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Croatia

Last update: 18.07.2023 - older versions

Test broadcasting of DAB+ digital radio in Croatia started in November 2017. The Electronic Media Council chose 16 existing FM broadcasters to broadcast via DAB+. The radio stations chosen were: Radio 808, Radio Kaj, Sjeverni FM, Radio Koprivnica, Radio Istra, Antena Radio, Radio Zabok, Narodni radio, Radio Dalmacija , GOLD FM, Radio Banovina, Enter Zagreb, Trend Radio, Radio Martin, Soundset Trsat and Radio 10.

In November 2019, network operator OIV and collaborating regulatory agencies decided to continue the ongoing DAB+ trial for a third year. Some existing services were switched, and public broadcaster HRT joined the trial. It was also decided also at that time to extend the network from five to eight sites.

After conducting a public tender, the Croatian regulatory body HAKOM issued a licence for the management of a DAB+ digital radio network to network operator OiV. The licence was issued for the period 16 November 2021 - 31 December 2036.

In February 2022, The Council for Electronic Media (VEM) awarded the first licences for DAB+ digital radio in Croatia. The national licence was awarded to Nacional News Corporation and the licences for northwestern Croatia and the City of Zagreb to Radio Tvornica and My Power Station. A call for further expressions of interest in providing DAB services was published in April 2022.

In March 2023, in the Official Gazette number 26/2023, the Notice on the intention to grant a licence for the provision of digital radio media service (DAB+) number 01/23 was published, for the following concession areas:

MUX 1 (Republic of Croatia)
DA0 (Osijek-Baranja, Vukovar-Srijem, Brodskoposavska, Virovitica-Podravska, Požega-Slavonia, part of Bjelovar-Bilogorska, part of Sisak-Moslavina)
DB0-DC0 (Međimurje, Varaždin, Koprivnica-Križevačka, part of Bjelovar-Bilogorska, Krapina-Zagorska, City of Zagreb, Zagrebačka, part of Sisak-Moslavina, Karlovačka, part of Primorsko-Goranska)
DE0 (part of Lika-Senjska, Zadarska, Šibenik-Kninska)
DF0 (Split-Dalmatia, part of Dubrovnik-Neretva)

Further DAB+ licences continue to be offered and awarded by the regulator.

Last update: 04.09.2023 - older versions

In November 2022, the national network (DAB mux 1) was expanded to 27 sites with portable indoor coverage of 61.1% of the population, 97.1% mobile outdoor coverage, and 93% for highways. Regional programmes have mobile outdoor coverage of more than 90% of the population of each region.

Last update: 17.07.2023 - older versions

In this country there is

National multiplex: 1 Regular

on air.

The multiplex can carry national or regional programmes. Ensemble ID-s that are being used are CA01 to CA06 corresponding to number of DAB+ digital regions (various ensembles contain either only programmes that are broadcast nationwide (HRT1, HR2, Radio Nacional, Extra, Happy) or additionally programmes that are broadcast in particular regions only (Radio Tvornica in ensemble CA02)).

Please note:

(a) These web pages are updated regularly to reflect current services on air, however they may not be exactly up to date.

(b) The logos shown on these pages are for illustrative purposes only – manufacturers and broadcasters are directed here for information on implementing station logos.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB+ programmes	3	9	12

Last update: 18.07.2023

In cooperation with the Croatian Vehicle Center, network operator OIV conducted surveys on the number of DAB+ receivers in vehicles manufactured from 2014 to 2022.

The last survey had a sample of 22,000 vehicles and showed a result of 39% of vehicles were equipped with a DAB+ receiver. Based on that research and later data on newly registered vehicles. the estimation is that over 300,000 cars with DAB+ receivers are present on Croatian roads as of mid-2023.

Last update: 20.10.2021 - older versions

After conducting a public tender, the Croatian regulatory body HAKOM issued a licence for the management of a DAB+ digital radio network to OiV. The licence was issued for the period 16 November 2021 - 31 December 2036.

Last update: 18.07.2023

In November and December 2022. network operator OIV has conducted a marketing campaign that involved Out-of-home advertising, web advertising and radio spots on FM stations.

Out-of-home advertising examples:

Two new radio stations launch on Croatian DAB+

06.07.2023 - Croatia

Before the main summer season, two new radio stations started broadcasting in the Croatian digital radio multiplex (DAB+). According to our observations, the new stations are the commercial radio stations Extra and Happy, which mainly feature local artists in their broadcasts. Both are distributed in the AAC-LC codec and with a bitrate of 96 kbit/s . An additional Slideshow service is also available, thanks to which listeners can see the stations' logos on their radio screens.

