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Last update: 19.07.2024 - older versions

Radio Nacional de España begins DAB+ broadcasts

Coinciding with the celebration of World Radio Day and the centenary year of radio in Spain, Radio Nacional de España has started digital radio broadcasts in DAB+ together with Cellnex Telecom on 13 February 2024, with the firm intention of deploying this digital radio standard in our country, which is set to replace FM in the long term.

You can listen to the following broadcasts on DAB+:

- Radio Nacional and Radio 5 in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

- Radio 3 in Valencia, Seville, Murcia and Bilbao.

These broadcasts are in addition to the existing DAB broadcasts of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3, Radio 5 and Radio Exterior in Madrid and Barcelona.

On a monthly basis, RNE's offer on DAB+ and the coverage of the service will be progressively increased, starting broadcasts in other Spanish cities.

On 19 March 2024, Radio Nacional, Radio 3 and Radio 5 launched on DAB+ in the metropolitan area of Santiago de Compostela. On 18 April 2024, DAB+ broadcasts launched in Pamplona; on 17 May 2024, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife; on 18 June 2024, in Mijas, covering Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola; and on 18 July 2024, broadcasts started in Mallorca, from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre in Alfàbia.

Once deployed throughout Spain, DAB+ will allow Radio Televisión Española to provide the public radio broadcasting service in the terms currently entrusted to it by law, providing maximum geographical and social coverage, with the best quality and additional services specific to DAB+ and with free-to-air broadcasts and free reception.

Regional DAB+

In January 2020, the regional government in Navarra advertised capacity for six DAB services on a future ensemble for the region, designated FU-Nav. Simultaneously, the regional government advertised a total of 72 DAB licences across 12 ensembles, each of which will have local coverage.

In Mallorca, a multiplex licensed by the Autonomous Government of the Balearic Islands began broadcasting in February 2024, broadcasting four stations from the Serra de Alfabia.

In July 2024, The Govern de les Illes Balears will implement, through DAB+ technology, IB3's digital radio in the first quarter of 2025. The Balearic Islands becomes the first Autonomous Community in which all three radio coverage (local, regional and national) will be offered in DAB+.

Last update: 18.04.2024 - older versions

RNE DAB+ services are on air in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Murcia, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela and Pamplona.

These broadcasts join the existing ones on DAB in Madrid and Barcelona.

RNE will increase monthly its content offer and coverage on DAB+ until the end of 2024.

RNE coverage: > 30% population

Rest of national stations: 20% population

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In this country there are

National multiplexes: 3 Regular

on air.

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.

A total of 18 DAB and 4 DAB+ legal audio services are on air, but enhanced features as text, images or programme guides are not available.

	Simulcast on AM / FM	Exclusive on digital	Total of services
DAB programmes	17	2	19
DAB+ programmes	3	0	3
Total	20	2	22

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

In Spain, 98% of new cars sold in 2023 have DAB+ as standard (Source: JATO Dynamics 2023).

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

Almost a 5% of digital radio receivers sold in retailers includes DAB/DAB+ receiver, although no DAB/DAB+ national promotion has been carried out.

It is estimated that nearly 3 million cars already have a DAB/DAB+ receiver in Spain.

Last update: 21.10.2019 - older versions

Spanish Broadcaster Radio Maria (http://www.radiomaria.es/) started DAB+ test transmissions in Madrid and Barcelona on 2014 December 30th.

This is the first time DAB+ has been used for radio broadcasting in Spain. This DAB/DAB+ network is operated by the Broadcast Network Operator Cellnex Telecom.

Last update: 04.03.2024 - older versions

National station licenses are issued by the central government, while local and regional licenses are the responsibility of the regional government. Licenses are valid for 15 years with an automatic renewal for a further 15 years. Advertising and sponsorship are permitted under the same rules which exist for analogue radio, and data is permitted on up to 20% of multiplex capacity.

Digital Audio Broadcasting is allowed by law in Band III.

There are three layers of services set out by law:

National, with 1 SFN multiplex and 2 MFN multiplexes
Regional (Comunidad Autónoma basis), with 1/3 SFN multiplex (nowadays without transmissions) and 2/3 MFN multiplex (not implemented)
Local, with 237 areas covered by different frequency blocks in Band III

Nowadays, due to the entry into force of the Digitalization Plan for Terrestrial Broadcasting, DAB services are on air only to cover a 20% of the Spanish population (Madrid and Barcelona including their metropolitan areas). It is the minimum population coverage required by the current National Technical Plan for Digital Audio Broadcasting.

RNE is providing DAB+ services covering a percentage of the population above that minimum.

Juande Mellado, new FORTA president

15.01.2025 - Spain

The Federation of Autonomous Radio and Television Organisations (FORTA) has appointed Juande Mellado, director general of Radio and Television of Andalusia (Canal SUR - RTVA), as its new president. Mellado, who already led FORTA in the first half of 2020, has pointed out the digital transformation of regional radio and television stations as a key axis of its management. According to Mellado, this will allow regional television and radio stations to compete in a constantly evolving audiovisual market, marked by a growing consumption of on-demand content and new players in the sector. The arrival of Juande Mellado as president of FORTA coincides in time with the announcement of an agreement between this regional body and RTVE to jointly promote the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Radio, in DAB+ standard, and to fight against piracy.

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

FORTA and RTVE sign agreement boosting digital radio in Spain

13.01.2025 - Top story - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

FORTA [Federación de Organismos de Radio y Televisión Autonómicos / the Federation of Regional Organisations of Radio and Television] - and RTVE have signed an agreement to promote the implementation of digital radio in Spain within the framework of collaboration established between the two entities, known as the ‘Compostela Agreement’. National and regional public radio want to remain competitive in the digital environment, providing a better service to citizens on the basis of a long-term service provision that can guarantee the future of radio as a media. The members of FORTA and RTVE assume a dynamic role as a meeting point that should serve to foster consensus with all the agents involved and promote the necessary actions to develop digital radio in Spain.

