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Winners have been announced for the Best of Show Awards programme offered by several Future brands at IBC 2023. The awards recognise excellent broadcast products and solutions on display at the show. The Radio World recipients include WorldDAB members: Inovonics 541 FM Modulation Monitor; GatesAir Intraplex IP Link 100N with MicroMPX; and Xperi DTS AutoStage Broadcaster Portal. Participating brands of Future plc include Radio World, TVBEurope, TV Tech and Installation.

Speaking at IBC 2023, WorldDAB Project Director Bernie O’Neill highlighted the recent growth of DAB+. “In just the last two months we’ve seen DAB+ successfully on-air in Ghana, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and a renewed commitment to digital radio development from Thailand,” said O’Neill. “This builds on the ongoing DAB+ rollout across Europe — with significant market expansion well underway in France and Germany, alongside our already established core markets.” To highlight this growth, WorldDAB presented an updated infographic with new data from the first half of 2023.

The continued global growth of DAB+ is highlighted in the latest infographic from WorldDAB, with emerging digital radio territories leading the way, alongside the well-established DAB+ auto market. The updated graphic, which shows over 125 million DAB+ devices sold to date, and almost all new cars across Europe coming with DAB as standard, was published to coincide with the annual IBC Show in Amsterdam.

The Acting Director of Engineering at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Rev. Edmund Fianko is billed to speak at the WorldDAB Conference as part of the ongoing International Broadcasting Convention (IBC2023) in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The selection of Ghana’s representative as a speaker for this year’s WorldDAB conference is a testament to Ghana’s achievement as the first country in West Africa and fourth on the continent to have started DAB (digital audio broadcasting) technology, and on the back of a more advanced version, DAB+.

The Tarbijakaitse ja Tehnilise Järelevalve Amet (TTJA) / Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority in Estonia has sent out an invitation to market players and stakeholders to participate in a public consultation to identify their interests and expectations regarding the introduction of digital radio and to plan the use of the 174-230 MHz band. "Through this public consultation, we want to identify the interests and expectations of all stakeholders in the field of digital radio," said Erko Kulu, Head of the Frequency Management Unit of the TTJA. DAB+ digital radio is currently in a trial phase in Estonia, allowing market players and listeners to try out the new technology. The test period will last until the end of 2023.

The first half of 2023 has put digital radio in the spotlight in Austria. More than one million Austrians listen to the radio via DAB+ several times a month, according to the latest Radiotest. In order to promote the reception and awareness of DAB+, an increase in the Digitisation Fund is crucial. Roman Gerner, Chairman of the Digital Radio Austria Association, emphasises the importance of financing through the Digitisation Fund for successful network expansion: "The imminent implementation of the new DAB multiplex in 2024 requires an urgent review and adjustment of the Digitisation Fund in order to adequately support media and programme diversity. An increase to 2.5 million euros is not only necessary but also imperative."

From 13 September, DAB+ listeners in the Albstadt region of Baden-Württemberg can enjoy 16 additional commercial radio programmes in digital quality. With the expansion of the Raichberg transmitter site, Antenne Deutschland, the operator of the second national DAB+ platform, is expanding its network to 82 sites throughout Germany. The digital radio stations will be receivable via channel 8C.

Warning the population in the event of a disaster is a top priority - on tomorrow's nationwide warning day, warning systems will therefore be tested again. Radio and television play an important role in this. Bavaria is using the day as an opportunity to test alarm innovations via the terrestrial digital radio DAB+: for example, in addition to the alarm function of radio devices in standby, the control of a siren via the radio signal will also be tested this year. Dr. Thorsten Schmiege, President of the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting (BLM): "The terrestrial digital radio DAB+ with its robust infrastructure offers innovative possibilities for warning, for which neither internet access nor mobile phone coverage is necessary."

Deutschlandradio is participating in the third nationwide "Warning Day" with the programmes Deutschlandfunk, Deutschlandfunk Kultur and Deutschlandfunk Nova. All over Germany, sirens will be wailing at around 11 a.m., loudspeaker trucks will be driving through the streets, apps will sound the alarm, and public billboards will provide information. Public and private television and radio stations will also participate in the campaign, which is intended to test the "warning system" nationwide. For DAB+ receivers, a "flag" will be sent, which will allow radios equipped for the warning to switch on automatically or to switch to the Deutschlandradio frequency.

Marek Ebert, Chairman of the ČTÚ Council, describes what the upcoming auction of frequencies for commercial multiplexes will look like. He also touches on the possible further development of the radio market, including the possible reduction of analogue FM radio. "We have been pleasantly surprised by the interest of the operators because the nine candidates, and as you said yourself, six, who have put down the amount of the guarantee that allows them to enter the first phase is, from my point of view, a success."