News

A new transmitter covering 75,000 people in Scunthorpe has been turned on.Listeners in Scunthorpe can now receive 11 services on DAB digital radio – BBC Radio Humberside, Capital Yorkshire, Viking FM, Viking 2 and Viking 3, Smooth, Absolute Classic Rock, Absolute 90s, Gold, Kiss Fresh and Magic Soul.

According to Holger Hees, the switch from FM to DAB+ digital radio saves, weight in the vehicle, thereby reducing emissions.

Audi Manager Holger Hees has spoken out at Medientage München to say cars should be developed without FM radios. "Radio in the car must be digital" said Hees. He sees DAB+ and IP sees as ideal distribution channels for radio in the car. The main reason for this is the potential Co2 saving in the reduced weight of the vehicle.

The "very best" musical talent in Scotland will be celebrated on a new pop-up radio station, BBC Scotland has announced. BBC Radio Scotland Music Extra will run for eight days on digital radio in the run up to St Andrew's Day.

The expansion of the DAB+ network in Italy continues, with a further 14 DAB+ transmitters switched on by network operator DAB Italia. DAB+ coverage in Italy has now extended significantly, to cover major highways and populations in the north (Sud Tyrol, Aurina Valley, Lombardy, Veneto, Turin,), centre (Tuscany, Umbria, the north of Adriatic Coast), and southern Italy (Campania, Basilicata and Puglia).

Listening via digital platforms continues to grow, now accounting for 45.5% of all radio listening, with BBC 6 Music setting yet another audience record of 2.342m and Kisstory now the top commercial radio digital-only station with 1.611 million listeners.

A new eight-day pop up radio service in Scotland will broadcast in November, in the run up to St Andrew’s Day. BBC Radio Scotland Music Extra will celebrate Scottish musical talent 24 hours a day from November 23 to 30, showcasing everything Scottish from rock and pop to country, traditional and jazz, while BBC Radio Scotland’s main programming continues as normal.

Digital listening has grown to 45.5% share, a year-on -year growth of 9% (up from 41.9% in Q3 2015), boosted by record-breaking performances of digital-only stations, according to Rajar Q3 2016 data released today. Listening on DAB continues to grow and now accounts for 71% of all digital listening, with DAB ownership growing to 57% of all households - or 31 million people - a year on year growth of 7%.

59% of the population now listen to digital radio each week, with 32 million of those tuning in via a digitally enabled receiver (DAB, DTV, online). The share of all radio listening via a digital platform stood at 45.5% in Q3 - comprised of DAB (32.3%), DTV (5.2%) and listening online or via an app (8%).

Digital listening has grown to 45.5% share, a year-on -year growth of 9%, with 6 Music continuing to attract extra listeners on DAB. Ford Ennals, CEO of Digital Radio UK, said: “Digital radio has created an even playing field for national stations and it’s great to see the record-breaking performances for the leading digital-only station BBC 6 Music and the new number one digital-only commercial station, Kisstory."