News

Newslinet's interviews with the leaders of digital radio continue with Sergio Natucci, manager of DAB Italia since its inception. "DAB receivers amounted to 9,200,000 as of December 31, 2021, of which approximately 400,000 are domestic. Taking into account car sales at the end of 2022, we will exceed 10 million," said Natucci. "Local stations, it should be noted, are now 50% of those broadcast in analogue... finally even local radio owners are realising the importance of the transition to digital," he added.

TDF Group has released an official video of its unprecedented technical and helicopter operation at the top of the Eiffel Tower in March, adding a radio antenna for DAB+ broadcasts in Ile-de- France, and increasing the height of the tower by six metres to 330m.

On 28 May 2019, new impetus and more offerings came into the Austrian radio landscape when the digital standard DAB+ went on-air with nine digital radio stations throughout Austria. DAB+ is the logical and digital development of radio reception - free of charge and with an antenna as usual. Three years later, the increasing number of listeners and the more widespread use of receivers are proof of the success of DAB+. The variety of stations, opinions and formats has also expanded during this time, meanwhile 28 domestic radio stations can be received on DAB+ and the number is growing.

DAB local radio is now established in most regions in Norway and optimisation and improvement of coverage is underway. In this connection, Nkom wishes to clarify criteria for approval of DAB transmitters. The goal is to make it predictable, and easier for the industry to plan changes to their network.

The UK’s only radio station dedicated to serving the country’s nine million paid and unpaid carers is now available on DAB in Manchester. “In the year we’ve been on air, we have grown a loyal listenership on our digital platforms, but we know that to really make it easy for people to listen, we need to be on DAB,” explained Care Radio CEO John Dash. “Manchester is the latest in our network of cities where we’re on DAB and we have many more in the pipeline." Care Radio is already available on DAB in London, Surrey, Northeast Hampshire, and Portsmouth - and now on the trial Manchester multiplex.

Award-winning pop up radio station Virgin Radio Pride UK is returning to the airwaves for its second season on June 1st, to broadcast more big LGBTQ+ conversations throughout the summer and play more great music. Virgin Radio Pride UK will be broadcast from June 1st to August 31st. Listen to Virgin Radio Pride UK online, via the Virgin Radio app or via DAB Digital radio in London and Scotland.

Aimed primarily at women, "Femotion" has received approval for Saxony-wide DAB+ coverage, as approved by the SLM Media Council at its meeting on 24 May. With Femotion, a total of ten commercial radio programmes are now available state-wide on DAB+.

The Gold Coast’s Hot Tomato has expanded with the addition of their new digital station Hot Tomato Ripe on Saturday and Monday’s release of Hot Tomato Gold. Says breakfast show host AJ Johnston: “My on-air success on the Gold Coast was built with an audience relationship and I’m so excited about reigniting that on Hot Tomato Gold on DAB+ Radio and the iHeartRadio app.”

The newly opened Rosenstein Tunnel in Stuttgart, Germany brings 35 programmes to listeners. Safety was a major consideration in the design of the tunnel - in the event of an incident affecting traffic inside the tunnel, drivers will receive emergency tunnel announcements via DAB+.

Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk is running a DAB+ promotional campaign by offering listeners the chance to win one of ten portable DAB+ radios, specially branded with the BR2 logo.