News

In the second half of 2020, over 80% of new cars in key European markets came with DAB+ radio as standard - a dramatic increase on the same period in 2019. This step-change reflects the impact of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), which, from December 2020, requires all new car radios in the EU to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio.

On 22 June the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) announced that it has authorised the Federation of Community Radios of Réunion Island to carry out a DAB+ technical trial in the capital city of Saint-Denis. Réunion Island is a French department located in the Indian Ocean.

Talpa, Q-Music, Kink, Sublime, Radio Maria and Terrestrial are the winners of the national auction for commercial DAB+ licences. They will be allowed to broadcast commercial digital radio throughout the Netherlands for the next twelve years. This represents an important next step in the further digitization of commercial radio in The Netherlands. In total, the licenses yield more than 3.1 million Euros.

Dutch spectrum authority Agentschap Telecom has granted layer 7 licences for the the national broadcasting of digital radio. The licences were awarded to Talpa, Qmusic, Kink, Sublime, Radio Maria and Terrestrial. These can now broadcast commercial digital radio throughout the Netherlands for the coming 12 years.

Talpa, Q-Music, Kink, Sublime, Radio Maria and Terrestrial are the winners of the national auction for commercial digital radio over the air. They will be allowed to broadcast commercial digital radio throughout the Netherlands for the next twelve years. With the completion of the auction, more spectrum will become available for digital radio. This is an important next step in the further digitisation of commercial radio.

WorldDAB member Glovane recently completed work on the implementation of Arabic and Thai characters for DAB receivers. We learn more about Glovane's offer in this interview with Louis Ryu, Marketing Director.

WorldDAB member Hama is a leading accessories company specialising in a number of areas including photo, video, audio, multimedia, computer and telecommunications. We hear more about Hama's latest products in this interview with Saskia Scheller, Product Portfolio Management Audio.

Germany's national public broadcaster Deutschlandradio presses ahead with digitising broadcast radio. The majority of Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur radio programmes will broadcast on DAB+ only in selected regions. On 30 June the parallel analogue FM broadcasts will be switched off.

Responding to high demand from listeners, the new DAB+ station Joe Lage Landen launched on 14 June. "We see that we reach a separate audience with digital stations, from audiences who would rather hear more of a certain genre of music." The first two weeks will see programmes hosted by famous Flemish or Dutch-speaking artists.

Radio broadcast organisations are taking steps to make sure radio is appropriately represented as automobile OEMs expand their use of Android Automotive. The goal of the Android Automotive pilot project is to make sure broadcast radio is properly supported in the open source system and help broadcast radio benefit from its rollout.