News

DAB+ is very popular in Bavaria in 2023: almost half (48%) of the population has at least one DAB+ receiver in their home or car (+4 pp). And: around 31% of the population in Bavaria, or around 3.5 million people, listen to the radio via DAB+ on an average day (+4 pp). DAB+ is thus extending its lead as a digital playout channel - ahead of web radio with a daily reach of 17%, which has been virtually stagnant for three years (2022: 16.5%, 2021: 16.8%). These are some preliminary results from the Radio Analysis Bavaria Radio 2023, which will be presented tomorrow at the Local Radio Days.

Media Broadcast continues to expand the transmitter network of the first national digital radio programme package. Today, a new transmitter in Zwickau in Saxony will go into operation, and in the second half of 2023, four additional new transmitter sites will be added in three other federal states. "Programmes broadcast nationwide are undoubtedly among the drivers of digital radio via DAB+. We are therefore pleased to further increase the quality of the network with the construction of additional sites in the 1st national multiplex and to offer listeners in the respective reception areas improved listening pleasure and more programme diversity," says Francie Petrick, Managing Director of Media Broadcast.

The Government Legislation Centre has published a proposed regulation of the National Radio and Television Council providing, among other things, for changes in relation to the regulation currently in force consisting of a four times lower fee for granting or amending a licence for the distribution of a radio programme in the DAB+ standard. "The proposed reductions in the DAB+ licence fee are intended to provide an incentive for new or existing broadcasters to start broadcasting in this standard," it said.

Advertisers now have the chance to strengthen their audio campaign on kulthitRADIO with display ads. Thanks to DAB+ technology, kulthitRADIO is the first state-wide DAB+ station in North Rhine-Westphalia to be able to play out images on in-car displays and on display-enabled DAB+ home devices. A purely auditory advertising campaign is supplemented by visual display advertising to accompany the campaign. This combination can significantly increase the activation performance of the advertising.

RTVS in cooperation with the service supplier Towercom a.s. extends the coverage of the territory and population of Slovakia with the digital radio broadcasting signal in the T-DAB+ standard. A new location Prievidza will be added. From 1 July, listeners will be able to listen to all RTVS Slovak Radio programme services via the new T-DAB+ transmitter in Prievidza. The radiated power of the transmitter will be 700 W and it will serve listeners in the locality of Prievidza - Bojnice and surroundings.

DAB+ technology is gradually being rolled out in France. Every year, new transmitters are brought into service to provide ever finer coverage of the country. In total, 17 extended or local multiplexes are scheduled to start broadcasting in the summer of 2023. Once these transmitters are up and running, DAB+ will cover more than 50% of the population of mainland France. Discover the list of digital radio stations authorised in June by Arcom in the local and extended allotments of Besançon, Metz and Nancy.

Attorneys general from 16 states have expressed their concern about the decision of several organisations to eliminate AM radios in electric cars. Their letter marks another step in the bipartisan push to protect the AM band. In a letter addressed to the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) and the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), the Republican attorneys general highlighted the important role AM radio plays in ensuring the safety and well-being of Americans. They urged the associations to reconsider the decision to remove AM radios from electric vehicles. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody led the letter, and referenced the NAB’s “Depend on AM Radio” campaign that has led to tens of thousands of letters, social media messages, and emails to Congress and automakers.

A new report shows traffic and travel news remains relevant to radio listeners despite the growth of travel apps and websites. The survey shows that radio travel bulletins are the most widely used and most often used source of traffic and travel information, with reliability and accessibility being the key factors. The information was collected for GTN UK, gathering opinions from 2,000 listeners across the UK, along with additional smartphone surveys. When asked which sources of travel information comes to mind spontaneously, 49% said radio, whilst 12% mentioned Google Maps and 6% said social media.

DAB+ technology is gradually being rolled out in France. Every year, new transmitters are brought into service to provide ever finer coverage of the country. In total, 17 extended or local multiplexes are scheduled to start broadcasting in the summer of 2023. Once these transmitters are up and running, DAB+ will cover more than 50% of the population of mainland France. Every month, digital terrestrial radio (DAB+) passes new milestones in its rollout. Discover the list of digital radio stations authorised in June by Arcom in the local and extended allotments of Bayonne.

On 12 and 13 June, the final meeting of a working group of media regulatory and frequency planning institutions from seven countries in eastern Europe took place at the Hungarian media regulatory authority NMHH in Budapest with the ceremonial signing of an agreement on the use of DAB+ frequencies in the joint frequency planning area. Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Romania participated in the working group. The working agreement now concluded enables the administrations to tender for new or additional DAB+ multiplex coverage by agreeing on technical reference parameters for future DAB+ transmitter stations.