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An interview with Managing Director Harald Gehrung: "For our company I can at least say that we will start with DAB+ when there is "relevant" use. And that's only the case now, but it wasn't like that 20 years ago. Due to the EU directive, DAB+ has now become the standard in Germany. In an international comparison, Germany is certainly far ahead in terms of absolute usage figures, even if the majority of users still don't give a damn how they receive their favorite channel. As the operator of RADIO BOLLERWAGEN, we would of course also be happy about a DAB+ mux on Mallorca, where the FM supply seems to have stopped in the 80s."

As part of the development of solutions for alternative programme feeds to DAB+ transmitters in the event of a disaster, RFmondial successfully carried out a field test in Hanover under real conditions. This was announced by the service provider for digital broadcasting based in Hanover on September 1st In the event of a failure of programme feeds (modulation lines) to digital radio transmitters (DAB+), a stable broadcasting supply for the population must be guaranteed. To do this, the company has developed a system that uses the air interface for program delivery, so-called rebroadcasting.

DAB+, today's digital radio standard, offers more than clear sound and the transmission of music and voice. DAB+ is also capable of broadcasting alarm and warning messages. DAB+ could save lives and protect the population in crisis situations as soon as this warning service is implemented. The members of the association Digitalradio Deutschland have now voted with a large majority in favor of adding this additional service to the internationally standardised DAB+ system. Against the current background of natural disasters, such as in the Ahr Valley and parts of Upper Bavaria in 2021 and the tense international situation (e.g. war in Ukraine), the members of Digitalradio Deutschland eV are committed to the international standardisation of warning messages. Together with the broadcasters, media institutions and network operators, the manufacturers in the association are working intensively on the development of a public warning system via DAB+ radio.

We're excited to announce that we are launching Virgin Radio 80s PLUS, a new radio station playing the biggest artists from the 1980s PLUS the best music from the late 1970s and early 1990s, which will broadcast from September 1st. You can listen to Virgin Radio 80s PLUS from Thursday September 1 on DAB+ in London and Central Scotland, online and on smart speakers across the UK, as well as via the Virgin Radio UK app. Virgin Radio 80s PLUS replaces Virgin Radio Pride, which will return in 2023.

The Republic of Uzbekistan was one of the first among the Central Asian countries to start broadcasting DAB+ standard radio in test mode in Tashkent. The radio broadcasting equipment has been brought from abroad, and 16 state and non-state radio channels have started to be broadcast in the DAB+ standard on a trial basis by the specialists of the "RTTM" DUK through the Cho‘pon-ota radio and television station in Samarkand.

At SwissRadioDay, Jessica Allemann Brancher, Digital Migration working group presented a very interesting study on the use of digital radio in Switzerland. First observation: Switzerland listens to digital radio with three minutes of radio out of four which are now consumed in digital mode. Among the other results of this study, we note that 41 minutes of radio out of 100 are now listened to in DAB+, a third in IP and a quarter in FM.

A new radio station will start soon on DAB+: Vibe Radio. The format of the new radio station is "Dutch Urban" "Do you like Antoon, Flemming, Snelle, Tabitha, Metejoor or the Youth of Today? Join the vibe! Vibe Radio focuses mainly on 'Dutch Urban', on the target group 10-35 years old and young parents. Our own research shows that there is a huge need for this genre. What emerges is that this young target group wants to hear well-known hits from their favorite artists of today, for which their parents do not turn off the radio," says the station. The radio station comes from the same owner as the radio stations RADIONL, Tukker FM, Joy Radio and Freez FM.

The private radio station Star*Sat Radio can now also expand into markets outside of Berlin and Brandenburg. The Commission for Licensing and Supervision of the State Media Authorities (ZAK) issued a nationwide broadcasting licence on August 5th. There are already concrete plans for expansion: "We expect Star*Sat Radio to be launched in Hamburg at the beginning of October," said a spokesman for the organiser when asked by SatelliFax. Distribution is to take place on the DAB+ multiplex on channel 10D.

The National Broadcasting Council announced its intention to switch off the FM band in favour of DAB+. It was indicated that it would take place between 2026 and 2030. Joanna Lichocka, a member of the National Media Council and a PiS MP, who was hosted on Channel 3 of Polish Radio, commented on this announcement. "I believe that this is a good idea and the expectations of the National Broadcasting Council to finally undertake the digitisation of the Polish radio market are absolutely justified," she assessed. "This has been happening for years, for a long time in Western Europe, and there is no reason why we should stop the development of the radio market only on analogue broadcasting via FM, possibly on the Internet," she added. "Cheaper and ecological" As Lichocka pointed out, "DAB is the future" as a digital, cheaper and ecological form of broadcasting. " Giving a lot more space to the various radio stations in this digital network, " she pointed out.

The switch to the digital radio standard DAB+ raises technical questions. SRG will be offering workshops on this in the coming year and will answer individual questions from participants. The workshops often deal with the following topics: How do I switch from FM to DAB+? How do I switch my FM stereo to DAB+? How can I convert my car radio to DAB+? Adriano Pitteri and Dominique Gall from SRG lead the workshops and answer questions.