News

The Swedish Press and Broadcasting Authority [Myndigheten för press, radio och tv / MPRT] plans to advertise free space in the DAB+ broadcasting networks for digital commercial radio in May 2023. The Authority estimates that the space corresponds to approximately seven national programme services and several regional stations. The licences will begin to apply in the early autumn of 2023. More detailed information will be provided in the call for applications in May. Prior to the call, there is a draft strategy for the granting of licences and draft regulations on the application procedure and impact assessment.

Towercom, in cooperation with the public broadcaster, has expanded the availability of DAB+ digital radio. Borský Mikuláš has been added to the existing transmitters in Bratislava, Košice, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Nitra, Trenčín, Rimavská Sobota and Dunajská Streda. "The Borský Mikuláš - Šaštín Stráže transmitter will cover the Záhorie region, including the D2 motorway between Bratislava - Brno and the Czech border," said RTVS. "With the launch of the Borský Mikuláš transmitter, the T-DAB+ signal coverage of the Slovak population will exceed 60 per cent, with simultaneous coverage of all regional towns."

Masters Radio will broadcast on DAB+ in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and a special pop-up stream will be available across the apps and websites of 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR as the first major of the year tees off. Greg Byrnes, Head of Content for Nine Radio, said: “After a great response last year we’re thrilled our listeners will again have access to the world’s best golf event through the power of radio. And it’s a total audio solution, across DAB+, streaming on our apps and websites, and regular updates on our Talk Radio stations during play with the Voice of Golf himself Graeme Agars, who incidentally is this year covering his 40th Masters.”

BMW was the first Bavarian car manufacturer to display its user interface in BMW and Mini vehicles at the Bavarian State Center for New Media. The president of BLM, Dr. Thorsten Schmiege, emphasised the significance of radio in cars, particularly the need for easy access to local news and warnings and observed that BMW sets a positive example by officially displaying its user interface. This action aligns with the Media State Treaty's requirement for providers to report their media platforms or user interfaces to the state media authority. Prior to notifying the state headquarters, discussions took place with BMW regarding the importance of radio content in cars.

Fix Radio now has a 295,109 weekly reach and 22.9 hours average weekly listening hours according to research by Nielsen. The latest data covers September 2022 and February 2023. Louis Timpany, founder and CEO of Fix Radio: “Since our national launch last May, our weekly reach and listening hours have grown rapidly. That’s a reflection of the work, effort and energy we’re putting in to grow this community." The station is now on the SDL multiplex covering the majority of the UK via DAB+.

NDR radio programmes in Rendsburg have improved indoor DAB+ reception from 4 April. With a new DAB+ transmitter near Rendsburg, radio listeners in the region between Owschlag, Wittensee, Westensee, Bokel, Breiholz and Meggerdorf will now receive their NDR radio stations in even better quality. The range of the DAB+ service includes the NDR programmes also broadcast on FM, such as NDR 1 Welle Nord, NDR 2, NDR Kultur, NDR Info and N-JOY. In addition, NDR Schlager, NDR Blue and NDR Info Spezial can be heard exclusively on digital radio.

The National Broadcasting Council suspended the competition for spots on the nationwide DAB+ multiplex in September 2022. The proceedings are to be resumed after a decision by the Office of Electronic Communications [Urzędu Komunikacji Elektronicznej / UKE] on the mux operator. What is the stage of the proceedings on the operator of the nationwide DAB+ multiplex? "The proceedings should take place this year. We will update you about the details," Witold Tomaszewski, acting spokesman for UKE, tells Wirtualnemedia.pl.

Luxembourg’s Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy Department — Service des médias, de la connectivité et de la politique numérique — has published a roadmap to accompany the launch and deployment of the DAB+ digital broadcasting standard in the country. The Service des médias, de la connectivité et de la politique numérique has been collaborating with various stakeholders and regularly analyzing the opportunities for a national deployment and decided that it is now time to introduce DAB+ in Luxembourg.

Advertising revenues from NRW local radio will slump even more, predicts a new Goldmedia Consulting study. Prof. Dr. Klaus Goldhammer presented the study "Economic potential of DAB+ regional broadcasting in NRW" to the Media Commission of the State Media Authority NRW (LfM NRW) on 24 March. Radio revenues could fall less drastically if local radio were broadcast via DAB+, Goldhammer explains. Over a 10-year period, advertising revenues on FM halve and shift to DAB+. "We are running out of time," warns Dr. Tobias Schmid, Director of LfM NRW.

With immediate effect, another DAB+ programming package will complement the new statewide DAB+ platform launched just a few days ago. Since 27 March, nine new radio stations have been receivable via DAB+ throughout Saxony. From 3 April, additional regional multiplexes will be added in Chemnitz, Dresden and Leipzig. In Chemnitz and Dresden, there are 13 new stations on DAB+, and in Leipzig, 11. "We are proud to bring further diversity to the digital radio landscape with the new regional muxes," says Franz Coriand, managing director of platform operator DIVICON. This means that in Saxony, depending on the region, up to 70 local, regional, state and national stations from private and public broadcasters can now be received on DAB+.