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"Given the current economic climate, we fully understand SRG's decision, as it is playing a pioneering role," Philippe Zahno, President of the Association des radios régionales romandes (RRR), told Keystone-ATS. "At present, we are planning to cease FM broadcasting in November 2026," he adds. In his view, the French-speaking regional radio stations cannot afford to lose market share and advertising revenue, which are linked to the number of listeners. They want to take advantage of the extra time to reduce the number of listeners who listen exclusively to FM and who follow French radio stations. The Swiss Association of Private Radio (ASRP), which represents private radio stations in German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, also welcomed the "important and courageous" decision taken by SSR. "This will advance the digital transformation of radio in Switzerland," said ASRP president Nicola Bomio.

Media Broadcast is further expanding the transmitter network of the first national digital radio programme package in 2024. The expansion starts today with the Bad Tölz site in Bavaria. Over the course of the year, a total of five new transmitter sites will be added in four federal states and in Austria near the German border. Listeners can look forward to even better reception of Deutschlandfunk, Deutschlandfunk Kultur and Deutschlandfunk Nova and nine other private programmes in the respective reception areas. By the end of 2024, the transmitter network of the first national DAB+ platform will consist of 170 locations throughout Germany.

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) Chairman and ARN CEO, Ciaran Davis, today announced the appointment of Lizzie Young as the industry body’s new CEO. Young was most recently CEO APAC & Global Growth Officer of WeAre8. Young is a media and technology executive with 25 years’ experience across multiple global markets and has worked on all media platforms in roles spanning commercial, content and operations. She has also spent over a decade in the audio industry, including 7 years at GWR Radio/GCap (now Global Radio) in the UK where she held various roles including Commercial Programming Controller and Head of Agency Sales and 4 years at Austereo in Brisbane and Sydney in various promotions, marketing and integration roles. Young will commence her role at CRA on August 7, 2024.

Radio broadcasters are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the list of applicants for DAB+ multiplexes in North Rhine-Westphalia. Up to 16 million inhabitants could be reached after network expansion. Applicants had 63 days to submit their concept and a possible funding application to the NRW Media Authority. On Thursday (27 June), the application deadline for up to 80 free places ended at 12 noon sharp. The Media Commission of the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia will decide whether the transmission capacities will be awarded in full to one or more platform operators or whether the Commission itself will have to decide which programmes will move into the multiplexes. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of free slots, the commission would have to decide itself.

Nation Broadcasting has announced it will be applying for four small scale DAB licences in Ofcom’s sixth round of licensing. They will be submitting applications for Ayr, Bournemouth, the Isle of Wight and Sunderland in time for the closing date of 5pm on Thursday 18th July 2024. The Bournemouth application is a venture between local FM broadcaster Nation and newly launched Bournemouth One. Roy Martin, co-founder of Bournemouth One said of the partnership: “Bournemouth One is already attracting a substantial audience online following our launch in January, and we can’t wait to bring this and extra services to DAB in the next year or so.”

Nation Radio has signed a long-term contract into the next decade for its London and South East England DAB platform. Following a trial period last year, Nation 80s has also joined the London-wide DAB platform full time in DAB+ stereo. Nation’s Founder Jason Bryant said: "Nation is a fast growing and important media brand in major population centres across the UK. In Wales, Scotland and Southern England, we are reaching record weekly audiences. In the London market, the most competitive in the UK, Nation recently posted its highest ever weekly audience of nearly 200,000 – one of the largest digital only station audiences in London."

Ballermann Radio, Germany's party and pop radio station, is now available nationwide via DAB+. The DAB+ radio station under Germany's most notorious event and party brand Ballermann® will be bringing rousing party sounds and the unmistakable, original Ballermann® feeling to every corner of the country around the clock from 9.00 pm today. "Whether chilling on the couch, dancing in the shower, in the office or on the car journey: the best party and Ballermann songs provide that little bit extra and that pure Ballermann feeling - all year round and all over Germany!" says Klaus Drescher, Managing Director of BMR Media GmbH.

Gorka Zumeta writes: A new instalment of Radio Exterior de España's "En menos de tres" ("In less than three minutes") micro-space is available, with Javier Sanchez of RTVE. There is no mobile phone with 5G Broadcast technology and, for the moment, it is not even expected. It is very easy to worship the totem of technology, driven by fashions and the rhythm of the times, but it is important to contextualise the reality of the facts and the real possibilities of the application of new technologies. In analysing this new digital standard of content dissemination, the author prioritises two questions that he considers fundamental: the real use that it satisfies and its penetration among the population. This is the starting point of his reflection on the 5G Broadcast in Spain.

In response to huge demand (and a few trolls), Radio Exe has taken advantage of half-Christmas – 25 June – to relaunch Radio ExeMas, non-stop Christmas songs whenever you want them. Radio Exe’s breakfast presenter Matt Rogers, never one to pass up an opportunity to don a Christmas jumper said: “For people who say Christmas seems to start earlier every year, they’re right! “We wanted to be at the top of Santa’s nice list by bringing festive cheer to Devon, and now people can get their fix of Mariah, Wizzard and Wham by tuning to Radio ExeMas. Feliz Navidad!” The festive station is on digital radio across much of Devon on the Exeter, Torbay/Teignbridge and Plymouth areas, as well as being streamed on its own website and on the Radio Exe app.

The Ingolstadt local network (channel 6A) is getting a third location for DAB+ today. In addition to the existing transmitters in Pfaffenhofen-Wolfsberg and Gelbelsee, a further site in Eichstätt is now strengthening DAB+ reception in the region. The transmitter operates with a power of 1 kW ERP. The network operator of the regional network is Bayern Digital Radio GmbH. The Ingolstadt 6A DAB network now also covers the large district town of Eichstätt almost completely in indoor quality (approx. 99%). With the expansion of the network through the Eichstätt DAB transmitter, the Ingolstadt 6A DAB multiplex can be received by approx. 93.9% of residents in buildings and approx. 98.6% on mobile devices in the Ingolstadt region.