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By the end of the second quarter of this year, a total of 70m digital radio receivers with DAB or DAB+ support were sold worldwide, according to a new report by WorldDAB.

According to the latest infographic report published by WorldDAB, 71 million digital radios have now be sold worldwide. More than 1m DAB+ receivers have been sold in the Netherlands, while in Germany, this number now exceeds 12 million recipients and that means that 17 percent of German households own at least one digital receiver.

Since Monday, Radio Oxygène has its DAB+ broadcasting system in Nice, from the site of Mont Leuze. The local multiplex 6 had not renewed the contract with its broadcaster. To propose a new economic model, Radio Oxygène has applied for the broadcasting of the multiplex, in order to be part of the new dynamics of DAB+, led by Nicolas Curien within the CSA.

A digital radio conference has been organised by Italian broadcaster RAI on 15 November in Rome. Entitled "Once upon a time the car radio", the conference is dedicated to the appeal of mobility of in-car digital listening, and will feature a roundtable discussion with car manufacturers, as well as another discussion held between content operators.

WorldDAB’s latest market report reveals that, by the end of Q2 2018, over 71 million consumer and automotive DAB/DAB+ receivers had been sold in Europe and Asia Pacific – up from 58 million in Q2 2017.

New DAB transmitters in East Anglia, the South West, Kent, South Wales and North East Scotland are now fully working and carrying programmes from SDL. The Sound Digital multiplex now has increased coverage to 83% of the UK from 77%, and is operated by a consortium of Bauer Media, Wireless and Arqiva. It launched in March 2016.

In October 2018, the Italian service provider PRAIS announced cooperation with its Polish counterpart BCAST. The purpose of the cooperation is to provide to Italian broadcasters a possibility to create high quality DAB+ services at lower cost. The effectiveness of cooperation was confirmed during the launch of the first two multiplexes of DAB+ radio in Sardinia

In the recently released Q3 report from RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research), UK listeners are becoming more digital, while overall radio reach remains high. Most people in the UK listen to radio stations: 89% for the third quarter. That number has stayed in the tight 89% – 91% in each Q3 since 2011.

Four million more listeners across the UK can now receive 19 further radio stations on DAB digital radio for the first time following the launch of new transmitters covering parts of East Anglia, the South West, Kent, South Wales and North East Scotland.

The Sound Digital multiplex in the UK has completed its coverage expansion, adding another four million potential listeners. As a result, more listeners than ever have access to the 19 digital radio stations offered by the multiplex, covering parts of East Anglia, the South West, Kent, South Wales and North East Scotland, boosting coverage from 77 to 83% of the UK.