News

The DAB convention, held on Saturday 21 January in Franciacorta (Bs) by local consortia MediaDab, SpaceDab and GoDab, attracted a lot of interest. The day was opened by MediaDab President Vincenzo Dolce, followed by speeches from many industry professionals. Among others, Gianluca Busi, Innovation Manager of the Elenos Group and CEO of 22HBG (FM-world's publishing company), who spoke about how Artificial Intelligence can be used in radio broadcasting. The real challenge,' Busi emphasised, 'will be how to give value and how to capitalise economically on DAB, which must not be an additional cost for local radio stations. Busi sees DAB+ as a green, positive light, which, together with the radio stations' other digital assets (websites, apps, smart speakers), will change tomorrow to adapt, thanks also to artificial intelligence, to the way the new generations use information and content.

Vince 't Jolle of local Radio Park received the good news from Flemish media minister Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) that after a one-year test period, the radio is now allowed to continue broadcasting on DAB+ for at least another three years. The radio may now also install support transmitters to further improve reception. "Because FM will eventually be switched off, it is very important for a radio like ours to continue broadcasting on DAB+. We now also have the permission to place support transmitters in Brasschaat. So the audio quality will definitely improve. The antennas for the local DAB+ project are set up in Antwerp, Boom and Heist-op-den-Berg. That way, you can listen to us from Breda to Brussels."

The operation to dismantle and reassemble the antennas of the Bionne tower in Montpellier is delicate and spectacular. The work is taking place at a height of 120 metres. The aim is to broadcast radio stations in digital format. The dismantling of the old analogue radio broadcasting antennas installed on the Bionne tower began this Tuesday in Montpellier. This 20th century technology will be replaced by digital antennas to broadcast DAB+ radio.

Residents of Gdańsk and Wrocław can now listen to Radio Jasna Góra from Częstochowa. The Catholic radio station has joined the DABCAST experimental multiplexes of BCAST, a company owned by Cyfrowy Polsat. Radio Parada is to join the company's Warsaw multiplex. In Gdansk, the station can be listened to on channel 5C, and in Wroclaw on channel 12B. The station broadcasts with a bitrate of 136 kbps. Radio Jasna Góra is also available in multiplexes in Krakow, Szczecin, Lodz, Opole, Andrychów, Szczawnica and Warsaw.

The launch of the long-planned DAB+ multiplex in Chemnitz is apparently imminent. Listeners report in the "Rundfunkforum" about first tests in the planned channel 5B. On 19 January, the stations Radio UNiCC and egoFM were broadcast from the transmitter tower in Chemnitz-Reichenhain. Network operator Divicon Media had announced the launch of the platform for spring 2023.

The data comes from the listening survey carried out throughout Italy by TER (Tavolo Editori Radio) and referred to the entire year 2022. The data comes from the audience survey carried out throughout Italy by TER (Tavolo Editori Radio) and referring to the entire year 2022. The positive trend sees an increase in the number of 'Average Day Listeners' (+10%) and 'Quarter Hour Listeners' (over +50%) compared to the year 2021. "A figure that we were expecting," said Editor Enzo Pagano, "which is also the result of continuous technical and coverage updates: for more than six months now, RadioCassinoStereo has also been present in DAB+ in Rome and its province."

The Poznan DAB+ digital radio multiplex, operated by Dabcom, has extended its coverage. This is the result of moving its transmitter from a high-rise building in the centre of Poznan to the chimney of EC Karolin. The multiplex is still broadcast on channel 5C. Thanks to the relocation of the transmitter, the radio stations available via this multiplex can be listened to not only by the inhabitants of Poznan, but by the entire region. Dabcom's Poznan DAB+ multiplex currently comprises nine stations: Muzo.fm, Radio Elka, Radio Konin.FM, Wasze Radio FM, Radio Profeto, Disco Radio, Mega Radio, Radio Nuta and WP Radio.

With the commissioning of another DAB+ transmitter, radio listeners in Papenburg will be able to receive NDR radio programmes in even better quality from 24 January 2023. The new transmitter at NDR's 75th transmitter site serves the region between Surwold, Dörpen, Rhede, Weener and Saterland and can be received on block 10A. The DAB+ programme range continues to include the NDR programmes also broadcast on FM, such as NDR 1 Niedersachsen, 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.

Radio Orient has added a new coverage area, ensuring continuity of reception of its programmes in new major towns and on several major roads. Radio Orient programmes are now also available in Le Mans on DAB+ since 19 January. This new launch brings the number of areas operated by Radio Orient to 37 on DAB+ and 11 on FM. Radio Orient is one of the largest DAB+ networks in France today.

Towercom is planning to increase its digital radio coverage with a new transmitter. The company expects DAB+ coverage to increase to around 70 per cent of the population this year. "During the first half of 2023 we plan to launch the transmitter in Borski Mikulas," a Towercom representative told Živé.sk. The network mainly broadcasts RTVS stations or the Rádio Rock circuit. With digital radio, the frequency band is used more efficiently and the cost of disseminating one programme service is also reduced compared to FM broadcasting.