News

The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel has published in its official journal the list of 40 radio stations that have applied for licences on the national DAB+ multiplex in France. The next step will be the selection process, taking place over the coming weeks.

The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel has announced that over 20% of the French population is now covered with DAB+, meaning manufacturers will be required to equip all radio receivers with a DAB+ chip in the next 18 months.

37 new transmitters were put into operation for the DCH 02 and DCH 03 ensembles as part of the 2018 expansion phase, with the former being largely completed, and the latter set to be completed in 2019.

The digitisation of radio has made great progress over the last year, both on a national and international level. 98% of the German population is covered by DAB+ and over 250 radio stations are available across the country, with the EU also supporting the rollout of DAB+ through the adoption of the EECC directive.

WorldDAB president Patrick Hannon on the adoption of the new EECC directive requiring all new car radios sold in the European Union to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio,and what that means for the future of radio.

DAB+ services were officially launched in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on 13 December in a ceremony attended by CSA president Nicolas Curien, with 46 radio stations available in DAB+ in the region. Full details about the services launched in the Lyon area and the industry partners involved can be viewed in the dossiers de presse.

Over 20% of the population of France is now expected to be covered by DAB+, meaning the CSA is expected shortly to trigger the French receiver law requiring all new radios — automotive included — to be capable of receiving digital broadcasts.

Following the launch of DAB+ in Lyon in December, the biggest radio stations in the city are now available on DAB+. DAB+ has been adopted in several countries of the world and is particularly popular in the UK, where listeners tend to favour DAB+ over FM.

DAB+ has reached a number of significant milestones over the last 12 months - particularly in Europe, where it has firmly been established as the core future platform for radio. WorldDAB's Bernie O'Neill takes us through some of the highlights of DAB+ in 2018.

Jordi Navarrete, Senator of the Valencian political party Compromís, is expected to recommend the creation of a paper addressing the development of DAB+ in Spain to the Spanish Senate Industry Committee.