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A total of 30 new radio stations went on air via the DAB+ platform on 21 June, 15 of which are broadcast throughout Austria, while the other 15 stations are distributed regionally. To this end, the ORS Group, which is responsible for the distribution of the digital radio offering, has expanded the technical reach of the DAB+ network in recent months and created five new coverage areas for the regional programme offering alone. Overall, a diverse mix of completely new but also established FM programmes can now be offered, which will now expand their reach digitally terrestrially and give the Austrian radio industry a significant boost in development.

For two and a half years, Radio VM1 has been offering a relevant niche format for all fans of folk music and popular hits. In addition to regional FM frequencies in Tyrol, Salzburg and Styria, the folk music radio station can now also be heard throughout Austria via DAB+. Folk music, music from the homeland, folk hits, Wienerlied, Oberkrainer & Co mixed with reports and news from the region - Radio VM1 makes the diversity of the country audible. With the Austria-wide start of broadcasting via DAB+, Radio VM1 is one of a total of 28 private radio stations that can be received throughout the country via the new digital broadcasting standard from 21 June 2024. The DAB+ technology scores points with a diverse selection of stations, nationwide network coverage and noise-free transmission without frequency search.

Early on 24 June, just after midnight, Broadcast Partners officially took over the operation of the commercial rural multiplex 11A in Flanders from Norkring. The past few months have seen the construction of a completely new transmitter park with a total of 23 new set-up points spread across Flanders and Brussels. For the public, little will change. The stations that could be received via the 11A network will remain available. From today, the 14 programmes broadcast using this network can be received in cars almost everywhere in Flanders. Despite the radio signals being broadcast by other transmitters, it is expected that the listener will notice little of the change of transmitter operator.

The digital radio landscape in Austria is receiving a significant boost: with the commissioning on 21 June of new DAB+ muxes and 30 new transmitters, the digital radio offering is growing to a total of 58 stations. The National Council has recognised the importance of digital radio and has increased annual digital funding by one million euros. From June 2024, the digital radio offering will continue to grow for the first time since August 2020. 30 new stations will go "on air" on DAB+. These include well-known names such as Radio Arabella and Life Radio. There will also be a wide range of niche programmes. With this largest launch of radio stations since the start of private radio in Austria in 1998, DAB+ offers an unprecedented variety of stations and programmes.

Austrian Federal President van der Bellen pressed the start button of Radio ROT WEISS ROT on 21 June at 12:00 noon, thus launching the most Austrian DAB+ station on the radio market. ROT WEISS ROT is soon to become the regulars' table of the local radio scene. True to the motto "Da bin I her, da hear (hör) I hin", the station is a tribute to the country's artists. "I am delighted to be able to officially launch the new digital radio station Radio ROT WEISS ROT," says a delighted Alexander van der Bellen. Attending the start of the broadcast was a great pleasure for our Federal President and a huge honour for everyone involved. Together with this year's ESC candidate Kaleen and singer Josh, he launched the red, white and red radio station and presented the first song - which was, how could it be otherwise, Reinhard Fendrich's "I am from Austria".

FM licences for commercial radio will no longer be sold to the highest bidder. Instead, a new fee equivalent to 3 per cent of advertising revenue will be introduced. This is proposed in a memo from the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture also proposes that analogue FM licences should in future be allocated according to the same principles as digital DAB+ licences. This means that the Media Authority will take into account "diversity in terms of both content and ownership", as well as previous experience of radio operations in the relevant broadcasting area or radio market. The current licences for commercial radio on FM and DAB+ are valid until the end of 2026. The Ministry of Culture's proposal has now been sent out for consultation, which runs until 11 October.

European Music Day is a very special year for Radio Clásica, as it starts broadcasting on DAB+ in ten Spanish cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Pamplona, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Málaga. This represents more than 30% population coverage. DAB+ makes it possible to start listening to Radio Clásica's programming with very high audio quality, which is of paramount importance due to the type of musical works that are broadcast. Once deployed nationwide, DAB+ will enable Radio Televisión Española to provide public service radio broadcasting under the terms currently mandated by law. It will provide maximum geographical and social coverage with better quality, free-to-air broadcasts, complementary information and free reception.

Austria's most successful furniture retailer launches its own radio station from 21 June 2024. XXXLutz - The radio will be available on DAB+ throughout Austria. The new XXXLutz radio station will be available on all digital playout channels (DAB radios, smartphones, tablets, etc.) at home and on the move. There will also be a dedicated app as well as various social media appearances and a website. "XXXLutz - Das Radio will be a feel-good format focussing on joie de vivre, entertainment, trends and lots of cool sounds. We are thus taking another innovative step and want to give Austrians a great attitude to life, especially within their own four walls," says XXXLutz company spokesperson Thomas Saliger.

Six billion euros in group turnover, 27,000 employees, locations in 13 EU countries: The XXXLutz Group is the furniture retailer with the highest turnover in Austria and is the fifth largest furniture retailer worldwide (Statista 2024). Now the company is taking a completely new approach: from June, the company's own DAB+ radio programme will go on air. "XXXLutz's DAB+ radio programme has nothing to do with a store radio station," said Thomas Saliger, Group spokesman for the furniture giant. "When the new licences were put out to tender, it was clear from the outset that if we were going to operate a radio station, we really wanted to take it seriously. We don't want to broadcast Lutz trailers 24 hours a day and celebrate the Putz family, but if we do, then we want to focus intensively on a product that customers should listen to and love."

Among the 28 radios that will be launched in Austria via DAB+ on 21 June is a well-known name from the Austrian media landscape. Oberösterreichische Nachrichten is expanding its portfolio to include the radio station "OÖNow". For Managing Director Gino Cuturi, this is a logical step: "We started a long time ago to focus on the topic of online in addition to print. This also includes moving images and therefore sound, and we are continuing this with the new station." In addition to content formats, they also want to offer a wide range of music, whereby they want to be more in-depth than others. The target group is primarily Upper Austrians, even if the radio can be received nationwide. In terms of content, the aim is to continue topics that are also discussed in the daily newspaper.