(RTVE) Read more

RNE starts DAB+ broadcasts in Zaragoza

13.01.2025 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

In accordance with its commitment to increase the coverage of the service, RNE has begun broadcasting in DAB+ from Cellnex's broadcasting centre in Cerro de La Muela, from where it provides coverage to the metropolitan area of Zaragoza. In this way, Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 become the first radio stations in Aragón to legally broadcast in DAB+. With this, it is now possible to listen to RNE's broadcasts in DAB+ from 13 broadcasting centres in the standard that is set to become the long-term replacement for FM in Europe. It is estimated that there are currently more than 3.8 million cars with DAB and DAB+ reception in Spain.

(RTVE) Read more

Almost four million cars in Spain have DAB+

09.01.2025 - Spain

The Spanish Association of Car and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac) has published its data on car and SUV registrations in Spain, certifying that for the first time since the pandemic, the figure of one million cars has been exceeded, representing a growth of 7.1 percent over the previous year. This year's figure, added to the registrations of previous years since 2021, the full year in which the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) came into force, which established the EU's commitment to the DAB/DAB+ standard for Digital Terrestrial Radio and the obligation for all vehicles marketed in Europe to incorporate receivers to pick up these radio signals, means that the number of registrations since then has reached 3,639,097 cars, which are fitted with FM/DAB/DAB+ radio receivers (OM not in all cases).

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

Listen: "In less than three: ASA, the DAB+ Automatic Security Alert system"

12.12.2024 - Spain

Much has been said these days about the role of radio in natural disasters. However, little or nothing has been said about the life-saving safety alerts that can be automatically broadcast to the public via DAB+ radio. Today we talk about the system behind these safety alerts, known as ASA (Automatic Safety Alert).

(RNE Audio) Read more

RTVE hosts WorldDAB Steering Board meeting

04.12.2024 -

- RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

2024 is the year of the launch of DAB+ digital radio in Spain. As part of its public service mission, RTVE launched DAB+ broadcasts last February, coinciding with World Radio Day, in the year in which Spanish radio celebrates the centenary of the start of regular broadcasts. For this reason, RTVE has hosted this Wednesday the meeting of the Steering Board of WorldDAB, the worldwide association that promotes the adoption of digital radio in DAB+ and of which the Corporation is a member. So far this year, RTVE has started DAB+ broadcasts from 13 broadcasting centres, which means that it is now possible to listen to digital radio broadcasts from Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5.

(RTVE) Read more

The initiative ‘RNE para todos’, winner of the Contigo Award in the category of ‘Media in action’.

30.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

RNE para todos', the world's first radio experience for deaf people, has been awarded in the IV edition of the Contigo Awards, given by the City Council of La Roda. This RTVE initiative has been awarded the prize in the category ‘Media involved’. The award ceremony was held on Friday 29 November in the Auditorium of the Casa de la Cultura in La Roda. The head of Strategy at RTVE's Innovation Centre and member of the WorldDAB Steering Board, Javier Sánchez, and RTVE's Director of Audiovisual Policies, Public Service and International, Ángel García Castillejo, collected the award during the ceremony, which was attended by personalities from different fields.

(RTVE) Read more

The duplication of FM-DAB+ networks cannot be a permanent solution.

28.11.2024 - Spain

Gorka Zumeta writes: The 30s is shaping up to be the decade of FM switch-off in Europe. The latest WorldDAB summit recently held in Croatia, another of the countries that has made a firm commitment to the implementation of Digital Terrestrial Radio in DAB+ standard, has highlighted the problem of costs when it comes to dealing with the analogue-digital migration of radio. The aim is to reduce them and not to increase them with an unnecessary landscape of duplicity of networks to be rearranged with the FM switch-off.

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

Radio Nacional de España starts DAB+ broadcasts in Valladolid

22.11.2024 - RTVE WorldDAB Member - Spain

In line with its commitment to increase coverage by the end of the year, RNE has begun broadcasting in DAB+ from Cellnex's broadcasting centre at Cerro de San Cristóbal, from where it provides coverage to the metropolitan area of Valladolid. Last week Ràdio 4 became the first Catalan-language station in Catalonia to begin legal DAB+ broadcasts, and today Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 are the first radio stations in Castilla y León to legally broadcast in DAB+. With this, it is now possible to listen to RNE broadcasts in DAB+ from 13 broadcasting centres in the standard that is set to become the long-term replacement for FM in Europe.

(RTVE) Read more

Three legs of radio's Centenary in Spain

19.11.2024 - Spain

Gorka Zumeta writes: "I am left with important news about one of the recurring themes in any event dedicated to the analysis of radio in Spain, the commitment to DAB+. Spain is two decades behind on this issue that the rest of Europe is undertaking with determination and investment. Finally, even with much delay, the public radio has been launched, with the distributor Cellnex, to extend the DAB+ technology throughout Spain. The technical director of Cadena SER, Augusto Molina, stressed in his speech that SER “is in favor of DAB”, as long as a series of needs that the new scenario of its implementation are met. I think it is an important step for SER, the leading radio station, to speak out on this issue. Yes to DAB+, with conditions. Well then, let's put those conditions to the administration in order to draft a new National Digital Terrestrial Sound Broadcasting Plan."

(Gorka Zumeta) Read more

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RTVE Director Castillejo calls for national plan for digital radio

11.03.2024

English text of Ángel García Castillejo of RTVE's speech at the DAB+ launch in Spain. "If we're not able to offer the DAB+ service, they are not going to come to the radio, radio will disappear. There are no more excuses." says Castillejo.

Read more