News

FM analogue radio broadcasting will be phased out in Azerbaijan from 2028. This was reflected in the "Action Plan for the introduction and development of digital radio broadcasting in the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan". After 99.6 percent of the country's territory is covered by DAB+ digital radio broadcasting, radio receivers in new cars manufactured and imported in the country comply with the DAB+ standard, there are enough DAB+ radio receivers for household use and cars on sale, and after the population is properly informed, FM analogue radio broadcasts will be phased out.

Justin Kings, a senior media professional with over 30 years’ experience in the industry, has been appointed as the new Head of the EBU Academy. He will take up the position on 1 November 2023. Kings began his career at Capital Radio in London where he rose to the role of Group News Editor. He moved to the BBC’s radio station for the capital, BBC London, where he led journalists and programme teams in the Corporation's first multimedia newsroom. He left the BBC to start his own consultancy and training business and, as part of this, joined the EBU Academy Faculty in 2009. Over the past 14 years, he has specialized in social media trainings for the Academy as well as teaching topics including constructive journalism, young audiences, and podcasting.

Central Radio North West will expand to East Lancashire this November as the area’s small-scale DAB multiplex launches. The commercial station is already carried on the Blackpool and Preston multiplexes, and will add another potential 350,000 listeners in towns including Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington, Burnley and Colne. The East Lancashire small-scale DAB multiplex is owned by BBD Digital – and has three transmitter sites to cover the area. On awarding of the licence 18 months ago, 23 services had signed heads of agreement to broadcast on the multiplex.

Hospital radio service Rookwood Sound is evolving into a health and well-being service and joining DAB in Cardiff. Stephen Allen, Chief Executive of Rookwood Sound, said: “After launching on the internet and now on DAB+ we will be able to provide a service to most people across Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan and further afield. We can act as a link between loved ones receiving care wherever they are and DAB+ provides us with that platform, along with the launch of our App in the next few weeks, it is an exciting time for our volunteers and listeners old and new."

Czech Radio plans to launch eight new transmitters for its multiplex ČRo DAB+ before the end of this year. It is continuing to thicken the Czech Republic's only DAB+ network and improve indoor coverage. In cooperation with Czech Radio, the public broadcaster will put into operation three kilowatt transmitters in Hradec Králové, Domažlice and Valašské Klobouky, and another five 100-watt repeaters in Ústí nad Labem, Most, Želené Ruda, Svitavy and Krnov. Karel Zýka, the technical director of the Czech Radio, announced this at the Radiokomunikace 2023 conference in Pardubice last week.

On 23 October 2023, the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ) has started the auction part of the selection procedure, i.e. the electronic auction. The ČTÚ expects to award the allocations by the end of the year. The auction is organised using the combinatorial auction method and in four auction phases, in which the auction blocks will be allocated successively among the successful bidders. In the first phase, bids are invited for auction blocks suitable for nationwide networks, in the second phase for auction blocks for networks covering several regions and in the third phase for auction blocks allowing coverage of individual regions only.

Radio Orient will complete its network in the coming months, following the decision by the regulatory authority to grant it 9 new broadcasting areas, including Évreux, Laval, Valence, Fréjus, Beauvais, Compiègne, Ploërmel, Saint-Brieuc and Vitré. The coverage of these sectors goes beyond the broadcasting areas announced, not only because DAB+ technology provides better coverage (and improved sound quality), but also because Radio Orient is licensed on an extended basis in most of these sectors, which provides wider coverage.

There is as yet no prospect of white smoke in the Flemish digital frequency plan (DAB+) dossier, according to Flemish media minister Benjamin Dalle's (CD&V) answer to a written question by Flemish MP Klaas Slootmans (VB). "Negotiations with neighbouring countries are ongoing. As stated earlier, neighbouring countries have amended DAB+ plans and mutually global agreements are being sought with most neighbouring countries. Another series of administrative-level meetings are planned this autumn with Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK."

Radio Vidovdan can now also be heard on the DAB+ mux Hessen Süd (channel 12C). The programme for migrants from the former Yugoslavia was previously broadcast in the muxes Hessen Nord (channel 6A) and Bad Kreuznach (channel 12A). Radio Vidovdan broadcasts regional information in Serbo-Croatian as well as music from Balkan countries.

The Media Council of the Bavarian regulatory authority for new media (BLM) wants to decide on the Audio Strategy 2025 in its meeting on 7 December 2023. The audio strategy is a model developed by the BLM which orients the upcoming migration from FM to DAB+ to milestones of market development and not to a fixed switchover date. Dr. Thorsten Schmiege, President of the BLM: "The figures presented in the audio strategy are clear. Too early or too late migration would lead to a loss of diversity - but timely migration means maintaining local radio diversity, especially in rural areas. That's why with the Audio Strategy 2025 we are relying on a solidarity model that takes large and small stations along. I am convinced that the industry must act together and focus on DAB+ in terms of distribution and financing."