News

Bauer is launching four new spin-off decade stations across the Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio brands. As unveiled at the Radiodays Europe conference in Athens on 10 March, Greatest Hits Radio will add Greatest Hits Radio 70s and Greatest Hits Radio 80s to its portfolio, while Hits Radio is launching Hits Radio 90s and Hits Radio 00s. These stations will be on the national Digital One multiplex. This news follows last year’s launch of a number of new Bauer Media spin-off stations on DAB, including KISS Dance, KISSTORY R&B and Greatest Hits Radio 60s. The new Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio stations will launch on 31st March, the same day that Absolute Radio, KISS, KISSTORY and Magic Radio make the switch to DAB+, as previously announced.

Nation Radio South is now available on DAB across the countywide Sussex multiplex. After doubling its audience over the past 12 months in Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex, Nation Radio has significantly extended its broadcast footprint into East and central Sussex and taking its potential audience to over 3 million adults across the south. Nation’s founder Jason Bryant said: “RAJAR tells us that Nation Radio is building its audience at pace across the South and our streaming data shows Nation is already making a splash across the Sussex coastal strip of Worthing, Bognor, Littlehampton and Brighton. Our enhanced DAB coverage will mean more listeners in cars, homes and workplaces across Sussex can now hear the south’s Best Variety of Hits.”

At its meeting on 4 March 2025, the Media Council of the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg (mabb) decided to adjust the DAB+ funding programme and extend the tender deadlines for the funding programme as well as the media law tender for private radio broadcasters. Funding has been increased to a maximum of 70 per cent of the additional costs of almost nationwide programme distribution via channel 10B compared to channel 12D. Funding will be provided over a period of three years. Applications can be submitted until 27 March. In January 2025, mabb announced a funding programme for the first time in parallel with the media law tender to improve the digital terrestrial reach of private radio broadcasters.

We now know when the FM switch-off in the far north of Germany will begin in earnest. Until now, it had only been said: ‘from spring 2025’. Now the date has been finalised. The first deadline for the FM switch-off in Schleswig-Holstein is 9 April. In just over a month's time. On this day, Radio Bob will switch off its FM transmitter chain. In any case, 16 locations will be affected. However, it is highly likely that as many as 18 will be affected, as it can be assumed that the two Radio BOB! SH sites in Hamburg, including the powerful 20 kW frequency 101.1 MHz, will also be switched off. It is certain that NDR will switch off N-Joy on 91.5 MHz in Niebüll on 9 April. N-Joy can then continue to be heard via DAB+ and the internet, but also via satellite and cable connection.

The Netherlands has a new radio station. In South Holland, 2:TheBeat can be listened to via local DAB+. A fresh approach to the concept of radio with the slogan 'Premium Power Pop', that is how radio station 2:TheBeat describes itself. The listener who tunes in to the DAB+ radio or listens online will hear a carefully selected selection of pop and rock. The station is aimed at everyone who is often on the road and also wants to be well informed. That is why, in addition to the specific music, current information from the ANP and the ANWB has been chosen.

A higher-powered version of the DAB+ broadcast platform is set for a trial in Ireland this spring. FáilteDAB is the name being given to the test that will begin broadcasting in April to eastern portions of Ireland, according to the platform’s website. It will operate under a one-year ComReg DAB+ trial license. The test aims “to provide Irish radio operators and listeners an experience of DAB+ not previously experienced in Ireland,” according to the website. FáilteDAB said it welcomes all Irish Coimisiún na Meán licensed radio operators to participate in the test. Dublin-based Foothold Communications is the operator of FáilteDAB. The company said it has worked with GatesAir and Paneda to supply technology for the network.

WorldDAB is joining around 1,500 radio professionals in Athens for Radiodays Europe 2025. The event runs from Sunday to Tuesday, 9 to 11 March in the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre. WorldDAB President, Jacqueline Bierhorst features in a session on Tuesday at 13:45 (CET), entitled “Save our Airwaves - DAB+ outlook and experiences.” Jacky will be joined by Nicola Bomio, Head of Radio at CH Media and President of the Association of Swiss Commercial Radio Stations, to explore “the idea that in order to stay independent, proper broadcasting needs to go digital, and that DAB+ is the future.” Members of the WorldDAB Project Office will also be at Radiodays Europe: Bernie O’Neill, Project Director, and Will Jackson, Communications Manager, will be in Athens alongside Jacky for the three-day event.

Radio Spannenburg, the regional broadcaster of De Fryske Marren, launched on DAB+ on Tuesday. With the inauguration of the digital successor to FM, Radio Spannenburg's broadcast area has expanded considerably. ‘From today, we can be received on air in a large part of Friesland,’ says broadcasting coordinator Ronald van der Pol. ‘A transmitter has been set up on top of Spannenburg's tower, which means we can be well received via DAB+ in De Fryske Marren as well as in our neighbouring municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân. We can now also be received in places like Sneek, Bolsward, Wommels and Makkum. This is great news for listeners, because you no longer suffer from noise when you leave Radio Spannenburg's FM area.’

A new classical music radio station has just started broadcasting in Paris and the Ile-de-France region, with a DAB+ frequency, a sign of modernity and listening comfort: LA GRANDE MUSIQUE Radio. ‘I'm delighted that LA GRANDE MUSIQUE has arrived in Paris, making it France's third national classical music radio station. Parisian frequencies are rare and precious, so I am extremely grateful to be able to offer listeners in the capital privileged access to this universal musical heritage: classical music,’ says Emmanuel Rials, founder of the station.Broadcast on DAB+ on the Monaco Côte d'Azur and on FM on the French and Spanish Basque coasts, it has just crossed a new threshold with its entry into the French capital.

Nothing prevents the announced expansion of the coverage of the nationwide radio multiplex B, operated by Czech Radiokomunikace. The Czech Telecommunications Office (CTU) has issued 14 more individual frequency licences to the company. If today, multiplex B covers about half of the Czech population from 17 transmitters, after the launch of the additional 14 sites, more than 80 percent of the population will be able to tune into the network. CRA declares the launch of the new 14 transmitters in March, but has not yet published a specific date. Priority was given to the launch of the regional networks of Play.cz, which has concluded a contract with CRA for the technical operation of the networks and the use of the transmitters.