Newsroom

23.09.2026

Croatia

From political and economic pressures on journalism to technology that could change the way radio is consumed, the program of Weekend.19 will connect several topics that show how stories are produced, distributed and preserved in today’s media and popular culture. Another part of the program will focus on the future of radio, which marked one hundred years of existence this year. The panel Say DAB for the Next 100 will bring together Jacqueline Bierhorst, President of WorldDAB, Zoran Šprajc, editor and host of the program Stanje nacije on RTL Television, musician Neda Ukraden and Dimitrije Trbović, Member of the Management Board of the Zubak Group.

23.09.2026

RTÜK WorldDAB Member

Türkiye

A delegation from the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) took part in the WorldDAB session held as part of the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) 2026, which took place in Amsterdam and brought together the world’s leading broadcasting and media technologies. During the session titled “Broadcast Radio’s Moment: Resilient, Relevant, Irreplaceable”, Selahattin Başar Allıoğlu, a Supreme Council Expert at the Directorate General for Licences and Allocations, delivered a presentation entitled “Turkey: An Emerging DAB+ Market”. During the presentation, assessments regarding the future of digital terrestrial radio, based on the ongoing DAB+ trial broadcasts in Turkey, were shared with international industry representatives.

23.09.2026

Norway

Radio 3 focuses on well-known music from the late 1960s to the present day – but with a wider range than listeners usually encounter on the radio. This week saw the launch of a new DAB station, Radio 3, which covers large parts of Eastern Norway via Riksblokk II. Behind Radio 3 are Frode Jacobsen and Lars Corleone Østli. Both have a background at stations such as Radio Fredrikstad and Radio 3, Sarpsborg. “We know there is a large audience in Eastern Norway who still love radio as a medium. We want to give them a station with more music, greater variety and more of the songs they may not have heard on the radio for a long time,” says Østli.

23.09.2026

Italy

The partnership between AS Roma and Q8 has gone from strength to strength with the creation of a new and ambitious editorial project for the 2026/27 season. Q8 Radio will broadcast exclusively AS Roma’s league and Coppa Italia matches, bringing life to the narrative surrounding the match and its protagonists. The pre- and post-match broadcasts and radio commentary will be available exclusively in the region of Lazio through DAB+ technology, offering fans a dedicated place to listen and experience all the excitement surrounding the Giallorossi matchday. “This is truly one of the most innovative partnerships in the world of football today,” declared Michael Gandler, AS Roma Chief Business Officer.

22.09.2026

Italy

Aeranti-Corallo has asked the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Senator Adolfo Urso, to extend – as part of the 2027 Budget Bill – the exemption from the payment of administrative fees and contributions for the use of the radio spectrum owed by DAB+ network operators for a further five years. The current exemption, provided for in Article 50 of the Consolidated Law on Audiovisual and Radio Media Services, was introduced to support the launch phase of digital terrestrial radio broadcasting.

22.09.2026

Radio France WorldDAB Member, Ensemble pour le DAB+ WorldDAB Member

France

Radio is not an option. L’Alliance de la Radio, Radio France and community radio stations are calling on the Government to guarantee French drivers access to terrestrial radio. When it comes to access to the medium, private and public radio stations share the same demand. Whilst several manufacturers now sell vehicles without FM and DAB+ receivers, or offer radio as a paid option, the entire radio sector is calling on the Government to guarantee direct and free access to terrestrial radio (FM and DAB+) in vehicles.

21.09.2026

WorldDAB returned to IBC in Amsterdam this month with its biggest conference session yet, packing Room E102 for “Broadcast radio’s moment: resilient, relevant, irreplaceable.” Co-produced with Broadcast Networks Europe (BNE), the session drew a full house of broadcasters, regulators and members from across the DAB+ ecosystem – proof, if any were needed, that broadcast radio’s place in the connected media landscape is a live and pressing conversation.

18.09.2026

At IBC2026, WorldDAB and Broadcast Networks Europe called for the proposed Digital Networks Act to mandate terrestrial radio in all new vehicles. Annex V currently requires any radio receiver integrated into a new category M passenger vehicle to receive digital terrestrial radio. It does not require a fitted radio receiver. “This is not about protecting the technology for the sake of protection. It is about protecting access,” said WorldDAB president Jacqueline Bierhorst. Vincent Sneed, EBU senior EU policy adviser, clarified, “We want to go from if there is a broadcast reception in the car to there must be a broadcast reception in the car.” The campaign also seeks to cover category N commercial vehicles and L6/L7 minicars. Sneed expects the earliest final EU agreement at the end of 2027.

18.09.2026

Radio continues to play a prominent role in cars, but the rise of new digital architectures in vehicles has necessitated a more coordinated approach from the sector to preserve direct access to broadcast content. This was one of the key points raised at the forum ‘Broadcast radio’s moment: resilient, relevant, irreplaceable’, held this Sunday (13th) during IBC2026 in Amsterdam. Data presented during the event reinforced the importance of in-car radio, whilst industry representatives outlined regulatory initiatives, public policies and DAB+ applications aimed at ensuring the continuity and evolution of this presence.

18.09.2026

Slovakia

Slovakia is moving towards digital radio broadcasting. The government has already launched a public consultation and is preparing two nationwide networks that could bring a significantly wider range of stations. After years of testing digital radio, Slovakia is reaching a crucial juncture. A month ago, the regulatory authority launched a public consultation on the forthcoming tender for DAB+ frequencies. It ends this Monday. The aim is to move from the current trial phase to regular digital broadcasting with clear rules and long-term licences.