News

The leading French private radio stations have all shown interest in acquiring a licence allowing them to broadcast DAB+ following the call from application from the CSA in November 2018. This will allow them to cover more territory, benefit from improved signal continuity and provide listeners with a better listening experience.

The call for applications for small-scale DAB broadcasting licences applies to the cities of Paris, Marseille and Nice as well as surrounding areas. Applications must be submitted no later than January 16, 2019.

"The digitisation of the radio is unstoppable. The wide range of programs and equipment available, along with the improved listening quality are clearly in favour of DAB+" says Hans-Joachim Kamp, chairman of the supervisory board of the Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH of gfu.

Despite trailing behind some of its European counterparts, the roll-out of DAB+ in France is expected to reach 20% population coverage by December 2019, at which point manufacturers will be required to include DAB+ chips within their radios.

Radio RTL, RTL 2 and Fun Radio, RMC and BFM Business (NextRadioTV), Radio Classique, and Europe 1 all announced the submission of their applications to broadcast in DAB+, which will be available in Lyon and Strasbourg from December. DAB+ will broaden the radio landscape, particularly in cities with fewer radio stations.

Serbia has become the latest country to launch DAB+ following a launch ceremony attended by country officials and broadcasters at the Avala emission station. The digital radio network in Serbia will be expanded over the next year as Serbia continues its journey to the digitisation of radio.

As of January, manufacturers and automotive suppliers in France will likely be required to integrate DAB+ in radio sets as well as cars. The French union of independent radios, longtime backer of DAB+, calls for a clear positioning of public service broadcaster Radio France on the matter.

French independent radio union SIRTI and the 169 independent radio stations it represents have welcomed the widespread movement towards DAB+ demonstrated by the leading private radio groups in France including but not limited to NRJ, Lagardere and M6.

Sahaga, whose DAB+ radios are available across Europe, has announced it will continue to handle the Norwegian market following the country's digital switch over.

All major private radio groups across the country have responded to the call for tenders launched by the CSA, with applications from smaller broadcasters expected to follow suit. Each application will have to be evaluated and approved by the CSA.