News

While touchscreens allow a wider range of information to be displayed to the driver, they can be tricky to use on the move. Voice lends itself perfectly to radio, enabling the implementation of new infotainment systems while reducing driver distraction.

The launch of a DAB+ mux in North Rhine-Westfalia in Q4 2021 represents a milestone, bringing 16 new radio stations to NRW which has a population of almost 18m. The launch is particularly attractive to the advertising industry, bringing a mix of new and diverse radio programmes.

Commenting on the upcoming launch, Olaf Hopp, CEO of ENERGY Germany said that "DAB+ is the radio transmission path of the future", and highlighted the 15.2% growth in DAB+ receiver sales from 2019 to 2020.

A new WorldDAB factsheet explains why DAB is the most economical and energy efficient radio platform. Findings from various studies show that the environmental and economic impacts of broadcasting on DAB are favourable when compared against other platforms. The studies focus on three topics - energy consumption, transmission costs and recycling initiatives.

The big change that has thrust metadata to the forefront is the reality that the “car radio” as we once knew it is gone. There is no radio dial. There is now an increasingly large digital display and a built-in wireless connection. Fixing the management, delivery and rendering of metadata in dashboards is essential to the survival of broadcast radio.

MBT, the leading international broadcast conference in Central and Southeast Europe, has announced the launch of a webinar addressing the future of terrestrial broadcasting. Split across two sessions, the free webinar will take place on 19 May, and focus on digital radio and how to run a successful DAB+ project - from the business perspective of the network operator and from the broadcaster’s perspective.

Aimed at younger audiences, Arabella HOT is now available to listeners on DAB+ digital radio in the cities of Innsbruck, Kufstein and Wörgl.

As part of the UK's ongoing small-scale DAB licence allocation process, this week saw Ofcom award small-scale DAB licences to the cities of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Kings Lynn, Leeds and Norwich.

Monaco-based Premium Radio will launch on DAB+ digital radio in Monaco, Nice, Cannes and Menton on 1 July 2021.

Radio Advies Bureau (RAB), the marketing body for national, regional, public and commercial radio stations in the Netherlands, has released the net radio advertising revenue for Q1 2021. Digital radio advertising spending was €1.5 million in the first quarter.