News

Germany has taken a step toward small-scale DAB broadcasting, with a test facility in the Rhineland-Palatinate Bretzenheim starting to use small broadcasting systems and open source technology.

Niocast Digital, operator of the trial multiplex in Manchester, welcomes two additional stations this weekend: Rainbow Radio, serving Manchester’s migrant West African communities, and Solar Radio, playing soul, jazz, blues and related styles of music.

Ofcom has said it's going to be working with the Government next year to develop a potential solution for smaller and community stations to get on DAB digital radio.

Rashid Mustapha (senior broadcast specialist at Ofcom and Open Digital Radio partner) has worked closely with both U.DAB and the ODR development team in Switzerland to realize the trials.

London community radio station Resonance FM has started a second service, on DAB in Brighton. Resonance Extra is on the Brighton and Hove Radio digital multiplex, broadcasting 24 hours a day with a focus on new music, sound art and experimentation.

BFBS is one of ten stations to be awarded a nine-month trial licence by Ofcom and has now launched the small-scale DAB multiplex in the Woking area.

About 60 stations will begin broadcasting on digital radio for the first time using the 'small scale DAB' approach, which could provide a more affordable way for smaller stations to broadcast via digital radio. “If the trials are successful, UK listeners could benefit from hundreds more local and community radio stations on digital radio in the future,” said Ofcom.

Currently, the cost of broadcasting on DAB is beyond the reach of many small radio stations. But a new approach, pioneered in the UK by Ofcom engineer Rashid Mustapha, means that small-scale radio stations could start broadcasting on DAB radio for a fraction of current costs.

It will use Cambridge 105's site at the OLEM church on Hills Road and the Star Radio facility at the Gog Magog Hills to broadcast a multiplex of stations, all of them new to DAB in Cambridge.

David Harber, Commercial Manager of Express FM, said:"With nearly half of adults nationally having access to a DAB digital radio, being on DAB digital radio in addition to FM, will enable our unique local programming to be heard in Portsmouth on as many radios as possible."