News

After a lengthy period without digital broadcasting, Rundfunk-Kombinat Sachsen will return to the statewide DAB+ platform on 31 March 2026. This officially marks the end of the period of technical restrictions during which the programme could only be broadcast via alternative channels. The comeback will be celebrated with a special day of programming that once again highlights the diversity of the project’s content. The programme is designed by and for people in Saxony and aims to give a voice to those who are often overlooked in the commercially driven media landscape. The relaunch on DAB+ is a crucial step for the team behind the station to secure a statewide presence and permanently establish non-commercial broadcasting even outside the major urban centres.

The Halifax DAB multiplex has launched, offering a greater choice of listening for audiences across the region. Stations now broadcasting on the multiplex include Sunrise Radio – already on air across Calderdale on 100.6 FM, Sunrise Radio Gold, Phoenix Radio – the Halifax-based community statio, also available on 96.7 FM and Culture City Radio. Director Raj Parmar said: “This launch represents a major step forward for local radio in Calderdale. By bringing together a mix of established broadcasters and new digital services, we are proud to offer listeners more choice than ever before, while supporting community-focused and culturally diverse programming.”

Spain's National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has published a report containing recommendations to strengthen the efficiency and resilience of the Spanish electricity system, based on the conclusions drawn from the investigation into the incident that occurred on 28 April 2025. The report includes recommendations for other sectors affected by their reliance on the electricity supply. In the telecommunications and audiovisual sectors, there is a call to strengthen coordination with electricity planning, including promoting the roll-out of DAB+ and automatic safety alerts. "The widespread roll-out of DAB+ and subsequently its alert system is an essential recommendation in light of the incident of 28 April 2025," the report says.

The commercial radio stations Tukker FM and Sunrise FM have expanded their DAB+ coverage. As of 18 March, Tukker FM can once again be heard in the provinces of South Holland and Zeeland via digital radio. The station can be listened to on channel 5B. Sunrise FM can also be heard in North Holland and Flevoland via DAB+ on channel 8B. The radio station uses the digital capacity of radio station VIBE. VIBE has ceased broadcasting via channel 8B but can still be listened to via the MTVNL DAB+ network, which is available in parts of the Netherlands via channel 7D.

The commercial radio station Radio Suc6 can now also be listened to via DAB+ in the South-West Brabant region. The company behind Radio Suc6 has obtained licences from the National Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) to broadcast via three local DAB+ networks in the South-West Brabant region. As a result, the radio station can now be heard in the areas around Tilburg, Breda, Roosendaal, Bergen op Zoom, Etten-Leur and Waalwijk via DAB+ channels 8A, 8B and 8C. Radio Suc6 is giving away DAB+ radios to (new) enthusiastic listeners to celebrate the fact that the station can now be received digitally.

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has welcomed the GfK Survey 1, 2026 results. The industry reaches 12.7 million Australians weekly - sustaining the consistent audience performance that has defined the medium since mid-2022 through a global pandemic, platform fragmentation and an increasingly competitive media landscape. Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA said: "The commercial radio industry is entering an exciting new chapter - one defined by a level of industry collaboration for the benefit of audiences and advertisers alike. Our members are reaching audiences across AM, FM, DAB+, streaming and podcasting, and the investment in platforms like CRA Audio ID and RadioApp means we are delivering the precision, transparency and scale that advertisers require."

Norddeutscher Rundfunk is continuing with its FM switch-offs in Schleswig-Holstein. This time, listeners on the North Sea island of Heligoland are affected. The following stations are due to be switched off at the Heligoland site on 8 April: N-Joy – 91.5 MHz; NDR Info – 92.5 MHz; NDR Kultur – 97.0 MHz All NDR programmes can be received via DAB+ on channel 11B. The transmitter on Heligoland has a radiated power of 400 watts. In addition to the programmes familiar from the FM band, NDR Blue, NDR Info Spezial and NDR Schlager also broadcast digitally.

New local programmes will return to the airwaves in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset when Nation Radio begins broadcasting on 30 March. The station has confirmed a line-up of presenters with strong connections to commercial radio in the South West, many previously heard on Pirate FM before its closure. Nation Radio Somerset is already broadcasting on DAB across Somerset and will introduce a full programme schedule from launch day. Nation Radio Devon and Nation Radio Cornwall will both begin broadcasting on Monday 30th March on DAB+ multiplexes covering Devon, Plymouth and Cornwall.

Communities across the UK will benefit as the government backs high quality and trustworthy local journalism with a new local media action plan. Speaking at the Society of Editors Future of News Conference on 17 March, the Culture Secretary will back the essential role of local media in communities all over the UK. Funding for community radio stations will be doubled to £1 million per year (compared with 2024/25) over the next three years, helping to support the long-term sustainability of nearly 400 community radio stations and to encourage the sector’s development in underserved areas. Grants are available for Ofcom-licensed community radio stations in the UK, including those broadcasting via a Community Digital Sound Programme licence on a digital radio multiplex.

In the latest issue of the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) Tech-i magazine, Jacqueline Bierhorst, Chair of WorldDAB, discusses recent developments in digital radio. From roll-outs across Europe and trials in new markets to regulatory challenges in the automotive sector, the article provides an overview of the global development of DAB+. According to Jacqueline Bierhorst, 2025 was a year of progress for DAB+ digital radio in several countries. In Europe, Estonia launched digital radio in September and Luxembourg put 11 DAB+ stations on air in December. In Turkey, DAB+ services are now being broadcast from the Çamlıca tower, and 30 additional towers have been announced to extend coverage. In Greece, the public broadcaster ERT is gradually rolling out DAB+ from Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras.