News

The Bavarian regulator BLM and regional radio station Charivari have launched a pilot project to provide local content using dynamic reconfiguration whereby five local programmes are assigned to three DAB+ channels every half hour. DAB+ distribution for private radio becomes more economical because only three digital transmission signals are used for five transmission areas. This approach strengthens local radio in the digital world, making it fit for the future.

It's now possible to find out which DAB+ stations are on air and where thanks to the DAB+ interactive map just launched by the French regulator, the CSA.

At its plenary meeting on 22 January the CSA agreed on the timetable for the allocation of a remaining space on the national multiplex 1 to be launched later this year. Work on the preparations are to start immediately, with a call for applications to be launched in February.

Italian national DAB+ network operator, DAB Italia, continues the expansion of its national DAB+ network by recently launching further DAB transmission sites in several regions across the country including Abruzzo, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Campania, Piedmont Valle d'Aosta, Umbria and Molise.

The significant progress of DAB+ digital radio in France is set to take centre stage at this year’s European Radio and Digital Audio Show. Kicking off in Paris today, the event will bring together stakeholders from across the French radio industry and beyond to discuss the opportunities DAB+ brings for the radio, manufacturing, retail and automotive sectors.

According to the association of radio and TV broadcasters, Confindustria Radio Televisioni (CRTV), starting from December 21, 2020 all new cars, including commercial vehicles, for sale in Italy will have DAB + radio as standard. From 1 June 2019, it has been mandatory for sellers to prepare a possible future installation of a DAB + radio in vehicles ready for sale. As an interim measure, until December 2020, car manufacturers will be able to offer vehicles for sale car radios without DAB+ up to a maximum of 10% of the vehicles that were produced and registered in 2019.

This article outlines the specifications of DAB radio, touching on the technology's various benefits for listeners and broadcasters, and Germany's recent introduction of regulation mandating DAB+ radio in cars and certain types of consumer receivers.

The Virgin Radio network (including Virgin Radio, Virgin Radio Anthems and Virgin Radio Chilled) now reaches 1.64m (up 303% year-on-year), delivering 9.2m hours (up 508% year-on-year). Every show in Virgin Radio’s daytime schedule delivered record listening figures.

2019 was a very strong year for DAB+ in the UK, with DAB+ installed as standard in 2.38 million new vehicles. In the fourth quarter of 2019, the share of new vehicles with DAB+ reception as standard rose to a record 95 percent.Ten years ago (Q4 2010), the share of new cars with DAB/DAB+ as standard was only 4 percent.

Last year was a record year for DAB with 2.38 million new vehicles fitted with DAB digital radio as standard. DAB in new car registrations rose to a record 95% of all new cars in Q4 2019, while DAB in new commercial vehicles increased to a record of over 64%.