News

Rivierenland Radio is once again rolling up its sleeves and will start broadcasting from Loon op Zand from Thursday 26 September 2024. This is where a new DAB+ transmitter will be installed to broadcast via Kanaal 8a. Rivierenland Radio can now be heard in the major cities of Brabant: Oss, Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Breda, Waalwijk and Tilburg. As in Oss, the transmitter installation will be built by Radio Netwerk Nederland. On 26 September 2024, this transmission installation will be installed and switched on. Rivierenland Radio can then also be received in the Tilburg/Waalwijk area.

Radio Proglas is facing a major change in the distribution of its signal. The technologies used so far, such as satellite DTH reception and FM transmitters, are slowly fading into the background, while the future is looking towards DAB+. "DTH reception is on the decline because it ties the listener to the TV set, which does not suit radio. DAB+, on the other hand, offers mobility and a more modern way of listening," says Martin Holík, director of Radio Proglas. DAB+ network operators already cover a large part of the territory, allowing Proglas to reduce its dependence on older analogue FM transmitters in the future.

WorldDAB has published the latest in its series of country factsheets for automotive manufacturers. The new document provides information on the national commercial DAB network operated by DAB Italia SCPA. Factsheets for France, Norway and Switzerland are already available. The factsheets are produced as part of the work of WorldDAB's Automotive Working Group, in partnership with DAB Italia, and RadioDNS which promotes hybrid radio. The factsheets provide an essential guide for the automotive industry on what to expect to receive via digital radio in-car.

The programme for the industry day Guldörat has been released, which will be held at Dramaten in Stockholm on 22 October and chaired by Annika Lantz. Among other things, there will be programme items on the future of linear radio and audio trends from around the world. Bauer managed to attract over a million listeners to Greatest Hits Radio in the UK by recruiting BBC presenter Ken Bruce, who will be in Stockholm. James Cridland reviews AI tools for audio production, while Jacqueline Bierhorst from WorldDAB summarises the state of radio worldwide.

Czech Radio wants to accelerate the launch of the transmitters of the nationwide digital radio network B, which will replicate the transmission sites of the public multiplex ČRo DAB+. At the end of October or during November, České Radiokomunikace plans to publish a timetable for the construction of a nationwide network for digital broadcasting of commercial radios, known as Broadcasting Network B. Marcel Procházka, director of the CRA's regulatory and legal department, told Televizníweb.cz. The company is also negotiating with Play.cz, another successful bidder in the auction of frequencies for DAB+ networks, to prepare its regional network for digital broadcasting of commercial radios and will technically operate it on a turnkey basis, just as it does for Czech Radio.

Pure West Radio is getting ready to launch on DAB digital radio in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire. The station is waiting for the new small-scale DAB multiplex to be launched in the area, using five transmitters, which will see the station extend to DAB after six years of online streaming. “This is a very exciting time for Pure West Radio as it means we’re now going to be able to continue to expand in so many different directions,” said Pure West’s director, Toby Ellis. “Our move to DAB will enable more people to remain connected to our platform as we continue delivering interviews, local news, information and of course a whole load of quality music.”

In addition to the public multiplex ČRo DAB+ and CRA's own multiplex DAB+, there will also be regional networks of the operator Play.cz, which will cover the whole Czech Republic, except for the Pardubice and Vysočina Regions. Following the announcement in June that the company had entered into a three-month exclusivity negotiation memorandum with Radiokomunikacije, Play.cz has now confirmed that this has resulted in a turnkey agreement for the creation and operation of the network. "Yes, we have reached an agreement," Jan John, a member of Play.cz's supervisory board, confirmed to Médiář. The construction of the network should be relatively quick. After all, Radiokomunikace itself plans to launch its national radio multiplex quickly, using the same transmitters as Czech Radio's digital broadcasts.

Hits Radio will replace KISS on FM in London, Norfolk and the West of England on Monday 23 September 2024. This change is sooner than anticipated, even with Bauer announcing details in August. Bauer has also launched a new national station, KISSTORY R&B on DAB+ and adding KISS Fresh and KISS Dance to DAB+ in London this week.

Carbon footprint was another commanding subject at IBC2024. UK network operator Arqiva came out with a dramatic engineering mindset U-turn. In its challenge to reduce the energy consumption of its DAB+ transmitter network, it turned its back on the iconic “up to best possible level” benchmark, switching to a more suitable “good enough.” In doing so, it reduced energy costs by 12% on the existing network without affecting its audience’s listening experience.

The media group pHmedia of entrepreneur Pavel Hajek has been broadcasting a promo spot promoting DAB+ digital radio on its TV channels since 19 September. Hájek, through his company Fiera Touch, is one of the successful bidders for future radio multiplex frequencies. "Ditch the old ways of listening to the radio and enter a new era with DAB+ digital radio. Imagine hearing every note, every word clearly and without noise, as if your favourite presenter or star was sitting right next to you. Listening to radio on DAB+ puts an unlimited number of stations at your fingertips, including exclusive programmes you'll never get on a conventional analogue radio. No searching for frequencies, no interference, just pure joy," says the promo spot.