News

Algerian Minister for Communications Ammar Belhimer has announced that the switch from analogue to digital TV will be taking place by 17 June 2020, highlighting that this will enable the deployment of DAB+ digital radio services in the country.

French public radio service Radio France Internationale (RFI) is set to launch on DAB+ in Marseille, as well as Bordeaux and Toulouse in coming months. The popular radio station is already available to DAB+ listeners in Lille, Lyon and Strasbourg.

Companies interested in rolling out DAB+ digital radio in Spain have called on regional governments to launch calls for tenders for DAB+ licences. 17 autonomous regions are currently concerned - in four of those (Asturias, Navarra, La Rioja and Madrid) the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of a call for tenders, while in the Basque Country and the Canary Islands, the decision has ruled against it.

Commenting on the launch, Bauer Media President of Audio Paul Keenan said “Connected radio in combination with DAB distribution has enabled us to extend our reach, so we have been able to offer listeners more choice, allow listeners more control and enable the super fans an unadulterated, pure experience. Absolute Radio 20s is a perfect example of this.”

In her report on the future role of the Ministry of Culture submitted to the Prime Minister, French member of parliament Aurore Bergé has voiced her support for the accelerated timetable for the rollout of DAB+ in France, to guarantee wide access to quality content.

Czech radio operator RTI is helping the visually impaired make the most of DAB+ digital radio services, having improved the functionality of the NOXON dRadio 1 radio receiver which is aimed at individuals with visual impairment. A downloadable audio file that helps people navigate the radio's DAB+ services is available on the operator's website.

According to the latest data revealed by Ofcom, today, 68 percent of all radio listening in Switzerland takes place on digital radio. Claiming 37% of total listening, DAB+ now leads the way as the country's most used radio platform.

The autonomous government of Valencia may be required to launch a call for tenders for digital radio services in the region, should the ruling of the Valencian Superior Court of Justice rule in favour of Mirendica - a legal consultancy firm soliciting the launch of digital radio in the autonomous region.

Telenet is shutting down its analogue cable radio transmission service. Under the slogan “De Signaal Switch” (“The signal switch”) it began phasing out the service on 11 February. The transmission provider, which serves 1.8 Million households in Flanders and Brussels, says the operation will be complete by the end of April.

An increasing number of countries in Europe are rolling out DAB+ digital radio, with the number of digital stations in the continent soaring. This article presents an overview of the current state of DAB+ in Europe and beyond, as outlined by Digital Radio Germany.