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The first local DAB transmitter was activated yesterday in Bari (channel 7B), which will be followed shortly (probably by tomorrow) for the service in the provinces of Taranto, Brindisi, Lecce. The first of the Apulian local radio consortia to go into business is that of Spacedab, which currently hosts 15 stations as content providers. The Apulian mux currently carries: Radio Norba, Radio Norba Music, Radio Bari, Radio Rama, Radio Tour, LifeGate Radio, Radio Byoblu, Radio Leon, Radio Logos, Hybrid, Radio Studio Più, Radio Cusano Campus, Radio System, Radio Sportiva and the Test channel.

In just a few short weeks, the IBC Show will return to the RAI in Amsterdam after its long pandemic hiatus. The conference, which takes place Sept. 9-12, will focus on the current and future trends that have emerged since the 2019 show — many of which were accelerated by pandemic. As planning for IBC continues to ramp up, Radio World is asking exhibitors and other participants about their plans and expectations. Will Jackson, Communications Manager: "WorldDAB is facilitating a two-hour workshop, highlighting new opportunities and new audiences on DAB+ on Sunday, Sep. 11, 10 a.m. to noon, in Room E102. The session is free for all exhibition visitor pass holders. The WorldDAB Project Office team will also be in attendance throughout IBC, meeting with our members who are exhibiting and offering services and solutions to assist with DAB deployment."

Listeners found their way to the digital Radiožurnál and the station has been increasing its listenership for a long time. The fact that the only sports radio on the Czech airwaves is distributed via the DAB+ platform, which is also growing in our market, also plays a significant role in this. Currently, the station receives 14% of listeners through this technology.

Ownership of DAB broadcast equipment manufacturer and WorldDAB member Inovonics Inc has passed from founder Jim Wood to current President/CEO, Ben Barber. Barber said “I am humbled and blessed for the opportunity to continue the company Jim started 50 years ago. We have a good name and it is my goal to continue to carry on his legacy”.

In another of our series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2022, Wolfgang Peters, Managing Director at AVT Audio Video Technologies, says they'll be showing their DAB headend systems for small scale applications as well as large DAB networks.

In the first of a series of short interviews with WorldDAB members exhibiting at IBC2022, Ben Poor from the European Broadcasting Union shares how at IBC2022 he'll be helping to demonstrate how the EBU is working with its members on how to make content multilingual using AI – including radio content.

Sergio Natucci, DAB Italia: Radio as always comes last, but never too late. Now the implementation phase opens: we will not accept delaying attempts of any kind and they can come from nowhere. MISE [Ministry of Economic Development] still has time to improve our heritage of VHF frequencies for DAB. After the concession, everyone must, with seriousness and professionalism, build their networks in full compliance with the rules contained in the Plan. The DAB Plan must escape bureaucratic traps: if we realise that the road map is jammed, we will turn to the government in its entirety and to Parliament.

On the occasion of the launch of digital radio Nacional, the President of the Board of OIV (Transmitters and Communications Ltd.), Mate Botica, talks about DAB+ technology and how much it can change the media image of Croatia in the near future. "90.3 percent of the population of Croatia is currently covered by the DAB+ signal. All major cities are covered. The highways are covered by 76 percent, and after November 15, this will also improve because we will insert new transmitters into the network."

Italian communications regulator AGCOM has published Resolution no. 286/2022 / CONS relating to the new national frequency allocation plan for the DAB+ sound broadcasting service. DAB Italia said: "It is a great achievement that definitively stabilises the digital radio system. The Plan provides for three national multiplexes of equal service coverage with large isofrequency areas. For local services, at least three layers are envisaged in each region, reaching up to seven in some relevant areas. Following the publication of the resolution on the AGCOM website, DAB Italia will begin the application phase of the rules of the DAB+ plan."

Broadcast Partners is currently busy converting the existing supra-regional DAB+ networks to the new format. After the first channels in Friesland and The Hague were converted to the new channel last week, changes have already been made in Overijssel, Groningen, Noord-Brabant and Zeeland. The new network consists of seven allotments, which collectively have national coverage and better meet the needs of the regional public and commercial radio stations.