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SCA's head of content Mike Fitzpatrick has high hopes for digital radio, with DAB+ playing a big part in the company's business strategy. Touching on the launch of new digital radio station Triple M Aussie, Fitzpatrick highlights that this launch alone helped them gain over 65,000 new listeners, and attract advertisers who are increasingly keen to get exposure across a number of platforms and audio assets.

Speakers at the event said radio was booming thanks to new digital audio technologies such as DAB+, that allowed for more efficient use of spectrum, enabling broadcasters to expand their service cost effectively. Speaking at the event on behalf of WorldDAB, Commercial Radio Australia CEO Joan Warner said digital opportunities could be used to respond to the changing needs of the audience.

According to the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of Belarus, a DAB+ pilot test is set to take place in Belarus between this April. The test, which will be carried out by the network operator Giprosvyaz, is set to take place between 1-19 April 2019.

The expansion of the first national digital radio multiplex in Germany continues to progress, with 13 new sites expected to launch this year. This will bring the total number of transmitters to 137.

Una Healy will have a show on the UK's first national country music radio station.

The radio stations that were granted a national DAB+ license by the French regulator CSA are set to start broadcasts in early 2020. All of Radio France's national stations have been granted a license, while RTL, RMC and Europe 1 were also selected by the CSA.

According to the latest figures published by Ofcom,almost two thirds (64%) of all radio listening in Switzerland takes place on digital platforms (DAB+ or internet). Digital radio listening, which has increased by 15 percent over the last three years, accounts for 33 percent of all radio listening in the country.

A 20 month trial is expected to go on air in and around Bangkok this year, with a total of 11 stations set to take part in the trial.Vietnam is also ready to proceed with a further DAB+ to evaluate coverage parameters and test signal and sound quality in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The trial is due to start in April 2019.

The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), which has been trialing DAB in Istanbul and Ankara for several years, aims to improve the quality of digital radio broadcasts by moving to DAB+ broadcasting model. DAB+ will be expected to launch in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Kocaeli and Antalya in coming years.

Alongside the Digital Broadcasting Symposium was an exhibition of tech companies supplying the latest equipment to broadcasters in Asia and beyond, including WorldDAB, Gates Air and AVT.