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Radio MK's Editor-in-chief Holger Jahnke is particularly pleased that his station will soon be able to be heard via DAB+. In order to achieve this goal, the Iserlohn-based station has applied to the State Media Authority for a place on the DAB multiplex. The award procedure is currently underway. If the state media authority in Düsseldorf gives the green light, Radio MK will no longer only be heard on FM in the Märkischer Kreis in future, but also via DAB+ in the entire South Westphalia region, extending beyond Dortmund and into the Ruhr region. "That would be great for commuters in particular. They could then commute to Siegen, Unna, Soest, Hagen or Dortmund, for example, without having to do without their home station on the car radio," says Jahnke about the benefits of the new digital reception technology.

Juan San Ildefonso, director and presenter of the programme "Amigos de la Onda Corta", on Radio Exterior de España, speaks to the journalist, consultant and trainer Gorka Zumeta. "Radio has to decide what it wants to be when it grows up", says Zumeta in reference to the two paths that are currently being considered to guarantee the future sustainability of the medium: the traditional broadcast channel, broadcasting via radio waves, and the digital content distribution channel represented by the Internet. "RNE is leading a process of implementation of DAB+, although it recognises the delay that has been incurred, but its current commitment is absolutely determined, just as it also led, in the 1960s, the arrival of FM in our country," recalls Zumeta.

DAB+, the radio standard of today and the digital successor to FM, will continue to be the most important driver of the digitalisation of radio broadcasting in 2024. Listeners benefit from the continuously growing variety of DAB+ programmes: well over 300 radio stations are available via DAB+ in different regions; over 100 of these are broadcast exclusively digitally. National programme offering: The second platform, the second national multiplex, has been on air since 5 October 2020. Thanks to the commissioning of nine additional transmitter sites, around 59 million people in Germany can now receive the programmes at home. This corresponds to over 70 per cent of the population. The area coverage for mobile reception increases to 82 per cent and supplies more than 73 million people on the move. Along the motorways, mobile reception is then at over 92% with over 11,000 kilometres.

Australian commercial radio continues to experience sustained year-on-year (YOY) growth, according to GfK Survey 4 2024, with 12.4 million listeners tuning in for an average of 12 hours and 47 minutes each week. In-car listeners grew by 5.1% year-on-year, reaching 10.2 million listeners. Over 82% of radio listeners tune in while driving, accounting for 34.9% of all commercial radio listening. “As digital platforms evolve, so does radio's ability to reach audiences. Whether through streaming or traditional broadcasts, radio's adaptability meets diverse listener needs," said Jo Dick, CRA Chief Commercial Officer. Listeners to Commercial DAB+ only stations showed increased engagement, with Time Spent Listening (TSL) extending to 6 hours and 8 minutes. Mornings have experienced a significant lift, with nearly 7% more listeners and TSL extending by 13 minutes year-on-year.

From test broadcasts on a satellite position 'remote' for the Netherlands at 1 degree west to nationwide coverage on airwaves via FM and DAB+. In 18 years, initiator Herbert Visser's radio station has made a lot of radio history. 100%NL has had innovation as an important point in its strategic plan in recent years. For example, the radio station was the first national commercial radio station to increase the bandwidth of the main station and thus improve the sound quality for listeners. The future looks good for 100%NL. Since September, the radio station has been in possession of a new broadcasting license, which allows it to continue broadcasting on FM and DAB+ until mid-2035.

DAB+ digital radio broadcasting has better coverage in Spiš from today. Towercom officially launched another new transmitter this month, namely Rudnik, located near the Branisko tunnel. The launch took place a few days after receiving the licence. On the basis of the issued licence, the transmitter distributes on channel 5C with a maximum permitted power of 1 kW in vertical polarization. The licence is valid until 31 December 2024. This is the third DAB+ transmitter that has been launched this month. First it was Ruzomberok - Úložisko (8A/195,936 Mhz) and then also Poprad - Hranovnica (9A/202,928 Mhz).

European medium-wave transmitters are going silent. On April 1, the BBC shut down the nine transmitters that had previously brought BBC Radio 4 in AM to the whole country. Since January 2018, the British public broadcaster has started to switch off the AM transmitters for its local stations. Looking ahead, it plans to abandon the band totally by 2027 at the latest. This trend goes beyond the BBC. In the last years, British commercial broadcasters have also switched off AM transmitters. In the case of Bauer Media, not a single AM transmitter remains operational. Over the last 15 years, many other countries disconnected their last AM transmitters — Austria (in 2008), Switzerland (2010), Ireland (2012), Germany (2015), Belarus (2016), Albania (2017) and Belgium (2018), to name a few. More than 20 European countries have ceased AM transmission. Across the continent, less than 100 AM services remain active.

MCB Radio can now be listened to via DAB+ digital radio in parts of North Holland. The radio station could already be listened to via medium wave and Internet for some time. MCB (Music Central Better) Radio has been broadcasting via medium wave in large parts of South Holland and North Holland since May 2019. Recently, the radio station from Alphen aan den Rijn can also be listened to via DAB+. In the head of North Holland, the radio station can be heard via channel 8A. In the Zandvoort/Haarlem region, you can also listen to a new radio station via DAB+. Recently, radio station NORA (Nonstop Radio) FM can be heard on channel 6A.

DB Media today began testing Dansbandskanalen Klassiker on Viaplay Radio's DAB+ network in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, Uppsala and Gävle. The positioning is "With dance band classics from the 70s, 80s and 90s"."The content of the channel will first and foremost be dance band music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. We see that listening to our channel Dansbandskanalen, which was launched back in 2002, continues to rise every day," Daniel Bengtzzon, CEO of DB Media, previously told Radionytt. DB Media was granted the licence for Dansbandskanalen Klassiker in autumn 2023. DB Media's Dansbandskanalen nationally and Guldkanalen regionally in Skåne are already available on Viaplay's network.

Nine has today confirmed a sub-licensing agreement that will allow the ABC Local Radio network to broadcast the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to listeners on 891 ABC Adelaide, 105.7 ABC Darwin, 936 ABC Hobart, 666 ABC Canberra and DAB+ channels in those markets, as well as local ABC radio stations across regional, rural and remote Australia. The deal between Nine and the ABC will extend the radio coverage (AM/FM and DAB+) of the Olympic Games to ensure every Australian can access live broadcasts of our most loved athletes competing on the world stage, and help unite the country around these spectacular sporting moments.