News

According to the Media Analysis 2021 report, Deutschlandradio's three national stations have reached record numbers of listeners, with Deutschlandfunk continuing to be the only information programme in the top 10 most popular programmes. Listening via DAB+ continues to increase, especially among younger target groups. DAB+ now has a share of 20.4 percent among listeners aged 14 and over compared to 17.4 percent in 2020.

With the Federal Network Agency's frequency allocation for channel 12B at the Erfurt and Weimar locations vis-à-vis DIVICON MEDIA HOLDING GmbH, the concrete implementation for the start of DAB+ for private radio stations can now take place. This was announced by the Thuringian State Media Authority (TLM) on July 14th.

NDR, the public broadcaster for the German states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Niedersachsen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has published expansion plans for its DAB+ transmitter network, detailing the deployments taking place from January to December 2021.

An EBU report finds that DAB+ digital radio broadcast networks are the fastest-growing. In 2021 nearly 2,000 different services were identified, a 23% increase in only two years, with no sign of slowing down.

DAB+ digital radio has reached 18 percent of households in Netherlands, according to an annual report from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 2.5 million receivers have been sold and the recent auction of new licences is expected to increase the DAB+ content offer. A national survey found that almost 20% of radio in the car is consumed via DAB+. This is expected to increase sharply in the coming years following an EU requirement to fit all new cars with digital radio.

The service offered by Radio Screen gives radio stations the possibility of simultaneously displaying artist images, photos and advertising messages on vehicle screens. National DAB+ launches across France in October 2021 - DAB+ services are already on air across 10 cities and regions.

A new study published by the media regulator for the German state of North-Rhine Westfalia (popn. 18m) has found that 25% of in-car listeners hear audio content via DAB+. Digital radio has been mandatory in new cars and stationary devices since December 21, 2020. Digital radio transmission will replace conventional analogue VHF radio, as DAB+ digital radios become more and more popular.

UK radio and audio expert Matt Deegan of Folder Media shared his insights with DRUK's Ford Ennals on what the recent huge expansion of small-scale DAB+ digital radio services in the UK means for listeners and broadcasters. Business models include a combination of advertising, donation-based, DJ subscription, or funding from local government.

VW Group’s Head of Entertainment & Car Functions Martin Koch, affirmed that radio in the car is important not just for listeners and broadcasters, but also to car manufacturers, with their customers’ demand for broadcast radio in the car as high as ever, and radio still taking the major share of ear in the car. Read the WorldDAB auto conference event report for a summary all speakers' key messages.

This year's Swiss Radio Day will take place on 26 August 2021 as an on-location live event in Zurich, and live online video-streamed. Organisers have published the programme and registration is open. Topics discussed include an update on DAB+ and the ongoing preparations to switch off FM between August 2022 (public stations) and January 2023 (private stations).