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Fédération RadioZ, representing some 30 independent radio stations in the South of Belgium and Brussels, has called for help following the regional government’s decision in 2020 to cut the budgetary support to finance the transition to DAB+ for local radio stations.

This represents a 15.2% growth compared to 2019. Revenues from DAB+ receiver sales also grew by 13%, from €216 million in 2019 to the current record of €244 million in 2020.

The station will be available to DAB+ listeners in Western Belgium, as well as parts of Northern France including the city of Lille.

Australia’s DAB+ digital radio-only stations attracted a weekly audience of 2.35 million people in 2020, an increase of 15% from 2.04 million in 2019, according to GfK data released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia.

One World Radio, which has just celebrated its 2nd anniversary, kicks off its European roll-out via DAB+ in Flanders and Brussels – with further expansion in Europe planned in the coming months. The transition to DAB+ has started irreversibly and digital radio listening awaits a golden future in Flanders and Europe.

The EBU’s Digital Radio Summit took place online at the end of February, featuring a wide range of speakers and presentations outlining radio’s multiplatform future. WorldDAB's Automotive Working Group Chair Martin Koch outlines what the organisation is doing to secure radio's place in the connected car.

Launching on RTI's multiplex, Radio Zapad will be available to DAB+ listeners in Prague, across the Western Bohemia region and in the Ceské Budejovice region. The broadcast will also include multimedia data, which will gradually be expanded to other visual information such as song titles, weather and traffic information.

Medium wave services carrying Greatest Hits Radio in Lancashire, Manchester and Leeds, plus Magic in Humberside are being switched off. “The majority of radio listening in the UK is done digitally, and with Greatest Hits Radio now available on FM in these areas as well as DAB and online, the AM frequency is no longer a platform our listeners demand or need” Said Group Managing Director of the Hits Radio Brand Network, Graham Bryce.

Three quarters of radio usage in Switzerland is now digital. DAB+ is the most widely used radio reception method, in all parts of the country. Only one in eight people say they still tune in exclusively to FM radio.

The great and good from across French speaking Belgium's radio industry gathered for a Digital Radio Day on 11 February. Delegates heard the findings of new research by Ipsos on DAB+ listening in Belgium, as well as updates on all aspects of digital radio. Presentations are now available to view on maradio.be's YouTube channel.