News

In an effort to help the broadcasting industry continue to elevate, innovate and reach new audiences, Xperi has been working to expand its offerings across the European market with the introduction of Nation Player and Rapid Four. Starting in June, Xperi’s All In Media (AIM) and Nation Broadcasting will begin offering a free to access radio and audio app in the UK. Aptly titled ‘Nation Player,’ the new aggregator app, which is powered by AIM Player technology, is open to radio operators and major podcast producers who want to reach a UK audience in the home, on mobile and in the car. Nation Broadcasting executive chairman, Jason Bryant, said, “As streamed listening share accelerates, the in-car, connected experience becomes critical for listeners. We wanted to build a platform that is united and industry wide.”

This marks a shift for Radioplayer, embracing a more innovative and forward-thinking approach as we transition into a future where radio is significantly more data-driven. All the products and services we are launching this year will create increased value and utility for radio listeners, broadcasters, car manufacturers, and tech giants alike. At the radio innovation and technology event Radiodays Europe, Yann Legarson, Radioplayer CEO stated: "This product launch represents a significant milestone for Radioplayer and the entire radio industry. We are committed to driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in radio technology. Our aim is to create products that not only meet the evolving needs of our listeners but also empower broadcasters, car manufacturers, and tech giants to deliver exceptional radio experiences."

Bedford Radio has published a manifesto setting out its vision of local radio for Bedford, to mark their official launch on DAB digital radio. The manifesto sets out what makes Bedford Radio the distinctive local radio station for Bedford. Founder & Station Manager Martin Steers said: “As a team all our volunteers are passionate about Bedford, providing great entertainment to the town, informing people about what’s going on with community groups, events, & local businesses, and engaging our listeners into getting involved.” The station launched online in 2020 and joined DAB last week.

STAR FM MAXIMUM ROCK - Germany's successful rock radio network is coming to its fans in North Rhine-Westphalia from 1 April - 100% digitally on the state-wide DAB+ multiplex. This means that around 18 million people from Bielefeld to Bad Münstereifel and from Kleve to Winterberg will finally be able to receive MAXIMUM ROCK in the best sound quality on the radio, whether at home, in the car or on the move. STAR FM MAXIMUM ROCK - Germany's successful rock radio network broadcasts via FM/DAB+ in Berlin, Brandenburg, Franconia, Saxony and now also nationwide in NRW.

Paris-based Africa Radio is a lifeline for France’s African diaspora and a critical link in profiling Africa in the country, offering total immersion in African culture, music and information. It has three FM frequencies covering the Île-de-France region and 17 DAB+ frequencies serving the country’s major cities, including Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse. Last year, Africa Radio became part of the radio division of the La Manche Libre media group. Jean-Baptiste Bancaud, managing director of the group’s Normandy-based station Tendance Ouest, took over the helm of Africa Radio on July 1, with Maÿlis Leclerc de Sonis, general manager. In this interview, Bancaud discusses the change of ownership and the group’s vision and plans for Africa Radio.

The operator of the current multiplex for digital radios Color DAB+, the company JOE Media of entrepreneur Miroslav Pýcha, is planning territorial expansion into other regions of the Czech Republic. Everything will depend on the interest of commercial radios. The already existing Color DAB+ multiplex, on which the Kiss, Classic Praha, Country Radio, Color Music, Hey, Expres FM, Beat or Spin radios broadcast digitally, covers mainly Prague and part of Central Bohemia. The result of the auction will thus have an impact on Color DAB+ in this region - as Pýcha told Borovan.cz, he would like to switch the digital radio multiplex from the current channel 7C to channel 6A within the auctioned frequencies (regional network R14) in the near future.

"The other day I was at an event where many people said that the future of radio is that its content will end up exclusively on large third-party platforms. And it must have given them a great deal of satisfaction, because there is nothing like a renewal of votes for great and much-applauded nonsense. But no major radio broadcaster in the world is giving back its broadcasting licences to place its content offer exclusively on third party platforms. Among other things, because there seems to be nothing worse than ending up as something with no personality and hardly recognisable, with your content offer diluted among audio products of all kinds. But yes, there may be something worse: that radio loses its identity as a medium, which is what has brought it this far over the last hundred-odd years."

On 13 March 2024, the Joint Committees VII (Culture, Science and Education) and IX (Transport, Posts and Telecommunications) of the Chamber of Deputies invited the Government to consider the advisability of extending from 5 to 10 years the exemption of the payment of the administrative fees of the contributions for the use of DAB+ radio frequencies, as well as to provide for the starting date of such exemption from the actual beginning of the use of the frequencies and not from the date of issuance of the notices for the relevant assignment. Aeranti-Corallo takes a very positive view of this indication, as it incorporates its own proposals in this regard made at the hearing on 23 January.

Country Radio, Kiss, Radio 1, Radio Beat, Radio Spin and Signal Radio are the brands that their operator, Radio United Broadcasting, wants to distribute via DAB+ technology, its chief executive Martin Hroch told the Digital Radio portal. Negotiations are currently underway about the form of distribution. "We are in the early stages of negotiations so it would not be appropriate to comment on anything. But we want to distribute the signal of all our six stations in DAB+," Hroch said. As a result, Radio United Broadcasting plans to place Country Radio, Kiss, Radio 1, Radio Beat, Radio Spin and Signal Radio on the digital multiplexes. "Our goal is to cover the territory of the Czech Republic as efficiently as possible in terms of price-performance ratio," added Martin Hroch.

With the activation of the Brescia transmitter, the coverage of the multi-regional DRG DAB Consortium in Lombardy gets extended. The Brescia transmitter from the Vedetta site was switched on. This transmitter operates, like the one recently activated in Milan, on channel 9C on the 206.352 Mhz frequency with service in Brescia and provinces, in adding with the Bergamo transmitter, soon to be activated, road coverage up to Milan will also be completed.