News

The latest annual study by the Media Information Centre (Cim) on media consumption in Belgium reveals an ever-growing appetite among Belgians for video and audio content, even if their habits are changing. Audio media are also on the up, according to Cim, which reveals a penetration rate of 90% of the Belgian population, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2022. DAB+ radio is also on the rise: one in four respondents say they have listened to this medium at least once in the last 30 days. Podcasting, while on the rise (+4%), is still struggling to make inroads and only reaches one in ten Belgians.

The Flemish government has finished its prior advisory and public participation process to "bring back to the market" the (expiring) DAB+ multiplex 11A. As became clear in early June, Norkring may well get its extension until the end of 2027 and Benjamin Dalle will simply put the switchover to the broadcasting model in his successor's basket. In practice, a call for applications will now follow to operate multiplex 11A for the next 3.5 years (from 22 June 2024).

The start of broadcasting on DAB+ test channel 10 D in Bavaria marks an important milestone in the Announcement Radio Toolbox (ART) project. Under the leadership of Bavarian Media Technology (bmt), the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial for New Media (BLM), the Mediaschool Bayern, the Bayerische Lokal-Radioprogramme (BLR) and Bayern Digital Radio (BDR) are investigating customisable news in linear music programmes.

Radio for classical music and operas? La Grande Musique" is the name of the station that has just started broadcasting its programmes on DAB+ throughout the Basque Coast: Biarritz, Bayonne, Bidart, Anglet, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye, as well as Irun, Oiartzun and San Sebastian on the Spanish side. This is the first DAB+ frequency for "La Grande Musique".

Radiotelevisión Española has decided to join WorldDAB, the association that promotes the adoption of digital radio worldwide based on DAB/DAB+ standards. The future of radio broadcasting in Spain depends on the implementation of DAB+, as is the case in most European countries. Especially in the case of a public audiovisual service provider such as RTVE, whose mandate is to provide maximum social and geographical coverage, with the highest quality and technology available. It should be borne in mind that, as of today, the penetration of linear radio distributed over the Internet (streaming) is only 7% of the Spanish population.

Bauer Media Audio UK will bring more of its stations to more people, as it gets set to launch services on DAB+ with Absolute Radio Country and Absolute Classic Rock set to go national as they’re added to DAB+ next month. Since becoming 100% digital earlier this year, the Absolute Radio Network has welcomed its highest ever audience figures with 5.4million weekly listeners. This change means brings the total number of its stations available nationally on DAB to five. Magic Chilled, Magic Soul and Magic at the Musicals, Kerrang! Radio and heat Radio will also increase their UK coverage by making a similar move, as they broadcast on DAB+ across the UK. In addition, Absolute 80s, Absolute Radio 90s, Mellow Magic, Planet Rock and Scala Radio will move to DAB+ from D2.

Since 13 September, the DAB+ private radio network in southern Hesse (channel 12C) has also been broadcasting from Hohe Wurzel near Taunusstein. In addition, the transmitting power at the Hardberg and Großer Feldberg/Taunus locations was increased to 10 and 5 kilowatts, respectively, the broadcasting network operator Hessen Digital Radio (HDR) announced upon request. On Hessen North (channel 6A), also on 13 September, the transmission power was increased to 10 kilowatts at the Fulda Hummelskopf location. The Dünsberg site near Giessen in Central Hesse is expected to go on the air for the North Hesse network on 1 November.

A new purely digital radio station, Radio Energic, has announced its launch for 25 September. At the same time, the Pribram company will include it in its TELEKO DAB multiplex. Radio Energic will be available to tune in from all twelve DAB+ transmitters available in various parts of the Czech Republic. These are specifically Prague, Příbram, Trutnov, Hradec Králové, Liberec, Ústí nad Labem, Frýdek-Místek, Jihlava, Brno, Benešov, Olomouc and Zlín.

Boom Radio, which launched in February 2021 [and broadcasts nationally on DAB+], is booming. In that short time it has built a loyal audience of more than 641,000. Listeners tune in for over ten hours, on average, each week. Its founders are two commercial music radio stalwarts: David Lloyd and Phil Riley. Lockdown gave them the impetus to pursue a hunch that older listeners felt cut adrift by BBC Radio 2 and its commercial rivals. All those stations were targeting a working, aged 30-59 audience — for advertisers that’s where the money is supposed to be. But Boom is proof there’s gold in them there not-over-the-hills too.

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in France has been produced for automotive manufacturers, as the country achieves over 50% DAB+ population coverage, and more than 60% to be covered by early 2024. The factsheet from WorldDAB - the global industry forum for DAB digital radio - was produced as part of the work of its Automotive Working Group, in partnership with network operator TDF, and RadioDNS which promotes hybrid radio. The new French DAB+ broadcast networks factsheet provides an essential guide for the automotive industry on what to expect to receive via digital radio in-car.