News

Mark yesterday's date on your calendar – May 23, 2023 – because it was a rare day. A unicorn even. It was the day the broadcast radio celebrated a victory….of sorts. Ford's reversal of course was, in fact, the cause for a brief round of high-fives. And then back to work. But it represented something we haven't seen the industry do in decades: Speak in one voice.

Ford Motor Company has reconsidered removing AM radio from future vehicles in the U.S. and will now include the technology in its newer model cars. “After speaking with policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of the emergency alert system, we’ve decided to include it on all 2024 Ford & Lincoln vehicles,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley in a post on social media. “For any owners of Ford EVs without AM broadcast capability, we’ll offer a software update.”

In response to the announcement that Ford Motor Company has reconsidered removing AM radio from future vehicles in the U.S. and will now include the technology in their newer model cars, the following statement can be attributed to NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt: “NAB commends Ford for committing to keep AM radio in their vehicles, which will keep Americans safe and informed, particularly in times of emergency. With tens of millions of listeners, AM radio continues to serve as a vital lifeline to the public and a critical source of community news and exchange of diverse ideas."

At the invitation of the Elenos Group company of the Italy, the representatives of the Ministry of Digital Technologies and the management of the "Radioaloqa, Radioeshittirish va Televidenie Markazi" (RRTM) visited the production plants of the Elenos Group located in the Italian cities of Ferrara and Orvieto. During the visit, it is planned to get acquainted with FM and DAB+ standard radio broadcasting devices and production possibilities, and to expand cooperation in these directions, to learn about the construction and operation of new DVB-T2 digital television transmitters and DAB+ standard digital radio networks. Also, the presentation of DAB+ digital radio transmitters, FM radio transmitters, DVB-T/T2 standard digital television transmitters produced by this company was closely studied. Currently, Itelco DAB+ transmitters belonging to this company are working as a test for the introduction of the DAB+ standard in Uzbekistan.

Three Aylesbury Vale radio stations are set to go digital, following a decision from Ofcom, which has awarded Bucks DAB Ltd a licence to operate the small-scale DAB multiplex for North Bucks. This means Bucks Radio, Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio and 3Bs Radio, which covers Buckingham, Brackley and Bicester, will be able to be heard on DAB digital radios – along with a host of other new and local radio stations. Richard Carr, managing director of Bucks Radio, said: "A DAB licence was always in our plans, but we've had to wait patiently for the broadcast area to be advertised, and then again while the application was reviewed and then approved. Bucks Radio has gone from strength to strength since its launch in February 2021, and today's news will enable us to continue to grow and increase our potential audience."

With immediate effect, the digital radio test bouquet of the operator "Regionalradio BW" on channel 12B is also in operation from the Brackenheim/Güglingen telecommunications tower near Heilbronn, in addition to the Abstatt location. This means that the pilot can now be heard on DAB+ digital radio between Heilbronn and Stuttgart. With 13 channels, Regionalradio BW is testing small scale DAB and the population warning EWF. The trial is initially limited until 30 June 2023.

WorldDAB, the global industry forum for DAB+ digital radio, has lent its voice to Broadcast 2040+, a campaign to pressure the United Kingdom government to safeguard digital terrestrial broadcast services until at least 2040. The government’s current policy only guarantees these services, and the important public service broadcasting and other content they carry, until the early 2030s. WorldDAB President Patrick Hannon says, “WorldDAB is backing the campaign because broadcast digital radio services are critical to securing radio’s future as a trusted and reliable source of news, entertainment and companionship for listeners in the U.K. and worldwide. This is particularly vital in the car, where WorldDAB research found 90% of car buyers say that broadcast radio should be standard in every vehicle.”

In the second half of 2023, Bayerischer Rundfunk plans to expand its own DAB+ transmitter network by five new sites and thus further improve DAB+ reception. This will bring the transmitter network to 88 sites by the end of the year. BR's DAB+ transmitter network will broadcast the ten BR radio and regional stations as well as other private offerings.

The calm before the storm? After the publication by the Ministry of Enterprise and Industry of the updated Guidelines on the procedures for the allocation of rights of use to local DAB consortia - all has been silent for a few weeks now, awaiting the publication of the notices for expressions of interest regarding the individual frequency lots available. Most likely, the publication will take place in blocks of technical areas, starting with those where the Ministry's preparatory verifications of analogue plant installations have already been completed.

The regulator has not yet reached an agreement with neighbouring countries and has not been able to finalise suitable frequencies over which digital radio networks could be launched. The representative of the State Office states that the situation has also been complicated by the war in its eastern neighbours, and the process is not complete with other countries either. Without this, the state is not yet able to hold an auction for those interested in operating digital DAB+ networks.