News

Community station Radio Newark has extended its coverage towards Nottingham by joining the new small-scale DAB multiplex in the area. Radio Newark says its current FM footprint has a reach of around 60,000, and the DAB service will cover an area of over 750,000 people. Radio Newark Director of Operations Phil Johnson told RadioToday: “It’s a massive, massive difference in our potential reach, but we have to remember that we are still Radio Newark – we are not here to take on Nottingham. This is about making Radio Newark more available to Newark people, or to people who see themselves as having some connection to Newark.”

The local DAB+ pilot project Bad Kreuznach/Bingen (channel 12A) is now broadcasting with twice the range. On Saturday, 6 April, network and platform operator Milling Broadcast put the second transmitter site into operation. From the Fichtenkopf in Niederwald near Rüdesheim, Rheinhessen between Bacharach and Mainz and the Rheingau between Lorch and Wiesbaden are covered with a power of 500 watts. Previously, the ensemble was broadcast from Kuhberg near Bad Kreuznach, also with an output of 500 watts. The bouquet currently includes 11 programmes and a warning channel. The project is investigating more cost-effective ways of broadcasting digital terrestrial radio programmes using alternative technical approaches with open source software. The trial is limited until 2026.

Radio Piekary has been added to DABCOM's local multiplex in Katowice. Thus, nine stations can be listened to via the mux in the Silesian capital. In addition to Radio Piekary, the Katowice DABCOM multiplex currently includes: Radio Profeto, WP Radio, Muzo.FM, Mega Radio, Disco Radio, Radio Nuta, Radio Imperium and Radio Express. The broadcast is carried on channel 12C. As radiopolska.pl reports, the broadcast of Radio Piekary is experimental. The other radio stations have received licences from the National Radio and Television Council. All stations broadcast at a bitrate of 128 kbps.

The Bavarian digital radio project ART (Announcement Radio Toolbox) is nearing a successful conclusion. All results are available in the final report published today. Over the past 14 months, under the direction of Bayerische Medien Technik (bmt) and together with the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for New Media (BLM), the Bavarian Media School, Bayerische Lokal-Radioprogramme (BLR) and Bayern Digital Radio (BDR), tested the linking of different DAB radio programmes using DAB announcements. Listeners were able to combine five music genres with five information categories in a DAB+ receiver ─ according to their own preferences - to create an individually combined programme of music and information. The technology used is part of the DAB standard and is available in various receivers.

V2 Radio is dropping Sussex from its name as it grows its coverage area to include parts of Hampshire on DAB. MD Justin Cottrell tells RadioToday: "We are now the only proper local radio station covering Sussex and Hampshire. We have extended our reach so that we can continue to offer the appeal across our region, with a specific focus on a 25-mile radius of Chichester." The station adds that the extra coverage will be useful for local people who commute outside of their core area and still want to listen on DAB.

A joint statement has been issued by ARN chief executive Ciaran Davis, Nine Radio managing director Tom Malone, NOVA Entertainment chief executive Peter Charlton, and SCA chief executive John Kelly calling on the Senate Inquiry into the Communications Legislation Amendment (Prominence and Anti-siphoning) Bill 2023 to include radio prominence for smart speakers and in connected cars when they deliver their recommendations this week. It says: "As representatives of the Australian commercial radio industry, we are urging the Government to begin immediate consultation on radio prominence in cars. It is essential to both the radio industry and communities that regulations are introduced to ensure free, easy, and reliable access to local radio for all Australians."

Press release: "Mallorca Radio Group, comprised of Das Inselradio Mallorca and Mallorca Sunshine Radio, is proud to announce a historic milestone in broadcasting in the Balearic Islands: the commencement of the trial period for the first digital radio broadcasts using the innovative DAB technology. This initiative marks a significant step towards the future of broadcasting in the Autonomous Community and establishes Mallorca Radio Group as a leader in the adoption of cutting-edge technologies. The press conference, held on 27 February, aimed to share this exciting achievement with the community and highlight the importance of this technological advancement."

In this article, Mateo Zanoguera Alfaro, Project Manager at Mallorca Radio Group, discusses the main challenges that Mallorca Radio Group (which includes Das Inselradio Mallorca and Mallorca Sunshine Radio) has faced in adapting to DAB+ technology, making them pioneers of digital radio broadcasting in the Balearic Islands. "On February 27th, we marked a milestone by starting the first DAB+ broadcasting tests in the Balearic Islands. In the pilot phase, which we are currently in, we are transmitting four programmes: Das Inselradio Mallorca and Mallorca Sunshine Radio, simultaneously with the FM broadcasts, and two new programmes have been added: Das Inselradio Mallorca Classics and Mallorca Sunshine Radio Summer Hits."

At its March meeting, the Commission for Licensing and Supervision (ZAK) categorised the in-car entertainment systems from Audi, BMW/Mini and Tesla as user interfaces. The ZAK also categorised the "Tesla Media Player" as a media platform. In doing so, the ZAK has set a milestone, as this is the first time that the Commission has exercised its duty of supervision over the media offerings of car manufacturers. Dr Thorsten Schmiege, Coordinator of the Infrastructure and Innovation Committee: "Radio plays a central role in the car. It's about access to local news or current alerts, but also about users who expect to be able to easily find radio and content worth listening to in the car. With the displays, car manufacturers are acknowledging their responsibility to implement media diversity in the car in practice. We assume that other car manufacturers will follow suit in the near future and will also insist on this."

West Hull FM 106.9FM is launching on DAB+ to a wider area around Hull and Beverley and has rebranded as Humber Wave Radio. Adey Wright, Managing Director of WHCR said: “Our service broadcasts 24 hours a day and touches more places than ever before. Our new digital radio platform increases this reach even further. We all know the future is digital, and we are excited to once again be pioneers in broadcasting the first truly local digital service to Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire as Humber Wave Radio.” Humber Wave Radio will be on Hull DAB from mid-April.