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Hamburg has a new radio station: KISS FM ‘Home of HipHop & R'n'B’. The young, urban programme can now be received by two and a half million people throughout the greater Hamburg area via DAB+. The programme is broadcast via the DAB+ multiplex on channel 10D. ‘Hamburg, like Berlin, has always been a centre for hip-hop and R'n'B, and now the Hanseatic city finally has the right radio station,’ adds KISS FM Programme Director York Strempel. ‘KISS FM is the hip-hop station in Germany, and it was long overdue that we could also be received here on DAB+.’

Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, announced that they have switched to DAB+ technology for the first time in Turkey. Minister Uraloğlu stated that DAB+ is a technology that offers a clear sound experience free from interference and increases frequency efficiency with its capacity to host multiple radio channels on the same frequency. Underlining that there are currently no FM frequencies available in Istanbul, Uraloğlu said, "But now that we have started DAB+ broadcasts, we have eliminated this situation. Thanks to this new technology, we will be able to provide 448 new frequencies according to incoming requests. Already 12 radio channels, both public and private, are starting to serve with this new technology."

Roman Gerner, Managing Director of Radio Klassik Stephansdom and Chair of the Austrian Digital Radio Association, on DAB+ in the Radiotest, demands for funding from the new government - and the continued existence of his station after the crowdfunding campaign. HORIZONT: The new DAB+ radios were measured by Radiotest for the first time. How do you assess their market entry in view of the current figures? Roman Gerner: We won't see really valid data until the end of the next six months, as the new DAB+ stations didn't go on air until June 2024 and have therefore not yet had a full year of coverage in the Radiotest. However, it can be said with relative certainty that, based on initial indications, the prospects for positive trends in DAB+ are quite good.

On World Radio Day, 13 February, WorldDAB is releasing its latest infographic, which highlights the ongoing global growth of DAB+. The updated graphic shows device sales now nearing the 150 million milestone, with the fast-growing markets of France and Australia leading the way with sales of receivers now over 10 million each, alongside the well-established DAB+ auto market. Sales in eleven core markets now total 145,195,000, and almost all new cars across Europe come with DAB+ as standard. The infographic is published by WorldDAB — the global industry forum for DAB+ digital radio — on 13 February to mark UNESCO’s World Radio Day, reflecting broadcast radio’s vital role as a relatively free and portable public safety net during emergencies. This year’s theme is “radio and climate change.”

To mark World Radio Day, maRadio.be is unveiling the results of the 7th wave of its study dedicated to digital listening in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Carried out among 1,500 French speakers aged between 12 and 80, this survey confirms a major trend: digital radio is booming and making a lasting mark on the listening habits of French-speaking Belgians. While 76% of listeners still listen to FM radio, 72% now prefer digital media. Among the latter, DAB+ has reached a record high (44%). In terms of listening volume, digital radio now accounts for 49% of the total, with a split of 27% for DAB+, which dominates digital listening, 14% for Internet and 9% for TV. Among the under-55s, the digital switchover is already a reality, and 2025 could be the year when digital listening definitively overtakes analogue.

Radio World: You and others have preached the importance of good metadata management for stations to stay competitive in the amazing new dashboards of today. How well do you think the message has sunk in? Laurence Harrison, chief partnerships officer for Radioplayer Worldwide: "The importance of robust metadata management cannot be overstated, especially in today’s visually enhanced dashboards. It’s not just about sound anymore; it’s about delivering a complete and engaging radio experience. At Radioplayer, we’ve championed this cause for years. While many broadcasters recognize the need for quality metadata, there’s still considerable room for improvement.

Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA)‘s HEARD returned for 2025 in Sydney with an all-star lineup and new research from Analytic Partners showcasing radio’s ability to deliver a long-term return on investment (ROI) through brand-focused advertising. A recent campaign from Nespresso was used as part of a radio trial testing cross-channel impact through sustained, creative brand messaging. It achieved a 37% improvement in their radio ROI year-on-year (YOY), elevating the brand’s digital video by 13%, socials by 11%, and search by 4%. Lizzie Young, Chief Executive Officer of CRA said: “Radio delivers more than reach; it drives emotional connection, creative synergy, and measurable impact. By evolving advertising approaches to leverage audio’s distinctive strengths, brands can unlock new levels of performance and establish deeper connections with their audience.”

Radio listeners in the Osnabrück region will have even better reception of NDR's digital radio programmes from Tuesday, 11 February 2025. NDR is putting another DAB+ transmitter into operation - this time at the Osnabrück-Engter transmitter site. DAB+ coverage will improve in the Ostercappeln and Löningen regions as well as in the area around Ankumer Höhe. The NDR radio programmes on block 10A can now be received better, especially inside buildings. NDR's DAB+ programme offering includes NDR 1, NDR 2, NDR Kultur, NDR Info and N-JOY, all of which can still be received via FM. Radio listeners can also tune in to NDR Schlager, NDR Blue and NDR Info Spezial exclusively on digital radio.

Listeners in the communities of Grassau, Marquartstein, Reit im Winkl and Unterwössen (Traunstein district) may have to choose different frequencies on their FM radio on 18 March. Due to a technical changeover, Bayerischer Rundfunk will only broadcast its FM programmes BAYERN 1, Bayern 2, BAYERN 3, BR-Klassik and BR24 for the region via the Wendelstein and Hochberg transmitters in future. The reason for the frequency change is the decommissioning of the FM filler transmitter Reit im Winkl am Walmberg for economic reasons and to achieve greater energy efficiency in broadcasting.

On 13 February, World Radio Day commemorates the founding of United Nations Radio in 1946 - and thus 79 years of radio as a reliable source of information. Even in the digital age, the medium remains indispensable. DAB+ radio, the digital successor to FM, will ensure that future generations will also have free and non-discriminatory access to relevant news. According to the EBU, terrestrial radio is the most trusted medium in 28 out of 31 European countries. The share of digital radio receivers is growing continuously. In 2024, over 1.2 million DAB+ receivers were sold in Germany (GfK retail panel), which corresponds to 50 per cent of all radio receivers sold - a significant increase compared to 2020, when the share was 35 per cent.