News

In the latest of this year's series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2025, Jens Schroeder, Managing Director, RFmondial, says its DAB modulator / exciter module LV5e is ready for shipping and has been tested with DAB+ transmitters showing equivalent performance compared to other solutions. RFmondial offers professional products and services for the digital broadcasting industry.

Estonia, in Northern Europe, has just officially launched digital radio. The news was broken at Radiodays Asia by WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst. Speaking to James Cridland during an interview in the PodcastDay stream of the conference, Bierhorst said DAB+ radio is now in 67 countries, about one third of the world. There are about 150 million receiver devices in the world and almost all new cars across Europe now come with DAB+ as standard. “It’s not about switching off AM or FM, it is more about how much more you can do with DAB+. You can also save money on transmission and that gives the radio industry better ROI. “DAB+ helps grow income and grow radio,” said Bierhorst. “It allows you to grow at very low cost. You can grow your coverage area and the choice of formats to give your listeners.”

With its audience growing, LA GRANDE MUSIQUE, a new classical music radio station that has been broadcasting in Paris for several months, is expanding its programming schedule with new shows. Sixty years after France Musique and forty years after Radio Classique, the new national classical music radio station LA GRANDE MUSIQUE has finally been broadcasting in Paris and the Île-de-France region since March 2025 on a DAB+ terrestrial frequency, a sign of modernity and listening comfort. LA GRANDE MUSIQUE already has a growing audience across its multiple digital channels, with nearly 110,000 monthly digital listeners. LA GRANDE MUSIQUE, the classical music radio station, is available in most cars with DAB+ in Paris, soon also in Nevers, Niort, Châteauroux and Blois.

With its audience growing, PANAME! the quintessentially Parisian French music radio station is expanding its programming schedule with new shows. Médiamétrie shows the French music station, well known to listeners in the capital, now has 136,000 listeners per week in the Ile-de-France region (a 10.6% increase in one year), with a total audience of 366,000 listeners. The PANAME! brand's recognition, which is also growing steadily, now exceeds 22.5% in the Ile-de-France region, representing a 10.5% increase in one year (source: HDE Médiamétrie April-June 2025). PANAME! the radio station for the greater Paris area dedicated to French songs and beautiful songs with lyrics, is available in most cars with DAB+ in Paris, Rouen, and soon in Nevers as well.

Join WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst in conversation with renowned radio futurologist James Cridland at Radiodays Asia 2025 for an insightful session on how DAB+ is revitalising radio, driving ROI, and expanding the global audio market. Explore how DAB+ enables broadcasters to retain control of their distribution channels and compete on equal terms with global tech platforms for “share of ear.” This session will highlight how DAB+ is empowering radio to thrive in the digital age. Bierhorst will also introduce the latest developments in the DAB+ Automatic Safety Alert (ASA) system - potentially life-saving technology.

On the 1st Smart Audio Day NRW, over 500 guests, primarily employees of local radio stations in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also representatives from media policy and partner companies, came to the German Football Museum in Dortmund today to gain inspiration for their daily work and learn about trends in the audio industry. The last item on the congress agenda ended with a real highlight. NRW Media Minister Nathanael Liminski pressed the ‘red buzzer’ live on stage, starting the countdown to the launch of the new DAB+ station from NRW local radio – Radio Mixtape. The station will begin broadcasting in North Rhine-Westphalia on 29 October 2025 and is a joint project between RADIO NRW and the local radio stations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

In another of this year's series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2025, Luis Grela – TRedess Managing Director, says this year it is bringing some new DAB+ models to complete its portfolio in the lower and upper part of the power range. TRedess is a company specialised in DAB+, DTT and 5G Broadcast Transmitters and Gap Fillers, counting with more than 28,000 transmitting devices operating worldwide in more than 60 countries.

In the latest of this year's series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2025, Carlo Perotta, Sales & Business Development, Aldena, says they will unveil several exciting innovations, including the WOLRD’s first FM+DAB multiband antenna. Aldena is a leading Italian company with over 45 years of experience in the design and manufacturing of professional broadcast antennas and RF systems for broadcast (DAB+, FM, TV) and telecommunication services.

Metropol FM has been broadcasting in Hamburg since 1 September 2025. The radio station, which has seen itself as the voice of Turkish immigrants in Germany for years, is expanding its broadcasting area in response to long-standing demand from the Hanseatic city. The programme is set to be broadcast via DAB+ shortly. Those responsible for the station emphasise that Hamburg plays a strategically important role for Turkish-language media consumption in Germany. The expansion is not only a technical step, but also an expression of a closer connection to the local community. ‘We are delighted to have started broadcasting in Hamburg,’ said a statement from the station's management.

As of today, ROCK FM is available throughout North Rhine-Westphalia via DAB+. The station is aimed at rock fans and promises music from big names such as Led Zeppelin, Metallica, the Rolling Stones and Linkin Park. The station is hosted by Pfeffer and Lange, among others, who are looking forward to an audience that is enthusiastic about classic and modern rock music. The station belongs to Audiotainment Südwest, which is further expanding its reach with the launch in North Rhine-Westphalia. Managing Director Kai Fischer sees this as a strategic step to drive the company's growth and exploit the potential of the North Rhine-Westphalian market.