News

Radio is the most popular thing to listen to, according to figures in the UK, the US, and now Australia. According to new research released by Commercial Radio Australia, live radio (including AM/FM/DAB and online simulcasts) accounts for 65% of all time spent listening.

A new survey from the radio station "Absolute relax" shows that radio listeners in Germany are increasingly using DAB+ with over 65 percent opting ​​for DAB+ when listening to the radio.

Seven programs of Radio France are now broadcast via DAB+, as well as those of some smaller stations, thanks to transmission provider Towercast, who installed a digital radio transmitter mux at the top of Mercuriales.

Javier Sanchez, President of the Strategic Programme Platforms EBU Digital Radio explores the future of digital radio in Spain. He notes how the spectrum efficiency of DAB+ is about three times greater than that of DAB. He notes how switching to DAB+ in Spain could allow up to 48 new radio stations on air.

WorldDAB has announced the first keynote speakers and topics for its 2016 General Assembly, taking place on Nov. 9–10, in Vienna. The theme of the event is “New content. New markets” and it will bring together regulators, broadcasters, governments and manufacturers to look at how DAB is being used in established and emerging markets around the world, reaching new audiences and delivering innovative content.

Digital radio coverage continues to grow in Italy and new transmitters activated today bring digital radio to the area between Brindisi and Taranto.

Public media broadcasters from all over Europe, representatives from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), WorldDAB and representatives from the automotive industry, gathered in Poland for the European Radio Forum. The conference was devoted to the technological future of radio. Among the speakers were: Helen Boaden - Director of BBC Radio, Willi Steul - CEO Deutschlandradio, Miklos Vaszily - Director General of the Hungarian public television and radio MTVA, Rene Zavoral - Director General of Czech Radio and Graham Dixon - Director of Radio at the EBU.

In an interview for BNR Jacqueline Bierhorst of Digital Radio NL explores the future for digital radio in the Netherlands. She outlines how the Netherlands is aiming for 70% of the population listening to radio digitally by 2023.

Polish Radio is the pioneer of digital broadcasting in this country, having launched its first DAB transmissions three years ago. It has since been advocating the further development of this.

Sławek Szefs reports how the participants of this international event organized by Polish Radio have come to the conclusion that, what is most needed at present, is a coherent strategy for public broadcasters to push forward with the digitalisation process.