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Leaders across the broadcast and automotive sectors yesterday called for continued collaboration between the two industries, at WorldDAB Automotive 2022 in London. Speakers emphasised the importance of working together to ensure that radio retains its place at the centre of the connected dashboard, and to continue to offer the best possible audio experience for drivers. WorldDAB’s President, Patrick Hannon, set the tone in his opening speech, noting that DAB+ now comes as standard in 94% of new cars sold in Europe. “Users expect high-quality, free to air radio as a key feature,” he said. “Our job is to deliver the best possible experience today and in the future.”

The radio landscape in Germany is currently changing: from analog VHF and FM radio to digital audio broadcasting with DAB+ technology. With a comprehensive target group study, the Hamburg agency group pilot has now taken a close look at the audio audience and analysed the structural differences between DAB+ and FM listeners. The results show that digital audio users are on average younger and have higher purchasing power and are characterised by a positive basic attitude towards advertising. Regardless of the category or company, advertising in these segments of listeners has a high activation potential, which can be used for product launches.

With the new Isen transmitter, the local network for DAB+ in the Munich region is growing at the beginning of July. The site, located in the eastern part of the state capital, is now the third location for channel 11C alongside the Olympic Tower and Ismaning and optimises digital radio reception, especially in the districts of Erding, Freising and Ebersberg. A total of around 2.76 million residents in the Munich region can now be reached by the DAB+ stations of the Munich local network.

From now, listeners in Wittgensteiner Land can receive the WDR radio stations better via DAB+. A new 1kW transmitter was put into operation at the Biedenkopf transmitter on the Sackpfeife mountain. This means that digital stations can be received more easily, particularly in Bad Berleburg and Bad Laasphe. With the commissioning at the Biedenkopf site, the targeted network in the DAB+ channel 11D is now complete.

Since June 27, Radio Orient has also been broadcasting its programs in DAB+ in Poitiers. The company thus adds a new important sector to its network which continues to expand at a sustained pace... This new launch brings the number of areas covered by Radio Orient to 34 sectors in DAB+ and 11 on the FM band. The station is one of the largest DAB+ networks currently deployed in France. Other important new areas will be launched in 2022.

Radio FG has started broadcasting in the urban areas of La Rochelle and Tours on DAB+, the deployment of which in France is accelerating strongly. Radio FG is already broadcast in DAB+ in around thirty cities. In May 2022, Radio FG arrived on DAB+ in Orléans, Montargis, Blois, Poitiers, Châtellerault and Niort. In the second half of 2022, it will greatly extend its DAB+ broadcasting. Maison FG produces two other DAB+ radio stations in Paris and Île-de-France: FG Chic, focused on future disco and the French Touch, and Maxximum, devoted to musical discovery and new music. In summer 2022, Maison FG will launch a fourth station broadcast on DAB+ in Paris, Marseille and Nice: DanceOne, a dance, EDM and festive program.

At WorldDAB Automotive 2022, which took place in London on June 22, broadcast and automotive executives called for continued collaboration between the two industries. More than 350 delegates attended the event which notably addressed the place of the radio in the car... Stakeholders highlighted the importance of working together to ensure that the radio retains its place at the centre of the connected dashboard and to continue to provide drivers with the best possible audio experience.

A perspective from the WorldDAB Automotive 2022 conference: The move towards IP-based in-car entertainment systems pose risks to radio, but also opportunities if the industry is bold enough to seize them. That was the message delivered by Martin Koch, Head of Platform Steering Infotainment at Volkswagen Group’s CARIAD, during his “The car market worldwide – an OEM perspective” presentation at the WorldDAB Automotive 2022 conference. It was held in person in London and online on June 22, 2022.

The car industry’s importance to the continued economic health of radio was at the heart of the WorldDAB Automotive 2022 conference, held in London and online last week. The relationship between these two giants was discussed during the trans-Atlantic session “Working With the Car Industry: Broadcaster Lessons Learned.” It was presented by April Carty-Sipp, the vice president of industry affairs at the National Association of Broadcasters in the United States, and Ben Poor, project manager for digital radio at the European Broadcasting Union.

What will car radios be like in the years to come? What role will they play in multimedia in-car entertainment/information systems, and what will this future look like? This topic was the last one tackled during the WorldDAB Automotive 2022 conference, which was held in person and online in London on June 22, 2022.