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"Commercial radio stations offer an amazing range of choices for listeners and advertisers. It is great to see this reflected in record audiences," said Siobhan Kenny, CEO of Radiocentre. "The next few months will see an even greater expansion of content with 18 new national digital stations being launched, providing a genuine alternative to the BBC across all kinds of music and speech and for audiences of all types."

The station will become part of the new line-up of services on the new Digital 2 / Sound Digital multiplex, which is due to go live at the end of February.

The DigiMig (Digital Migration) working group surveyed radio listeners over the course of last year and found DAB+ and internet/app use is rising rapidly.

The Bill reforms the digital radio regulatory framework to facilitate the roll-out of digital radio in regional Australia. CBAA Chief Executive Officer Jon Bisset commended the Minister for Communications: “...These changes support digital radio as the future facing broadcasting platform and a vital element in Australia’s media environment...Community radio is at the forefront of innovation, especially for the benefit of communities, and we will continue to be.”

A number of improvements to DAB coverage will be made this year as Norway moves towards FM extinguishing in 2017.

There are big changes to DAB digital radio in many parts of the UK, thanks to a new service from Sound Digital. But what exactly is happening, which stations are coming and how will it impact digital radio listeners?

Research commissioned by the Digital Migration working group, has reported that 49% of radio listening in Switzerland is now digital with listening in the car via DAB+ continuing to rise.

Andy Haylett, survey director, Ipsos Connect predicts a future for DAB in the UK based on the latest Rajar Q4 2015 report. "...People are continuing to listen on DAB and are continuing to buy them. We usually see an increase in the number of people owning DABs in Quarter 1 after a Christmas boost. Combine this with the gradual launch of the D2 stations and we should find that the digital numbers continue to grow as we go through 2016."

Rajar Q4 2015 data DAB listening share has increased to a record 27.7% and remains the most popular digital platform representing over 66% of digital listening. DAB ownership grew by 10% year on year to 54% of the population (from 48.9% in Q4 2014).

BBC Radio 6 Music is the most listened-to digital-only station in the UK, figures from ratings body Rajar show. The station had 2.2 million listeners a week from October to December, having had 2.19 million the previous quarter.