News

Phare FM is a rare entity in radio — a flexible network of Christian radio stations that serves French speakers in three countries. It started as Radio Phare (“lighthouse”) in Mulhouse, Alsace, close to the borders with Germany and Switzerland, on the initiative of a group of Christians under Pastor Bruno Léonardi. With the arrival of DAB+ in France, Phare FM saw opportunities to expand its coverage and started digital broadcasting in 2013.

Nation Broadcasting is adding Breezy Radio to DAB in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight. Nation’s Managing Director Martin Mumford said: “The south is a key, fast-growing market for Nation Broadcasting. Breezy Radio will complement our existing services and extend the commercial and marketing opportunities we can offer our growing customer base in the region.”

The NDR puts another DAB+ transmitter into operation in the Harz Mountains (Hohegeiss), which transmits on block 6C (185.360 MHz). Radio listeners in Braunlage, Zorge and Hohegeiss can now receive NDR radio programs indoors via modern digital radio and thus in even better quality. At the same time, the DAB+ coverage on the B27 between Bad Lauterberg and Braunlage and on the B4 between Braunlage and Niedersachswerfen will be improved. The DAB+ range of stations also includes NDR offers such as NDR 1 Niedersachsen, NDR 2, NDR Kultur, NDR Info and N-JOY, which are also broadcast on FM. In addition, the digital radio station NDR Schlager, NDR Blue and NDR Info Spezial can be heard exclusively.

WorldDAB - the global industry forum for DAB digital radio - has released detailed guidelines for automotive manufacturers and digital radio broadcasters to ensure that visuals and text produced for in-vehicle screens minimise any potential distraction for the driver. The new Driver Distraction guidelines have been produced with expert input from both the automotive and broadcast sectors, to ensure displays are safe for drivers while still providing the information listeners expect to see on their digital radio display. The guidelines cover four key areas for in-vehicle visuals: legibility, relevance, frequency and local legislation. It also offers example visuals, showing how the guidelines can be used to design images for the car, and operational considerations to prevent updates and display functionality becoming distracting for drivers.

For the 1st DAB+ federal mux, a new transmitter was activated on 15 June in Pfaffenhofen/Ilm in Bavaria, according to the transmitter network operator Media Broadcast. The multiplex's program package includes Deutschlandfunk, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Deutschlandfunk Nova, Deutschlandfunk Documents and Debates as well as nine private radio stations (Absolut Relax, ENERGY, ERF Plus, Klassik Radio, Radio BOB!, Radio Horeb, Radio Schlagerparadies, Schwarzwaldradio, sunshine live). On 16 June, the NDR will activate the Hohegeiss location in the Harz Mountains for its Lower Saxony DAB+ network. It is broadcast on channel 6C (regional coverage of Braunschweig). According to NDR, the new transmitter enables indoor reception in Braunlage, Zorge and Hohegeiss. In addition, the DAB+ coverage on the B27 between Bad Lauterberg and Braunlage and on the B4 between Braunlage and Niedersachswerfen will be optimised. NDR 1 Lower Saxony, NDR 2, NDR Kultur, NDR Info, N-JOY and the digital programs NDR Schlager, NDR Blue and NDR Info Spezial are broadcast.

Ten new organisations have joined WorldDAB since May 2021. They are South Korean solution provider RF2Digital, Indian solution and service provider Jasmin Infotech, network operator digris, Vietnamese electronic vehicle manufacturer VinFast, South Korean test solutions manufacturer RedwoodComm, Romanian network operator RADIOCOM, Croatia's regulator Agency for Electronic Media, US-based electronic vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors, global vehicle manufacturer Ford Motor Company and Swiss network operator Romandie Medias. WorldDAB now has a total of 106 members from 32 countries. Find out more about the companies which have joined the only global industry forum responsible for defining and promoting DAB digital radio and what they get from membership.

Bas Emons, owner of the regional commercial radio station Wild FM Hitradio, starts a second radio station called God Radio. From Friday (17 June 2022) the Christian radio station can be heard on DAB+ via the national DAB+ network 7D (MTVNL). For the start of broadcasts, the radio station will feature a distinctive and inspiring schedule featuring contemporary Gospel & Christian Hits.

Q Music Foute Uur can now be heard nationally on DAB+. The radio station can be heard via the new national DAB+ network on channel 9C. Q Music Foute Uur has been available for several years as a non-stop radio station on the Internet and as a radio program on Q Music itself. As of today, the radio station can also be heard on the digital airwaves.

In May 2022, the Lower Saxony State Media Authority (NLM) tendered ten terrestrial transmission capacities for the first private DAB+ multiplex (Digital Audio Broadcasting plus) in Lower Saxony. At the end of the tender period on June 13, 2022, three companies applied to operate the platform. The Lower Saxony State Media Authority is now examining and evaluating the applications submitted. If necessary, the NLM works towards an agreement with those providers who meet the allocation requirements. The decision on the allocation of DAB+ transmission capacities to one of the providers is expected to be made by the end of 2022.

A new factsheet on DAB+ digital radio in Switzerland has been produced for automotive manufacturers as the country prepares for FM switch-off in 2024. Publication comes ahead of next week’s WorldDAB Automotive 2022, the essential annual event which brings together leading experts from across the digital radio and vehicle manufacturing industries. The conference takes place in-person and online in London on Wednesday 22 June. The new Swiss DAB+ broadcast networks factsheet provides an essential guide for the automotive industry on what to expect to receive via digital radio in-car.