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At its meeting on 4 March 2024, the Assembly approved the licensing of "The WOLF Hessen" for a period of five years with a station focussing on country, singer/songwriter and folk music. Regional news and information, for example on cultural life, will also be part of the programme. The decision is accompanied by the allocation of capacities for the DAB+ distribution channel throughout Hesse from 1 April 2024. "It is always a special moment when the assembly of the Media Authority of Hesse is able to vote in favour of a new station, as this is always accompanied by an enrichment of the Hessian broadcasting and media landscape with new content. Innovations such as 'The WOLF Hessen' also clearly show: Radio is alive!", comments Jörg Steinbach, Chairman of the Hesse Media Authority Assembly.

For several months now, the Christian radio station has been preparing its listeners that in the future it is going to switch off FM broadcasting and gradually replace it with DAB+ technology. With this platform, it will rely on its two existing partners, RTI cz and Teleko digital. The reasons for switching from FM to DAB+ are mainly economic. "Radio Proglas has been licensed for nationwide digital broadcasting since 2000. We are now using the services of two operators; the technical plan they have tendered can meet our goal of full coverage, which does not preclude negotiations with other licensed broadcasters," said Jiří Vitouch, who takes care of Radio Proglas, among others, adding "DAB+ is far more energy and environmentally friendly than FM broadcasting. Proglas also has deep pockets and knows that digital broadcasting is many times cheaper than the FM equivalent."

The market in Poland for devices allowing the reception of radio stations in FM, DAB+ or via the internet amounted to 1.1 million units in 2023, according to GfK data made available to Wirtualnemedia.pl. This is an increase of 14 per cent compared to 2022. The average price of radio receivers last year was PLN 312 (€73). The share of DAB+ and Internet tuners was identical at 6.7 percent. The share of receivers that can receive both DAB+ and Internet radio was 2.3 per cent. For comparison, 950,000 radio tuners were sold in 2022.

The imec.digimeter, the annual independent look at global digitalisation in Flanders, holds few surprises for radio and audio this time. But that is good news in this case, as radio continues to do just fine overall and, in fact, according to this poll, almost half (48 percent) of Flemish people now have DAB+ at home or in their cars. Among the middle and higher educated - say, the people who have already been able to enjoy a more recent company car, that is - the use of DAB+ is already rising to 52 and 55 percent respectively.

Nature is blossoming, DAB+ is growing with it: The first commissioning of a new transmitter in 2024 took place on 6 March 2024 at the Bungsberg site. This expansion will significantly improve DAB+ reception in various localities, including Lütjenburg, Panker, Darry, Satjendorf, Matzwitz, Todendorf, Monkamp and Schönberg. According to NDR calculations, more than 12,000 listeners will benefit from the commissioning of the Bungsberg transmitter, together with an increase in power at the Schleswig transmitter. The expansion covers the entire area east of the Bungsberg, where the Kiel regional programme can now be received via DAB+.

To mark its 10th anniversary, maRadio.be is organising another edition of its "Digital Radio Day", this 12 March 2024 at Mix Brussels (Watermael-Boitsfort). This information-packed day will end with a birthday party to celebrate 10 years of the maRadio.be collective. This "Digital Radio Day" will feature several focuses, including the role and strategy of maRadio.be with a conference on "Digital Radio Today". Participants will be able to learn about the 6th wave of the maRadio.be/Ipsos survey. WorldDAB President, Jacqueline Bierhorst, will be speaking at the event.

Gorka Zumeta writes: Last World Radio Day was the date chosen by Radio Nacional de España, the public radio station, to switch on its DAB+ broadcasts. On that day, Ángel García Castillejo's words closed the speeches at the event. Due to their special interest and relevance, we consider it important to share them. "If we are not capable of offering new and innovative content in the DAB+ service that attracts those sectors that, if we do not offer them what they want to hear, will not come to radio and will go to other areas, then let's not fool ourselves, radio will disappear. I insist: there is no more room for excuses... we have the obligation, as National Radio of Spain, as providers of public service broadcast radio and as members of the radio family, to walk this path of Digital Terrestrial Radio, with everyone. We have no intention of going into this process alone."

The KEF only recognises FM broadcasting costs for public broadcasters until the end of 2032. From 2033, public radio stations will only be able to claim the costs of broadcasting via DAB+, according to the recently published 24th report of the Commission for the Determination of the Financial Requirements of Broadcasters (KEF). If they still want to continue broadcasting via FM, the corresponding costs must be borne by reallocating budgets from other areas. "The Commission has long been critical of the simultaneous broadcasting of radio and television programmes on different distribution channels or in different quality levels (simulcast) from the point of view of economic efficiency. Against this background, the costs for terrestrial broadcasting of radio programmes via FM and DAB+ have also been considered jointly by the Commission since its 20th report and gradually reduced," KEF Managing Director Dr Tim Schönborn told RADIOSZENE.

During 2023, new DAB+ trial services launched in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. To support the spread of the digital radio technology, WorldDAB introduced a new report on suggested guidelines for DAB+ trial services. The guide covers multiple aspects that have proven effective in previous DAB+ trials including motivation, stakeholder engagement, regulatory and licensing issues, equipment considerations, network and reception testing, and how to conclude field trials. The guide was released during the 2024 ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Gorka Zumeta continues his analysis of strengths and weaknesses of Digital Terrestrial Radio after the start of RNE broadcasts. "What has changed to revive Digital Terrestrial Radio in Spain? Undoubtedly the European Directive that obliged new vehicles marketed in Europe from 20 December 2020 to have a radio receiver as standard that would pick up the DAB and DAB+ signal. Four years later, according to ANFAC data used by RNE, we are in a position to state that this spring the car (and digital radio) fleet will reach three million receivers. And at this rate it is possible to find five million in a couple of years."