of owners and the distribution of owners in the national radio market has remained stable since the transition from FM to DAB in 2017. The three established national radio operators NRK, the P4 Group and Bauer Media have increased the number of channels from five to 32, and the establishment of several separate radio channels for different music genres has led to greater differentiation in the content offered on the national radio market. While the national radio market is characterised by stability following the transition from FM to DAB, local radio stations are undergoing a digital transformation in which ownership structures and content offerings are changing.

Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg is reducing the terrestrial coverage of its cultural programme radio3 in western Brandenburg. From 1 February 2026, broadcasting via the FM transmitter in Bad Belzig will be permanently discontinued. The regional broadcaster is thus continuing its policy of reducing analogue capacities in favour of digital distribution channels. The measure is part of a long-term strategy to optimise costs within ARD, which involves gradually reducing the parallel transmission of analogue and digital signals. As terrestrial coverage via DAB+ in Brandenburg is now well advanced, the broadcaster no longer considers analogue coverage in smaller locations such as Bad Belzig to be economically necessary.

Albrecht Audio has expanded its portfolio of digital radios with the DR 710. This is a portable DAB+/FM digital radio in a retro design with a carrying strap, which, according to the manufacturer, combines good sound, versatile playback options and mobility in a compact retro design. The DR 710 receives DAB+ and FM, providing access to a wide range of stations. For important warnings, the DR 710 offers the ASA warning function, which ensures that users are warned in good time in the event of an emergency, such as severe storms, flooding or other emergency situations in their region, even in standby mode. In addition, the station memory lists can be used flexibly: 40 memory slots each for DAB+ and FM allow quick switching between favourite radio stations.

At the end of January, Expres FM will cease operations of six analog FM transmitters located in western Bohemia. The information was officially confirmed to MediaGuru.cz by Hana Holubová, PR manager at Seznam.cz. "This is the so-called western circuit, which includes Plzeň, Karlovy Vary, Tachov, Domažlice, Klatovy, and Železná Ruda," said Hana Holubová. "Until now, we had duplicate transmitters," explained the spokesperson for Seznam's radio stations, adding that the change is directly related to the station's strategy. "At the same time, we are working intensively with ČRA to develop nationwide digital broadcasting via the DAB+ network," added Hana Holubová on the future direction.

The EBU welcomes the EU’s Digital Networks Act proposal for modernising telecom markets while preserving key safeguards for public service media, including access, must-carry rules and net neutrality. It cautions against network access fees that could harm media access and regrets the lack of stronger measures to guarantee terrestrial broadcast radio in all vehicles, stressing radio’s critical role in emergencies. It says: "While we are reassured that the proposal preserves digital broadcast radio access in radio receivers of passenger cars, greater ambition is needed to ensure terrestrial broadcast radio presence in all vehicle types (e.g. M, N, L6 and L7) so that it can serve as lifeline for all people in times of crisis."

Viaplay Radio has launched DAB+ in Östergötland and Småland. New DAB+ transmitters have been installed in Motala, Norrköping, Nässjö and Värnamo. The network already covers the three metropolitan areas plus Uppsala and Gävle. ‘This means we now cover a large part of the E4 motorway from Gävle to Ljungby. This is another step in our plan to gradually roll out digital radio broadcasting across the country,’ says Viaplay's radio director Christer Modig. Viaplay Radio's DAB+ network includes Viaplay's FM channels Rix FM, Star FM, Lugna Favoriter and Bandit Rock, the company's digital radio stations Bandit Classic, Disco 54, Hitmix 90's, Rix FM Fresh, Sonic and Power Hit Radio, as well as Skärgårdsradion, Go Country, Dansbandskanalen and Dansbandskanalen Klassiker from other companies.

A broad, cross-party group of MEPs from the EPP, S&D, Renew and the Greens has written to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling for strong safeguards for radio in connected cars in the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA). The letter urges the Commission to ensure that all new cars include radio receivers, that radio services remain easy to find on in-car interfaces, and that a level playing field is preserved between radio and global audio platforms. The initiative was launched by MEP Sunčana Glavak following the AER roundtable “Tune in to Trust: Radio’s Future in the Digital World” she hosted on November 4 2025 at the European Parliament. The Commission is expected to publish its proposal for the DNA on 20 January 2026.