News

The " Digitisation Concept 2017 ", which came into force on 1 May 2017, states that the media authority KommAustria will continue to make significant contributions to the improved use of radio frequencies and the associated conversion of existing television channels in favor of mobile radio applications. A further activity of the agency remains digital radio in the DAB+ standard.

Steve Penk has launched a crowdfunding page seeking £30,000 to pay for Eternity Radio to be created, and made available via the DAB minimux in Manchester and online.

The second nationwide DAB+ multiplex could be launched later this year in Germany. Several platform providers have now applied to operate the second nationwide DAB+ multiplex, and the Landesmedienanstalten has decided to appoint the platform operator by June 2017 at the latest.

Over 100 radio industry professionals attended the Doing the DAB: Birmingham event on Wednesday night to hear about the developments in digital radio in the city. Capacity for DAB stations in Birmingham is now fully utilised, and there are calls for Ofcom to create a second local DAB multiplex for the city.

For the second time since the launch of DAB digital radio broadcasts at the end of 2009, audience numbers for all DAB only stations have been released one week after the official metropolitan GfK radio ratings.

The government will allocate new funding of $6.1 million over two years for the community radio sector to support digital radio services and one-off spectrum reorganisation costs for analog radio services. "We recognise it is important that we make funding provision to ensure that this important work that community radio does can be supported and that the transition to digital radio can be supported," said Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, announcing additional funding for community digital radio.

Paneda has signed a new agreement with Teracom Sweden. The agreement means that Paneda will provide the DAB Head-End solution for the two existing DAB multiplexes in operation, the national mux with Swedish Radio and the local commercial mux in Stockholm.

The debate over whether DAB+ digital radio has a future in Germany has been going on for years, while decisions are being made in other European countries. At Medientage Mitteldeutschland 2017 the debate continued. Dr. Ulrich Liebenow , Chairman of the Production and Technology Commission of the ARD and Director of the MDR, said that by 2020 DAB coverage would be 95% of the broadcast area in Germany.

From 1st May 2017, Germany Radio, Germany Radio Culture, and Germany Radio Nova (Deutschlandradio) have new logos. With "Deutschlandfunk" now being used across the three brands, a refreshed colour palette and a new typography, this now underlines the relationship between the three stations.

Gernot Fischer has stepped down from the management of the Digitalradio Austria Association, as he is taking part in the current broadcasting network tender with the RTG company as a multiplex provider. He hands over his role to Matthias Gerwinat, Managing Director of ERF, who was unanimously elected successor by the General Meeting.