News

A local Derby radio station has made the jump from online to radio broadcasting as part of a boost for the city's radio stations. The people of Derby will soon be able to tune in to a wider range of radio stations via their DAB (digital audio broadcasting) radios thanks to a new plan bringing dedicated coverage for the city. The new DAB network will carry up to 30 new radio services, including Derby Sound, that will be heard right across the city. Derby DAB will reserve space for not-for-profit stations at a discounted rate.

The Media Council of the German-speaking Community in East Belgium (DG) has approved the digital terrestrial broadcasting of the three private stations Radio Contact Ostbelgien, 100,5 DAS HITRADIO and Radio Sunshine for the DAB+ pilot project in channel 8A for joint use with the public Belgian Broadcasting Corporation (BRF) until 31 December 2024. BRF has been broadcasting its two programmes BRF 1 and BRF 2 from the Raeren-Petergensfeld site with a maximum power of 3 kW for a few weeks as part of the test operation. A second site in the south of the DG in Amel is being planned.

The radiated power of digital radio broadcasting (DAB+) on the transmitter Borský Mikuláš - Dubník, which distributes the signal on channel 6D (187.072 MHz), will be doubled on 19 July 2023. This is the second power increase of the DAB+ transmitter in Slovakia this month. At the beginning of the month, the power was increased at the transmitter Banská Bystrica - Laskomer. The improvement of DAB+ coverage is based on the requirements of RTVS.

Ten regional DAB+ multiplexes were launched on 13 July with a ceremony in Hanover. Twelve non-profit and non-commercial community radio programmes have not yet been switched on, however, because their financing requires a change in the law. Prof. Christian Krebs, Director of the Lower Saxony State Media Authority (NLM), explained the background to RADIOSZENE. Anja Linz and Wolfram Bäse-Jöbges from the State Association of Citizens' Media are confident that all community radio stations will also reach listeners via DAB+ from 2024.

OIV, (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.) the Croatian network provider of national strategic communications infrastructure, is expanding its DAB network. The new equipment/licenses will cover one additional area with national and regional services. Johan Ericsson, Sales Manager, Paneda said: “We are very happy to see that DAB is expanding in Croatia. The existing long-term agreement between our organisations is very important for Paneda for our further development, by sharing experiences about DAB in general and development of DAB in Croatia in particular.”

The final two locations from Round 4 of the small-scale DAB licence roll-out have been awarded by Ofcom. Both areas, one for East Fife, and one for Berwickshire and North Roxburgh, have been awarded to Lanarkshire based C.I. Broadcasting Ltd and its subsidiary company Tower DAB Ltd. C.I. Broadcasting’s Director Spencer Pryor told Radio Today: “We’re extremely pleased that OFCOM have decided to award these licences to us to give us the opportunity to increase DAB coverage in two very underserved areas."

Ofcom will announce which areas will form part of Round 6 in the small-scale DAB licensing process this autumn following feedback from potential applicants. After a recent call for expressions of interest, input from stakeholders was received in 65 locations. Ofcom also received requests from stakeholders to re-advertise four areas for which no applications were submitted when originally advertised. Requests for new small-scale DAB areas for the Scottish Highlands and for the Orkney Islands were also received, along with a small number of other requests to add areas to the small-scale DAB advertising programme.

There are 34 applications for Round 5 of Ofcom’s small-scale DAB radio multiplex licence process, plus three for re-advertised areas. Of the total 37 areas, only six received more than one application. They are West London, South West Sussex, South London, South Hertfordshire, North London and North East London/South West Essex. From the six with multiple, there are three applications for South London and three for North London, whilst the others have two each.

Ofcom has published several updates on its work to support the launch of a wider range of ultra-local digital radio stations across the UK. So far, Ofcom has made 86 licence awards. From Edinburgh to Exeter, some 30 multiplexes are now on the air, between them transmitting 213 different stations, the majority of which are new to broadcast radio. Ofcom's fifth round of small-scale DAB licensing covers the South East of England. It received 34 applications for the 32 small-scale DAB radio multiplex licence areas, which were advertised in March. All applications will now be assessed against the specific statutory criteria, and it expects to announce the successful applicants next year.

WorldDAB has commissioned an independent report on the development and implementation of small-scale DAB in markets around the world. The report, by Dr Lawrie Hallett of the University of Bedfordshire, seeks to document for the first time the global development of this innovative approach to DAB transmission, and to analyse the different current implementations, including technical, financial and regulatory models. It may also offer for consideration possible next steps to support its continued growth. The project framework document is designed to set out the initial approach to the topics to be covered by the report, and a timeline for delivery.