News

For the second time since the launch of DAB digital radio broadcasts at the end of 2009, audience numbers for all DAB only stations have been released one week after the official metropolitan GfK radio ratings.

The government will allocate new funding of $6.1 million over two years for the community radio sector to support digital radio services and one-off spectrum reorganisation costs for analog radio services. "We recognise it is important that we make funding provision to ensure that this important work that community radio does can be supported and that the transition to digital radio can be supported," said Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, announcing additional funding for community digital radio.

Paneda has signed a new agreement with Teracom Sweden. The agreement means that Paneda will provide the DAB Head-End solution for the two existing DAB multiplexes in operation, the national mux with Swedish Radio and the local commercial mux in Stockholm.

The debate over whether DAB+ digital radio has a future in Germany has been going on for years, while decisions are being made in other European countries. At Medientage Mitteldeutschland 2017 the debate continued. Dr. Ulrich Liebenow , Chairman of the Production and Technology Commission of the ARD and Director of the MDR, said that by 2020 DAB coverage would be 95% of the broadcast area in Germany.

From 1st May 2017, Germany Radio, Germany Radio Culture, and Germany Radio Nova (Deutschlandradio) have new logos. With "Deutschlandfunk" now being used across the three brands, a refreshed colour palette and a new typography, this now underlines the relationship between the three stations.

Gernot Fischer has stepped down from the management of the Digitalradio Austria Association, as he is taking part in the current broadcasting network tender with the RTG company as a multiplex provider. He hands over his role to Matthias Gerwinat, Managing Director of ERF, who was unanimously elected successor by the General Meeting.

The Federal Cabinet today adopted the draft of a Fourth Act amending the Telecommunications Act, as presented by the Federal Minister of Economics and Energy. This amendment puts forward that in the future high-quality radio receivers may only be traded if they are suitable for the reception of standardised digital signals.

In the broadcasting area for ​​the MDR, 99 per cent of the area, 88 per cent of the population and 100 per cent of the federal motorways are now supplied with DAB+ digital radio from the Central German Broadcasting Corporation. The three central states within this area are among Germany's best-equipped digital radio stations, according to information released from the broadcaster to the MDR Broadcasting Council, which met in Leipzig on 2nd May 2017.

The debate over whether DAB+ digital radio has a future in Germany has been going on for years, while decisions are being made in other European countries. At Medientage Mitteldeutschland 2017 the debate continued, with Georg Plattner, director of the RAS radio station commenting: "It's a pity that you do not have the guts to shut down FM in Germany".

Industry representatives and experts meeting at Medientage Mitteldeutschland 2017 this week have been discussing questions such as: "How much investment is needed in DAB+?" and "What do profitable business models look like?". Willi Schreiner, Managing Director of Absolut Digital GmbH and Digitalradio Deutschland GmbH, emphasised that the future of radio is digital: "Digital is increasing, while FM is on the decline."