News

As he explained at in a session at IBC, Graham Dixon,Head of Radio at EBU said digital broadcasting meets the needs of listeners and industry for terrestrial radio; it is important to incorporate DAB + receivers in mobile devices.

An opportunity to watch the presentations from the event 'Digital radio in Italy: an opportunity for citizens, the market and business’, which took place on 27th September. Please note the presentations are in Italian, except Patrick Hannon in English at 33min 40 sec.

The Sangean WFR-3, is a tabletop internet/DAB+ radio with trustworthy sound. The wooden cabinet gives it a great and warm sound. Its black color gives the radio a timeless design and fits in almost every interior.

The EBU’s Head of Radio, Graham Dixon, has emphasised the importance of maintaining a robust, reliable and contemporary platform for radio transmission at a seminar on digital broadcasting in Rome. At the event organised by Italian regulator AGCOM at the Italian Parliament, Dixon noted sadly, “we have seen during the past year's emergency situations and attacks in major European centres of population – Paris, Nice, Brussels and Munich. These are the times when people most need reliable information, and when any IP solution is most likely to fail due to overload, or even the necessity to curtail service to protect the public.”

Matt Hancock, Minister of State responsible for Digital and Culture at the DCMS, confirmed proposals for the deregulation of radio to be put forward before the end of 2016, saying “we asked Ofcom to examine the scope last year on formats, local content and local production requirements. The disparity between analogue radio and digital is obvious, with a lighter touch regulation on digital services. There are multiple opportunities for deregulation, balanced with the continued need for provision of news and locally-focussed content. It is essential that listeners can get these services on these new platforms.”

Radio-related revenues made a significant contribution as the DAB radio roll-out continues including BBC national DAB and commercial local DAB network coverage increasing to 97 percent and 85 percent respectively, plus the launch of a second national DAB network.

Public and commercial radio stations are next week (from 3 to 7 October) hosting their annual week of digital radio, with extensive attention to being given to the benefits of DAB+. As part of the celebrations, a brand new Jeep Renegade with DAB+ will be given away to one lucky listener.

The radio station for children Teddy Radio, is to begin broadcasting on DAB+ in October throughout Baden-Württemberg. This area covers Mannheim to Freiburg and Karlsruhe Heilbronn and Stuttgart to Ulm, around half of Baden-Württemberg.

Dr. Willi Steul, Willi Schreiner and Holger Meinzer have all been re-elected to stand on the Digitalradio Büro Deutschland board for 2017.

Radioplayer is to launch in Canada – marking the first licensing agreement outside Europe for the service. The deal, which was co-ordinated by the newly-formed Canadian Association of Broadcasters, will see at least fourteen companies signed up to the Radioplayer Canada coalition, representing the majority of Canadian radio stations.