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Radio’s continued global potency in attracting and keeping mass audiences while maintaining trust and entertaining people is being championed today, UNESCO’s World Radio Day. Established to acknowledge the creation of United Nations Radio on 13 February in 1946, the 2024 theme of “Looking Forward to Radio’s Next Century” shines a light on radio’s remarkable past, current relevance and dynamic future. “Radio is the most innovative and immediate media in Australia, and it has continually grown and evolved to suit the needs of its audience,” said Ford Ennals, Chief Executive Officer of industry body Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA), in reference to World Radio Day. Through profound changes in society, shifts in the economy and a transformation in technology, radio has stood the test of time. And the Australian commercial radio industry continues to thrive.

Spain's RNE is to start broadcasting in DAB+, the broadcaster has announced on social media. "RNE starts broadcasting in DAB+. Follow the live presentation this Tuesday, February 13, at 12:00 CET on @rtveplay," it posted on X (formerly Twitter). WorldDAB's President, Jacqueline Bierhorst, will be speaking at the official launch, which takes place in Madrid on World Radio Day.

With all its channels, this year Radio Rai is participating in World Radio Day 2024, the World Radio Day established by UNESCO, on 13 February. In the year in which the 100th anniversary of radio is celebrated, the focus will be on the great past, present and future of this medium, and a major event will be held at Milan's Talent Garden Calabiana, with the participation of Marco Lanzarone, director of Rai specialised radio stations, Andrea Borgnino, head of RaiPlay Sound, Francesco Repice of Rai Radio1 and Natasha Lusenti of Rai Radio2. Broadcast live via streaming on the official website worldradioday.it and organised by Radio Speaker, the event aims to be a tribute to radio as a means of disseminating culture and information, turning the spotlight on National, Area, Web, DAB, University, In-Store and Corporate Radio.

In an appeal published on Tuesday 13 February, some 15 international organisations representing the media and manufacturers are calling for radio to remain "accessible to as many people as possible", with the emphasis on the car, where it must be "unmissable". Radio is "a compass in a changing world", say the signatories on World Radio Day. They include the European Broadcasting Union, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, WorldDAB (promoting digital radio), an association of manufacturers and broadcasters, and UNESCO. They all say they are "firmly convinced that radio must remain accessible to as many people as possible, wherever and however they receive it", through "terrestrial broadcasting networks, which are still necessary for the majority of listeners in the world", and "online access, which is just as democratic and open".

By the summer, Fiera Touch, one of the winners of the auction of frequencies for digital radios, wants to have a clear timetable for the launch of transmitters in each region and from which locations they should broadcast. The company, which also operates the television Regional Network 11 with the iVodárenství.cz, i-Vysočina.cz and KladNo.1 TV programmes, intends to take advantage of the synergies with this multiplex and place the radio transmitters next to the television transmitters. Pavel Hájek, the company's managing director and sole owner, told the media outlet. "The timetable for the construction of the network will be clear by the summer, but we will definitely launch some sites this year," he added.

WorldDAB is proud to be one of the many major organisations around the globe supporting UNESCO World Radio Day 2024, which marks 100 years of the medium. Alongside the publication of our first French-language ebook: "Mise en place du DAB+ - la radiodiffusion numérique," WorldDAB is also one of the signatories of a statement: "Radio, the Trusted Guide in a Changing World". It includes a strong call for "governments, regulatory bodies, the technology and automotive industries, and all members of the global radio community to put safeguards in place to ensure that radio continues to thrive." It notes in particular that "whether it is terrestrial broadcast or internet, radio in cars should not just be easy to find, it must be impossible to miss."

With DAB+ in France reaching 60% mainland population coverage in the coming weeks, and significant interest in DAB+ from other French-speaking countries around the globe, WorldDAB is publishing its first French-language ebook: "Mise en place du DAB+ - la radiodiffusion numérique." The 118-page publication, free to download from the WorldDAB website, is a French translation of the popular "Establishing DAB+ Digital Broadcast Radio" ebook, offering a unique, in-depth guide to the regulatory, technical and commercial aspects of establishing a successful DAB+ digital radio service. The ebook is published on 13 February to mark UNESCO’s World Radio Day, reflecting broadcast radio’s vital role as a relatively free and portable public safety net during emergencies, as well as the democratic value of radio to serve as a connection within underserved groups, and the companionship it can bring as a friendly voice when needed.

Industry body Commercial Radio & Audio has called for immediate action to ensure free, easy, and reliable access to Australian radio on smart devices like speakers and cars. In a submission to the Senate inquiry on the Prominence and Anti-siphoning Bill, which is aimed at ensuring easy free-to-air television access on smart TVs, CRA said the Bill needs to include radio. “It is essential to both the radio industry and Australian communities that there is always free, easy, and universal access to Australian radio on smart speakers and in cars,” said CRA chief executive officer Ford Ennals. “If Australians cannot easily access local radio during emergencies such as bushfires, storms, floods, or traffic incidents, it can be an issue of community safety,” Mr Ennals said.

Digital radio use has grown steadily since 2015: radio use via IP has increased from 26% in 2015 to 39% in 2023, while use via DAB+ has almost doubled in this period (2015: 23%, 2023: 41%). In German-speaking Switzerland, DAB+ is the most frequently used reception channel at 43%, while IP is ahead in French-speaking Switzerland at 41%. Half of radio listeners, or 45% of the population, only use digital reception channels, compared to 10% of the population who only listen to radio via FM. Around 31% use both. The proportion of people who do not use radio at all is 12%. This means that digital radio use has stabilised at a high level. As new cars are equipped with DAB+ as standard, in-car use will also become increasingly digital.

NPO Blend is launching presented programmes on the new experimental channel for the first time, featuring One'sy Muller, Howard Komproe, Niels Hoogland, Shay Kreuger, among others. The first programme, the afternoon show 'Bridge The Gap' can be heard from Monday (12 February). The other programmes will start only on 4 March on NPO Blend. The new radio station, which can be listened to via DAB+ and the internet, features many lesser-known names alongside well-known ones.