(SatelitnáTV.sk) Read more

Frequency agreement signed for the expansion of DAB+ digital radio in eastern Europe

30.06.2023 - Austria - Hungary - Slovenia - Bosnia and Herzegovina - Croatia - Serbia - Romania

On 12 and 13 June, the final meeting of a working group of media regulatory and frequency planning institutions from seven countries in eastern Europe took place at the Hungarian media regulatory authority NMHH in Budapest with the ceremonial signing of an agreement on the use of DAB+ frequencies in the joint frequency planning area. Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Romania participated in the working group. The working agreement now concluded enables the administrations to tender for new or additional DAB+ multiplex coverage by agreeing on technical reference parameters for future DAB+ transmitter stations.

(RTR) Read more

Croatia advertises DAB+ licences

07.06.2023 - Agency for Electronic Media of Croatia WorldDAB Member - Croatia

The Notice of the intention to grant a licence for the provision of DAB+ digital radio media services, number 05/23, has been published in the Official Gazette number 58/2023. There are five licences advertised: one national multiplex to broadcast three channels, and four regional, each carrying between six and eight channels. The deadline for submitting bids is 30 June 2023, with the licences awarded for 20-year terms.

(Agencija za elektroničke medije (AEM)) Read more

Croatians get DAB+ in the road tunnel

05.06.2023 - Croatia

Croatian operator OIV covered the Učka road tunnel, which crosses the Učka mountain range and connects the Istria peninsula and the Croatian coast, with the signal of the first DAB+ digital radio broadcast (OIV Croatia DAB+) in May 2023. Work on this project started in the middle of last year and the implementation of the equipment and the first technical tests took place in January 2023.

(SatelitnáTV.sk) Read more

Listen to digital radio in the Učka tunnel

09.05.2023 - OIV WorldDAB Member - Croatia

As of this month, digital radio is available in the Učka tunnel, where the pilot project of DAB+ broadcasting in road tunnels was launched. The activities of testing and implementation of the equipment started in January 2023, with the ultimate goal of quality coverage of the existing pipe of that tunnel with a DAB+ MUX 1 signal.

(OIV) Read more

Radio renaissance in Croatia: 'Digital radio would bring 85 percent energy savings'

01.12.2022 - Agency for Electronic Media of Croatia WorldDAB Member - Croatia

Experts explain the new possibilities for Croatian broadcasters and listeners brought by broadcasting through a digital platform that was put into commercial operation a year ago. At the end of last year, the test transmission of the DAB + platform was completed in Croatia, which operates as a medium that, due to its nature, still has a strong role in the public, offering a number of new possibilities. We talked about the possibilities of DAB+ for broadcasters and listeners, digital signal coverage of our country and how DAB+ fits into the green European agenda, with Damir Bučević, member of the Council of the Agency for Electronic Media, Danijelo Vidaković, head of the RF spectrum management department of HAKOM and Bruno Cigrovski, head of the Department for Radio Networks, Transmitters and Communications.

(Poslovni dnevnik) Read more

Mate Botica: "There are unlimited resources for digital radio and it may happen that FM begins to die"

07.08.2022 - OIV WorldDAB Member - Croatia

On the occasion of the launch of digital radio Nacional, the President of the Board of OIV (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.), Mate Botica, talks about DAB+ technology and how much it can change the media image of Croatia in the near future. "90.3 percent of the population of Croatia is currently covered by the DAB+ signal. All major cities are covered. The highways are covered by 76 percent, and after November 15, this will also improve because we will insert new transmitters into the network."

(Nacional) Read more

Radio Nacional: Croatia's first private national DAB+ radio

26.07.2022 - Croatia

From next Tuesday, August 2, Radio Nacional will start broadcasting on DAB+ and through the website of the weekly magazine Nacional. The new radio on the Croatian radio market has already assembled a core team of experienced radio presenters and technicians, who are best known to the public for their outstanding radio involvement from the time of the greatest popularity and influence of Zagreb Radio 101. Radio Nacional is the first private and commercial radio in the country with national DAB+ capacity.

(Nacional) Read more

Paneda signs DAB systems frame agreement with the Croatian network operator OIV

10.03.2022 - Paneda WorldDAB Member - OIV WorldDAB Member - Croatia

OIV, (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.) the Croatian network provider of national strategic communications infrastructure, and Paneda have signed a long-term agreement for the rollout of DAB+ in Croatia.

(Paneda) Read more

First DAB+ concessions awarded in Croatia

09.02.2022 - Croatia

The Council for Electronic Media (VEM) has awarded the first concessions for DAB+ digital radio in Croatia. The national concession was awarded to Nacional News Corporation and the concessions for northwestern Croatia and the City of Zagreb to Radio Tvornica and My Power Station. Nacional News Corporation is one of the most influential political weeklies in Croatia and they have six months from signing the contract to start broadcasting.

(Direktno.hr) Read more