News

Something could be happening with digital radio DAB+ in eastern Belgium. A network on channel 8A has now been put into coordination for the German-speaking Community (DG). So far, the German-language stations Radio 700, Radio Contact, Rdaio Sunshine and 100'5 - Das Hitradio cannot yet be heard on digital terrestrial. There has already been a temporary test with the programmes in Eupen. The public Belgian Broadcasting Corporation (BRF) cannot yet be heard flawlessly on DAB+ in the entire DG.

According to the Federal Network Agency's weekly listing, DAB+ capacities for Schleswig-Holstein were put into coordination last week. These indicate the upcoming transmitter network of the regionalisable, state-wide DAB+ private radio multiplex. In August, the Media Council of the Media Authority Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (MA HSH) had allocated the transmission capacities put out to tender to Media Broadcast GmbH as operator of the platform.

Next year, the Czech Republic should see a greater expansion of digital radio networks in the DAB+ standard. The Radiokomunikace 2022 conference on Tuesday 18 October brought a view on the future of multiplexes from both the regulator and the operators themselves. The COLOR DAB+ project coordinator then highlighted the need for genre diversity of stations to give listeners a reason to buy receivers.

Sunshine Live is apparently planning the same path as Klassik Radio and Rock Antenne before it: the private station for electronic music wants to expand into Switzerland. Via DAB+, 2.5 million people are to be reached terrestrially. The station initially wants to broadcast its well-known German programme - with news and advertising for Switzerland.

While the company Divicon Media will operate the regional and local multiplexes from spring 2023, Media Broadcast is expected to become the network operator of the state-wide, private DAB+ network in Saxony. This emerges from the tender for remaining capacities which has now been published. The Saxon State Media Authority (SLM) has put out to tender 228 capacity units (CU) for up to three additional radio programmes in the state-wide bouquet. Interested radio broadcasters can still apply until 17 November.

Bauer Media has a history of serving ‘specialist’ music identities. But Hits Radio Pride - which broadcast on DAB in several parts of the U.K. - has exceeded expectations as an ‘always on’ brand that launched as a pop-up during Covid lockdowns. Bauer launched Hits Radio Pride as a six-month pop-up in the pandemic as Pride events closed up and down the country in 2020, and is growing hours, reach and advertiser interest more than two years later.

Spain's Constitutional Court has received 13 appeals from radio stations requesting digital radio licences. The challenge dates back to 2018 when the radio stations requested public tenders for available digital radio licences. Several reasons promoted the requests: low availability of broadcast radio licences, lack of available spectrum, an infringement on plurality and the ability operate in the digital world, leaving citizens with a reduced radio offer.

UK-based Podcast Radio has confirmed it is coming to the US. Speaking at the NAB Show New York this week, Podcast Radio CEO Gerry Edwards said the 24-hour format will be syndicated to AM/FM stations and HD channels on a barter and cash licensing basis. The 24-hour format currently airs on DAB and digital channels in the U.K.

Nostalgie+ achieved a historic audience in this wave, adding 10,197 additional listeners and reaching a total of 63,537 listeners. It also became the number one radio station in terms of listening time with 191 minutes. This result places it simply in tenth place, with a rise from 1.49% to 2.35% in audience share. Nostalgie+ becomes the number one radio station in digital and DAB+. "Nostalgie+ achieves a record result even though it only broadcasts in digital and DAB+. In this last wave, the Nostalgie brand (Nostalgie and Nostalgie+) achieves an incredible 16.7% PDM," said Kim Beyns, director of NGroup.

Entrepreneur Miroslav Pýcha Miroslav Pýcha can transfer the experimental broadcasting of his revived project Rádio Sázava on the COLOR DAB+ multiplex from experimental to live operation, the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting has decided. Radio Sázava was granted a licence for a period of eight years, i.e. until 2030. The programme is currently already available in experimental mode on the COLOR DAB+ multiplex in Prague and Central Bohemia on channel 7C under the designation TEST.