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Drivers can now spend the entire journey from Prague to České Budějovice on the D3 motorway listening to the digital radio broadcast of the COLOR DAB+ network operated by Joe Media. The operator has increased the power of the transmitter in České Budějovice. The Budějovice transmitter of the COLOR DAB+ multiplex was the first ever transmitter launched under the frequencies allocated in the auction of the Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU) at the beginning of this year. Joe Media launched it on technology it dismantled from the original old Prague transmitter at Strahov. In mid-May, it started test broadcasts with 200 W instead of the planned 2 kW. This changed at the end of last week. "We have made the wiring modifications necessary to increase the power at the DAB+ transmitter in České Budějovice and at the same time increased the power to about 500 W. We will make another increase soon," the operator announced via social media.

Cumbria.Digital has submitted an application to Ofcom to establish a small-scale DAB multiplex for Carlisle, Penrith, and surrounding areas. If approved, Cumbria.Digital says it aims to have the platform operational by early 2025, using two transmission sites in Carlisle and Penrith. Cumbria.Digital has committed to reserving capacity for up to six community services, exceeding the minimum requirement ofcom required of four. Jonathan Davies, Director of Cumbria.Digital, expressed gratitude for the support received from local organisations: “I would personally like to thank Eden FM, Cumberland Radio, Love Carlisle, and Penrith Town for their support. This has been a five-year journey for us, awaiting legislative and regulatory developments to catch-up with our plans. With Ofcom’s approval, Cumbria.Digital aims to unlock the potential of local digital radio capabilities to match other parts of the UK and also put us at the forefront of what DAB can do.”

The biggest fair in the Benelux region can again be followed extensively via radio, online and TV on Kermis FM. From 19 to 28 July, the broadcasts can be followed nationwide on DAB+ digital radio, online and in Tilburg via 105.9 FM. The Tilburg Fair is more than just a fair. It is a big festival with a Silent Disco Festival, hip-hop festival Het Moment, Holy Pink, the first Tilburg edition of Glitterbox in the Spoorzone and, of course, Pink Monday. ‘The fair is a big festival site and that only makes it nicer to report live,’ says Arno Leblanc, editor-in-chief of Kermis FM. ‘And, of course, we ourselves will be there as an attraction in front of the church on the Hill. Anyone can come and do a shout-out to family or friends or request a record.’ The jam-packed programming features many well-known names who could be heard at Kermis FM at the beginning of their media careers.

The Government of the Balearic Islands will implement, through DAB+ technology, IB3's digital radio in the first quarter of 2025. This was announced on 18 July by the director general of Digital Strategy and Administrative Simplification, Xisco Cànovas.‘We are pleased to see that we are the first autonomous community in which all three RTVE radio coverage (local, regional and national) will be offered with DAB+ digital technology,’ he said. The general director of IB3, Albert Salas, added: ‘The announcement by the Government of the Balearic Islands to launch DAB+ broadcasts on IB3 Ràdio is part of the digital strategy of the regional government. The digitisation of public radio and television in the Balearic Islands is a fundamental part of our project. DAB+ will allow us to improve the quality of transmission and coverage and will put us in a leading position in the national radio market.

Community station Corby Radio has announced plans to apply for the small-scale DAB digital radio multiplex for Corby and Kettering. The area is part of Round 6, which has a closing date of July 18. Des Barber, Founder and Station Manager of Corby Radio said: “From my days on AM with KCBC, I’ve seen progress to FM, and now to digital technologies. Corby Radio has always harnessed these developments for the enrichment of our community. It is hoped that the result of the application will be known by the end of the year and the service will go on-air in 2025.”

YourFM has confirmed it will be applying for the Portadown & Craigavon small-scale DAB multiplex licence. The community radio station has been broadcasting on FM since June 2015 and now says it wants to expand onto DAB. It has partnered with a neighbouring community radio station in Newry to create a not-for-profit multiplex offering low-cost carriage and free carriage for the four C-DSP services it would host. Director Niall O Corrain said: “We have brought in experienced people with a proven track record in delivering SSDAB projects in Northern Ireland to ensure the multiplexes success.” ABC Community SSDAB has ambitious plans to launch as early as six months if it is awarded the licence due to the preparations made in the last three months.

Two groups have announced plans today to apply for the upcoming Poole, Purbeck and Wimborne small-scale DAB multiplex licence in Dorset. Poole based telecommunications company, Wide FM, has teamed up with Poole’s Hot Radio and Bournemouth’s Hope FM to create a bid, who together are also applying for the nearby Bournemouth and Boscombe licence. In addition, P&P Digital Media describe themselves as a team of committed broadcast professionals, many of whom are based in the local area. P&P Digital Media’s Operations Director is Paul Sutton, who says DAB listening is higher than FM so now is a great time for the application, which is supported by local and regional stations including Radio Wimborne.

The Govern de les Illes Balears will implement, through DAB+ technology, IB3's digital radio in the first quarter of 2025. This was announced on 18 July by the director general of Digital Strategy and Administrative Simplification, Xisco Cànovas, at a joint event with Radio Televisión Española (RTVE), in Ca n'Oleo (Palma), to celebrate the start of broadcasts in Mallorca of Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 in DAB+, with a transmitter centre located in Alfàbia. "We know that public channels can be a catalyst for the transition from analogue to digital. And this transition is an essential element of the Balearic Islands Government's strategy. An administration that is committed to digitalisation is an administration that is more agile, more efficient, more effective and that adapts to the new times," said Cànovas.

RNE has started broadcasting Radio Nacional, Radio Clásica, Radio 3 and Radio 5 in DAB+ in Mallorca, from Cellnex Telecom's broadcasting centre in Alfàbia. This start of broadcasts responds to the commitment to increase coverage on a monthly basis until the end of the year, with the aim of reaching around 50% of the population coverage. Coinciding with the start of broadcasting, an informative session was held in Palma de Mallorca, attended by leading national and Balearic Islands experts in the field. The session highlighted the historic milestone for radio in Spain that this start of broadcasting represents. The Balearic Islands becomes the first Autonomous Community in which all three radio coverage (local, regional and national) will be offered with digital technology in DAB+.

At its meeting on 16 July 2024, the Media Council of the Saxon State Media Authority (SLM) decided to invite tenders for digital transmission capacities for the Saxony-wide multiplex. This involves remaining transmission capacities of at least 96 capacity units of DAB+ coverage for the Free State of Saxony. The decision was preceded by expressions of interest from commercial radio broadcasters. Applications are expected for 24-hour private radio programmes in the form of full or special-interest programmes as well as for broadcasting-like telemedia that complement and enrich the terrestrial programme offering in the broadcasting area. The call for applications is expected to be published in the Saxon Official Gazette and on the SLM website at the beginning of August 2024.