News

WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst spoke at IBC Amsterdam this week to update broadcasters and technology suppliers on latest advances and innovations in DAB+ broadcasting in Europe and around the world. The Netherlands has “50 great DAB radio stations… France has 60% population coverage, penetration in Germany is 70%,” she said. Spain is also revitalising its DAB coverage due to increased commitment from the public broadcaster and also the mandatory inclusion of DAB in European cars. In Africa and the Middle East there is also significant movement taking place with a series of trials. DAB has also improved its alert functionality for emergencies. “Radio will work even when phones and internet go down during emergencies. ..Lives will be saved as a result of this work,” said Bierhorst.

Europe's most important Broadcast trade fair, the IBC Show, closes on Monday, in Amsterdam, and once again it has brought together thousands of professionals from both radio and television. Spain has captured the attention of the industry present in Amsterdam, by presenting the case of the deployment of DAB, which in less than a year, has been implemented, thanks to the company Cellnex, in thirteen Spanish cities, and before the end of 2024, it will continue to grow in other municipalities. Xavier Redón, Cellnex product manager, was in charge of explaining how this process has taken place - and continues to take place.

The Association of Austrian Private Broadcasters welcomed around 300 guests to the ‘Privatsender Heurigen’ 2024. Industry representatives discussed the upcoming National Council elections and future media policy with representatives from top politics. In his welcoming address, Mario Frühauf, VÖP President and Managing Director of kronehit, pointed out that Austria's private broadcasters can look back on a very successful 2024: ‘Private radio stations have achieved a higher market share than ORF radio stations in the advertising target group for the first time, and around 30 new DAB+ radio stations have made the radio market even more diverse since the middle of the year.’

Radio Proglas continues to expand its DAB+ network and will soon launch a new transmitter in Velká Javorina. This transmitter, which will cover a large part of South Moravia, should start broadcasting by the end of September. At the same time, Proglas is working on re-tuning the transmitter on Černá hora, where the radiated power will also be increased, which will significantly improve the quality and range of the signal. In recent weeks, Teleko digital's DAB+ transmitters have already been re-tuned in several locations, including Jihlava - Strážník, Frýdek-Místek - Lysá Hora and Liberec - Proseč. These changes, which include re-tuning to definitive channels and improving radiation parameters, are part of a broader strategy to ensure stable and high-quality digital radio coverage across the Czech Republic.

Trent Wheeler, Chief Product Officer at Gracenote says they are showing Nexus, their next-generation automotive solution including radio station and audio identification. Gracenote is the largest provider of content data in the world.

On the nationwide warning day, functions of the new warning system via DAB+ radio, ‘Automatic Safety Alert (ASA)’, were successfully tested for the first time with pre-series devices from the TechniSat and Kenwood brands. From mid-2025, new generations of DAB+ radios will support the ASA standard and be available in electronics stores. In the event of a crisis, it is crucial that the radios are activated from standby mode and that the population is informed in a targeted manner. These two key functions of ASA have been successfully tested by the ARD regional broadcasters BR, HR, RBB and SWR during ongoing broadcasting operations. The results are analysed and incorporated into quality assurance. The radio stations are working closely with the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK).

For IBC 2024 RFmondial is introducing its broadcast DAB modulator / exciter LV5e module, which is designed for enabling transmitter manufacturers to enter the DAB broadcast market or for providing existing manufacturers an alternative source for their production. The LV5e is an OEM fully digital broadcast exciter, which can be easily integrated into existing transmitter designs. Built on a fail-safe, embedded platform, the module features crucial functionalities like: seamless operating on multiple incoming EDI streams, precise SFN timing control, advanced signal processing like crest factor reduction and limiter, as well as adaptive pre-correction.

The Principality of Asturias will enable Radio del Principado de Asturias (RPA) to broadcast on DAB+ digital radio from the first half of 2025. The Director General of Innovation, Research and Digital Transformation, Iván Aitor Lucas, has indicated that the regional administration will start the necessary procedures so that the regional public radio can incorporate this new technology that provides higher signal quality and that in the future will replace FM. Asturias becomes the second autonomous community, along with the Balearic Islands, to opt for DAB+ for the effective digitalisation of the distribution of linear radio content. The director of Innovation has valued this initiative as ‘an important improvement for radio broadcasting and the improvement of news coverage for the public’.

Today (12 September) marks the biggest ever launch in the radio industry since Global was formed in 2007, with a record 12 brand new radio stations going live today. The 12 stations expand Global’s market-leading brands, giving listeners even more choice from Global. Joining the Global family today is an incredible line-up of brand new radio stations: Capital Anthems, Classic FM Calm, Classic FM Movies, Heart 10s, Heart Love, Heart Musicals, Radio X Chilled, Radio X 90s, Radio X 00s, Smooth 70s, Smooth 80s, and Smooth Soul. On your radio, Smooth 80s and Capital Anthems are available nationally on DAB Digital Radio on SDL. All other stations launching today are available in London on DAB Digital Radio.

James Cridland writes: "I was at Radiodays Asia last week (and Podcast Day Asia as well, which I was programming). My time was mostly focused on the podcast bits, though I was happy to interview the excellent Jacqueline Bierhorst from WorldDAB on-stage (above). DAB is now gaining a lot of interest from a number of Asian countries, which is good - many are in “trial” (never quite sure what there is to trial, to be honest), but very good to see. And why wouldn’t they be interested in DAB? It offers, among other things, a surprising amount of new choice: allowing broadcasters to grow their offerings to attract more new listeners. The UK’s Global has just announced twelve brand new radio stations - all sister stations for Global’s existing brands (not sure what yet though). Wow. Meanwhile, its rival Bauer is to launch Greatest Hits Radio 60s, a spinoff from the main station. And the BBC is ploughing on with new services, too."