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Touching on the difficult times ahead for independent radio stations in France, SIRTI president Alain Liberty pointed to public funding, and financial help for the deployment DAB+, as potential solutions for independent radio stations facing uncertain futures.

Global launched Smooth Chill last September on DAB in London, and with 301,000 people tuning in each week - according to the first set of Rajar results - the station is now expanding its reach from London to nationwide coverage.

The number of DAB+ stations on air in the Netherlands is rising, with new stations launching in the north of the country. RTV Noordkop, Los Radio Den Helder and Coastline are available to listeners on DAB+ in the north of the country as of this week.

This two-minute DAB+ promotional video published by Belgium's French-speaking Digital Radio office explains to consumers the various benefits of DAB+, such as improved sound quality and a wider choice of listening, as well as mentioning the EECC directive, which will require new cars across Europe to be compatible with digital radio.

Ofcom will advertise licences for small-scale DAB in batches, starting with 25 local areas. Five of those areas will be where a trial is already operating – Cambridge, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and Norwich. In the second batch, applications will be invited for the north west of England and north east Wales. Under the timescale plans announced today, it will take Ofcom over four years to advertise and award all the multiplexes currently planned.

Ofcom has today published a statement setting out how they will licence small-scale DAB following the consideration of responses to their small-scale licencing consultation. Ofcom will keep the uptake of small-scale radio multiplex licences under review and will then consider whether to advertise additional local radio multiplexes, where there is demand. For all small-scale multiplex licences advertised, a 40% limit on population of a local multiplex that can be covered by an overlapping small-scale multiplex or by multiplexes with the same licensee, will be applied.

A number of DAB+ radio stations in the region of Nantes, western France, have launched new programs on DAB+ aimed at informing the local community on the latest developments related to Covid-19.

WorldDAB member Paneda develop and sell DAB related technology, including DAB head-end systems with multiplexers and audio encoders, road tunnel break-in system and other DAB related systems. The Paneda DAB head-end system has several unique features, as a built-in smart content aware switch that offers a totally new level of redundancy.

The German manufacturer will release its first three DAB+ radio models next month. The DAB+ 1 Mini will cost approximately 140 euros, while pricing for the DAB+ Tower, and DAB+ 100 Highline has yet to be determined.

Sonoro's Maestro and Meisterstuck receivers have been recognised by the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2020 for their outstanding design. The Red Dot Award: Product Design offers designers and manufacturers from all over the world a platform for evaluating their products.