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In the late 1970s, there were dozens of long wave stations broadcasting. Now, only a handful are left. Among them are those in Denmark and Iceland - but they are due to shut by the end of 2023 and during 2024, respectively. The BBC still broadcasts Radio 4 on long wave as well as on digital radio, FM, and online. However, separate scheduling of BBC radio programmes on long wave will end in March next year - for example Test Match Special will not be available on long wave. The long-term future of the BBC's long wave output is far from certain. "Long wave is coming to the end of its life as a technology," a BBC spokeswoman tells BBC News, adding that Radio 4 long wave is currently set to continue broadcasting beyond March 2024.

The NBTC will propose a transition plan to digital radio in order to have enough spectrum to conduct business for 3,909 community radio stations by creating a new digital radio network. A study found that an investment of 1,000 million baht is required for expanding the network over 3 years to cover 50-60% of the country's service area, while also requiring a digital radio receiver, which costs approximately 1,000 baht per box. For such a plan The NBTC is scheduled to listen to opinions in specific groups or focus groups in 4 regions in October 2023 in order to move forward with announcing licensing criteria by mid-2024 before the trial broadcasting permission of community radio ends in December 2024.

Antonio Arcidiacono, CTO and CIO for the European Broadcasting Union, is focused on launching new ideas and initiatives for EBU members to ensure public service broadcasters are a benchmark for quality in the audiovisual market. "Radio remains crucial for car drivers, with recent surveys confirming that they expect radio to be there. European legislation that the EBU helped to support has ensured that DAB receivers are available in the overwhelming majority of new cars sold in major European markets. However, the in-car experience is rapidly changing, and there are far more media options for drivers. The good news for radio is that it is still in a strong position and perfectly able to adapt."

With IBC2023 getting closer, here's another of our interviews with WorldDAB members heading to Amsterdam next week. This time, Arne Borsum, product manager and DAB system expert at 2wcom Systems GmbH says they'll be showing the latest addition to their DAB offerings: the DAB+ Encoder, which adds DAB+ functionality to their multi-channel audio encoders and codecs.

Air Chief Marshal Thanaphan Raicharoen, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for broadcasting, revealed that the NBTC is preparing to propose a transition plan to digital radio in order to have sufficient frequencies to conduct business for 3,909 community radio stations by creating a new digital radio network. Studies have found that an investment of 1,000 million baht is required for network expansion for 3 years, covering a service area of 50- 60% of the country, while digital radio receivers are priced at around 1,000 baht per box and will need to talk with radio receiver manufacturers in the market to produce them to support them as well.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is planning a transition of existing analogue radio stations to the digital audio broadcasting (DAB) system under its planned licensing regime. The plan is meant to improve the industry's service standards and help all stakeholders handle digital disruption, according to the telecom regulator. The shift also includes the 3,900 community radio stations that were permitted by the NBTC to operate on a trial basis. The NBTC aims to finish the DAB licensing method and principles by the middle of next year, and is planning to start the shift to the DAB system in early 2025. The NBTC panel drafting the DAB licensing regime has already concluded all the licensing details.

A world first united media content ecosystem allowing brands to reach 98% of Australians in a campaign window stretching nearly 10 months is the centrepiece of Nine’s Olympic and Paralympic Games marketing offering, it has been revealed. 2GB’s Breakfast with Ben Fordham and 3AW Breakfast with Ross and Russ will broadcast live from Paris, and with 24/7 coverage on a dedicated Olympics DAB+ channel, a daily podcast featuring updates will be released at 6am each morning.

Dr. Ramzan bin Abdulla Al Noaimi, Bahrain's Minister of Information said that the launch of the DAB+ digital audio broadcasting service represents a unique leap forward for the radio industry in Bahrain, which has a history of over 80 years. He explained that this project has been implemented in cooperation with leading companies specialised in radio technology, to provide the latest and best equipment and technologies for private radio stations. The minister said that one of the most prominent features of DAB+ is the significant saving in transmission costs and the improved quality of the signal, in addition to the easy access to receivers and easy search for radio stations by name rather than frequency.

WorldDAB's Vice President, Jacqueline Bierhorst, spoke at Radiodays Asia 2023 in Kuala Lumpur. Here's their write-up of the session: "In this fast paced market, the audio industry is changing rapidly, said Jacqueline Bierhorst. New services are being developed, consumer preferences are shifting, competition is being transformed, DAB+ helps to grow radio and revenue. DAB+ is the core digital platform for radio in Europe, and it’s growing throughout the Asia Pacific region."

Another myth is that young people don’t listen to radio anymore. John Musgrove, the head of research for Commercial Radio & Audio, says: “I can absolutely validate the opposite with studies in the US and UK and Australia here, that young people are listening to the radio.” Musgrove also notes that DAB+ is “growing rapidly in younger audiences”, which he takes as further validation that, even those younger rock fans who find the likes of Triple M too broad for their taste, are seeking the curation of a radio station.