News

Ofcom has confirmed the awarding of a second national digital commercial multiplex will be a competitive process. The news comes as the regulator extends the closing date, to allow a prospective licence applicant sufficient time to obtain information from Arqiva, which owns many DAB transmitter sites. The closing date has been extended from October 30th 2014 to January 29th 2015.

From Monday 13 to Friday October 17 2014, digital radio will be promoted through the Netherlands with a media campaign via radio and TV.

Today, the Authority for Broadcasting in Sweden has granted six broadcasters 21 national and four local/regional licences to broadcast digital commercial radio. The licences will be valid from 2 October 2014 to 30 September 2022 with broadcasts to be started no later than 1 October 2015.

NRK P1 + celebrated their first anniversary with the announcement that listening figures have stabilised at a level that is well above what the goal was for the first year. When P1 + was launched, the goal was that the station should reach a target of 100,000 listeners daily, during the channel's first year of life. Daily listening has now stabilised at between 150,000 and 200,000.

Digital radio is gradually making it's way into the car across Europe...In a panel discussion on in-car digital broadcast radio at IBC 2014, digital radio executives made a strong case for the technology. Article taking from the AutomotiveIT Executive Report which can be accessed from: www.automotiveit.com/executive-report

Ted Baker Audio has expanded its product range with the release of a new DAB radio with Bluetooth.

According to SIRTI (Syndicat Interprofessionnel des Radios et Télévisions Indépendantes): "100 days after the official launch of DAB+ digital radio in France, 98 radio stations are already on air in Paris, Marseille and Nice". There are now 46 programmes in Paris, 31 in Marseille and 21 in Nice. SIRTI calls for a national rollout of DAB+ across France.

In his letter to Minister for Culture, Fleur Pellerin, he says: "...it is urgent to create equal access to frequencies by attributing remaining FM spectrum to independent radio stations, by deploying free to air broadcast digital radio across the country and by bringing together all broadcast radio stations on a single player as a service to the public.”

Mediamobile, is offering proof of concept of its latest range of V-Traffic services on DAB by taking part in a pilot project for digital radio launched by automotive manufacturer Continental. The joint objective of this partnership – also involving the broadcaster VDL, Radio France, and local radios – is to deliver a practical illustration of the many advantages of DAB radio for the French automotive industry.

In an interview with Newseria Biznes, the head of the Polish broadcasting council KRRiT Jan Dworak outlined the perspectives for the transition to digital radio broadcasting.