News

The calm before the storm? After the publication by the Ministry of Enterprise and Industry of the updated Guidelines on the procedures for the allocation of rights of use to local DAB consortia - all has been silent for a few weeks now, awaiting the publication of the notices for expressions of interest regarding the individual frequency lots available. Most likely, the publication will take place in blocks of technical areas, starting with those where the Ministry's preparatory verifications of analogue plant installations have already been completed.

The regulator has not yet reached an agreement with neighbouring countries and has not been able to finalise suitable frequencies over which digital radio networks could be launched. The representative of the State Office states that the situation has also been complicated by the war in its eastern neighbours, and the process is not complete with other countries either. Without this, the state is not yet able to hold an auction for those interested in operating digital DAB+ networks.

Listening figures show that Norwegians have adapted well to a digital radio landscape since the switch-off of national FM broadcasting at year-end 2017. Across the country, 97% of national radio listening is via digital platforms, with the remaining 3% belonging to small, local FM stations that are still broadcasting analog signals. Seventy-two percent of Norwegian households have at least one DAB+ receiver and 99% of households have access to either DAB+ or IP-based digital radio. These measurements come from Nielsen PPM 2022 data, along with information from Kantar and the Norwegian Media Authority, according to a media release from Digitalradio Büro Deutschland in Germany.

News continues in DAB+ throughout Italy. The first - and most significant - comes from the Rai mux, where Radio Cusano Campus Italia is no longer present. Instead, Radio Canale Italia, now present in Milan on SpaceDab (9D) and in Rome on MediaDab (10B), has resumed broadcasting its signal digitally. The new Radio Cecchetto - already receivable in Lombardy and Latium - is also extending into Liguria, thanks to MediaDab's channel 10B.

The Swedish Press and Broadcasting Authority (MPRT) has advertised seven national licences on the two DAB+ networks for commercial radio. Five of them will be on Bauer Media's DAB+ network and two on Viaplay's network. There is also room for up to 29 regional channels on the Bauer network and 30 on the Viaplay network. In total, up to 59 regional channels can be authorised in the 34 regions. Each programme service may use a transmission capacity of at least 72 kilobits per second.

The licence of commercial mux Flanders1, currently operated by Norkring, will not be automatically renewed in June 2024. Flemish Media Minister Benjamin Dalle wants to move away from the existing operator model and opt for a 'broadcasting model'. "In the network operator model, licences are granted to a network operator, which then decides which radio broadcasters will be distributed. In the broadcaster model, qualitative content conditions can be imposed, among other things, as is the case with FM. We are now examining the various options. I will clarify this as soon as possible," Dalle said in a written response.

A group of local broadcasters in and around Northumberland have come together to apply the area’s small-scale DAB licence. Northumberland Community Digital has been created to oversee the application and if successful will put Koast Radio, Radio Northumberland, Frisk Radio, Lionheart Radio and others on DAB for the first time. One of the main organisers is Richard Finch, who is part of the team at Tyneside Community Digital – the company which recently switched on its own DAB transmitters in Newcastle and Gateshead. Richard said: “I’m delighted to help bring this exciting new service to the people of Northumberland. Small Scale DAB will bring a diverse range of new and local radio stations, increasing listener choice and helping to build stronger communities.”

Polskie Radio has not yet decided on the tender for broadcasting and coverage expansion in DAB+. "The examination of the submitted bids is underway," Monika Kuś, spokesperson for the broadcaster, informs Wirtualnemedia.pl. Together with the regional radio stations, it is ready to allocate nearly PLN 86 million (€18.9m) for digital broadcasting. Emitel's offer amounts to around PLN 60 million (€13.2m). The tender for DAB+ was launched in March and the envelopes were opened on 26 April. The scope of the contract includes 'signal backhaul services to broadcast stations and the dissemination of the multiplex signal in the DAB+ standard, together with the extension of broadcast coverage'. These tasks will be carried out from 1 October 2023.

On 9 January, news website Business AM launched Business AM radio, Flanders’ first talk radio station, broadcasting on DAB+ and online. Business AM emerged from the ashes of the international publication Newsweek and has grown over the last three years. It now has over two million monthly users and thousands of subscribers. The news website is part of the MediaNation media group of entrepreneur Paul Gheysens, CEO of real estate developer, Ghelamco and owner of Royal Antwerp FC, a member of the Belgian Pro League.

East Sussex Digital Radio Ltd has announced its intention to bid for the new DAB radio multiplex licence covering Eastbourne, Newhaven, Hailsham and Lewes. The licence is being advertised by Ofcom with any new services likely to be on-air in 2024. East Sussex Digital Radio is made up of OpenDAB Brighton & Hove, who pioneered low cost digital radio transmission in the UK - and since 2015 have run the Brighton DAB trial licence, Total Sense Media, operator of local radio stations across Sussex (More Radio/More Radio Retro) for over twenty years and well-established community stations Seahaven FM and Hailsham FM.