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As more than 300 executives from the automotive and broadcasting industries gathered in Prague to discuss the global future of radio in vehicles, WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst emphasized the “relentless” nature of radio and how it must be preserved. Bierhorst commented, “We all have to pull together to ensure that [radio] remains at the heart of the dashboard, in the best quality possible.” US broadcasters have spent the past year fighting for AM radio in Washington, DC, with those efforts mirrored abroad. While electric vehicle manufacturers efforts to remove over-the-air radio, the medium maintains a significant share of in-car audio consumption, recognized for its reliability and critical role during emergencies.

From 20 June to 1 August 2024, local commercial broadcasters can apply for a licence for local digital radio. There are still 815 licences available for these broadcasters, spread across 57 areas (allotments) throughout the Netherlands. Digital radio is growing rapidly in popularity and offers many opportunities. With a licence for local digital radio, broadcasters can use DAB+ (Digital Audio Broadcasting) and expand their reach. That there is a lot of enthusiasm for local digital radio was shown earlier this year during the application period for local public radio. Indeed, in February, more than 200 local public broadcasters received a licence for DAB+. Local commercial broadcasters can apply for local digital radio (DAB+) licences from 20 June 2024 until 1 August 2024.

This Friday, 28 mostly new radio channels will go on air in Austria. Four of these are new programmes from Kronehit, which are as far removed from the parent programme as possible: "Radio Rot Weiß Rot", for example, is dedicated entirely to Austropop, from Ambros to Wanda, Bilgeri to RAF Camora; "Pirate Radio" alternative rock and pop. The responsible programme director Dani Linzer explains what the audience can expect from Friday. Kronehit will be launching two new national radio programmes and two regional ones for Eastern Austria on Friday, when a total of 28 stations will go on air, most of them new to the DAB+ digital radio standard. The programming is "deliberately more niche", also more niche than competitors, says Linzer.

On 21 June 2024, Austria will see the largest expansion of private radio stations since the start of private broadcasting in 1998. The launch of further DAB+ multiplexes will significantly increase the variety of stations."Here you hear the hits first! Our music editors check the best new releases from the current superstars in the hit universe every day and throw them on air immediately", is how the new station Antenne Hit presents itself in its self-description. The new programme comes from Antenne in Salzburg. Antenne Hit is a 24-hour full programme. The focus is on music in the HOT AC format, which includes modern hits from the genres pop, pop-rock, new rock, dance, RnB as well as current chart music. The programme is characterised by a HOT AC format focussing on current hits and music from the last 20 years, supplemented by top hits from the last five decades.

Play.cz has signed a three-month memorandum of exclusivity for negotiations on the construction and operation of regional networks for terrestrial digital radio broadcasting DAB+ with Czech Radiocommunications (CRA). Play.cz, as one of the eight winners of the auction of frequencies for digital radio broadcasting, has committed not to negotiate with any other potential supplier of broadcasting services until September. Jan John, a member of Play.cz's supervisory board, made the announcement at the DIGIMEDIA 2024 conference last week. The possibility that CRA would operate DAB+ for Play.cz as a service is in play, thus de facto becoming a technical operator, similar to the case of the CRo DAB+ public network operated by Czech Radio.

Colourful Radio is switching to DAB+ on Switch Digital’s London 2 multiplex. Colourful founder and exec producer, Kofi Kusitor MBE says: “We’ve had great relationships with multiplex owners and transmission companies for over 20 years.“And so, it is doubly exciting to agree on a deal that not only provides our legacy radio station a new home with London 2 but also offers the Colourful brand the opportunity to grow our unique and unmatched offering beyond a single service.” For the last four years, London 3 was home to Colourful in traditional DAB. Mr Kusitor adds: “I am thankful to Global and London 3 for their kindness and exceptional service and support over the years.”

Where does DAB+ radio stand in terms of its prominence in new cars, and what has to be done to maintain radio’s position going forward? Both of those topics were tackled by Laurence Harrison, director of automotive partnerships with Radioplayer Worldwide, during his talk entitled, “The fight for radio’s prominence in-car: Where are we now and can we win?” at the WorldDAB Automotive 2024 conference. To find out how prominent DAB+ radio is in today’s new cars, “we did a quick bit of research,” said Harrison. “I couldn’t claim that this is completely representative, but what we did is we went into the UK to look at 10 new cars. These were from the top 10 OEM brands’ new models and we looked at two things. We looked at the broadcast DAB+ radio button’s prominence and we also looked at voice, and the extent to which you’ve made an accurate request and then it played on DAB+.”

The unique annual WorldDAB Automotive event brought together both in-person and online, over 300 executives from across the global automotive and broadcast sectors in Prague, Czechia on Thursday (13 June). Setting the scene, WorldDAB President, Jacqueline Bierhorst made a passionate call for continued collaboration to ensure broadcast radio’s prominence in-car. She described radio as “relentless” for its longevity and added: “we all have to pull together to ensure that DAB+ remains at the heart of the dashboard, in the best quality possible.” Bierhorst was joined on stage by EBU Head of Radio, Edita Kudláčová, to highlight radio’s critical role as a trusted source of news, and its importance in times of crisis.

Announced several months ago, the regulator unveiled its White Paper on radio on Tuesday morning. The reason for this is "because the media must adapt to new uses and Arcom is there to support them". The aim of the White Paper is to take stock of the current state of radio, identify the needs of each sector and offer a vision, such as that of achieving the switch to fully digital radio by the end of 2033. "Radio today is facing structural questions. It is at a crossroads," Roch-Olivier Maistre began. "The radio medium needs a horizon. To do this, it must emerge from uncertainty and prepare for the switch to all-digital broadcasting, to the benefit of all audiences and all radio stations". Referring to Balzac, Roch-Olivier Maistre said that "Good reports are those that are transformed into deeds".

This is (almost) the end of an era for frequency modulation. The White Paper on Radio, unveiled this morning by Arcom, mentions 2033 as the date for totally digital French radio. Cleverly, there is no question of abandoning FM but of favouring DAB, which will inevitably and gradually take over. In less than 10 years' time. In any event, a decision to extinguish FM in mainland France and the procedures for doing so can only be taken at the end of the two phases of the trajectory proposed by Arcom, i.e. in 2033, or closer to that date if a majority of the proposals put forward by Arcom have been implemented cumulatively.