News

This year’s interoperability workshop organised by the WorldDAB Technical Committee will be held virtually, on 18 November from 14:00-16:00 CET. The purpose of the workshop is to provide a discussion platform for all technical aspects on operating the DAB system. Conclusions reached will be reviewed by the TC and may lead to specification updates.

Slovakia's telecommunications regulator RU has initiated public consultations on the use of several frequency resources. Operators have been invited to respond by 19 November.

To mark the one year anniversary since its launch, maRadio.be is organising a Digital Radio week from 16-22 November to help further inform listeners on the benefits of DAB+. A marketing campaign will also be on air across various platforms from 16 to 24 November.

Regulation published by the Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs on 9 November 2020 states that DAB+ will become mandatory in category M new vehicles on 1 January 2021 according to the Ordinance of the Minister of Digitisation – the mentioned Ordinance is an executive act of the Telecommunications Law and is effective from the date indicated therein.

DAB+ content offering continues to grow in Germany, with two new stations having just launched in Lübeck and Kiel, north of Hamburg. A total of 36 stations are now available on DAB+ in these two regions.

Towercasts has launched two new transmitters in Toulouse, with 26 stations now available to listeners on DAB+ across the region.

TDF is operating DAB+ services in Bordeaux and Arcachon since 5 November, with 26 stations on air in the former, and 13 stations on air in the latter.

Leading radio industry professionals come together to speak as one voice in a promotion video for the significant expansion of DAB+ services this week in France. DAB+ launches on 5 November in Toulouse and Montauban and on 6 November in Bordeaux and Arcachon. DAB+ is already on air in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Lyon, Mâcon, Nantes, La Roche-sur-Yon, l’Alsace, le Nord, le Pas-de-Calais and la Seine-Maritime.

Switzerland has confirmed its plans to switch off analogue radio services starting in 18 months from now. Public broadcaster SRG SSR will go first in summer 2022, followed by private stations by January 2023. The update came at the WorldDAB General Assembly 2020 which took place this week with 200 attendee and over 50 speakers.

Belgium’s Francis Goffin has been awarded the 2020 WorldDAB Award for Oustanding Service. Francis has been working in the radio industry for over four decades, creating, managing and advising radio stations.