WorldDAB Weekly Industry News 20.02.25

Javier Sánchez, new director of RTVE’s Audiovisual Policy and Public Service Department
17.02.25, Spain
WorldDAB Steering Board member Javier Sánchez is the new Director of Audiovisual Policy and Public Service at RTVE. A Telecommunications Engineer from the Alfonso X El Sabio University, his professional activity has always been related to the provision of audiovisual communication services and related aspects. He joined RTVE by competitive examination in 2008. He has been responsible for Strategy at the RTVE Innovation Centre since its creation in 2015 until the present, and has been part of the Impulsa Visión team since its creation. He has also been responsible for RTVE’s European Spectrum Strategy (2014-2015) and head of Technical Planning at RNE (2008-2014).
(RTVE) Read more…

Radio Metro expands to Telemark and Vestfold on local DAB
19.02.25, Norway
Radio Metro continues its expansion and is now extending its broadcasts to Telemark and Vestfold, on local DAB. With this expansion, Radio Metro ensures continuous coverage from Mandal in the south to Røros in the north, which marks a milestone for the channel. ‘This is an important strategic investment that strengthens our position in southern and eastern Norway. We want to provide our listeners with an even better radio service and look forward to welcoming new listeners,’ says CEO Yvonne Stikbakke. ‘We are proud to be able to expand our distribution to Vestfold and Telemark. With this expansion, we can reach even more listeners and offer our unique combination of experienced presenters, good music and exciting competitions.’
(Radionytt.no) Read more…

UK’s talkSPORT granted permission to turn off seven of its 18 AM transmitters
17.02.25, United Kingdom
talkSPORT has been granted permission from Ofcom to turn off seven of its 18 transmitters. The move will reduce its national AM radio coverage from 92% to 88.9% of the UK adult population. The transmitter sites talkSPORT will close are; Clipstone (Nottinghamshire), Duxhurst (Surrey), Lisnagarvey (in County Antrim, Northern Ireland), Lydd (Kent), Stockton (Durham/North Yorkshire), Southwick/Brighton (West Sussex) and Rusthall (Tunbridge Wells). The reasons given by talkSPORT for these changes include declining listenership to its AM service as people turn to alternative platforms, considered against the ongoing viability of each transmitter site. The station will remain available nationally on DAB and other platforms.
(Radio Today UK) Read more…

DAB+ station offering on the rise: local rollout gains momentum
17.02.25, Netherlands
Under the NLPO banner, hundreds of radio stations will start distributing their programmes through frequency layer 6 by 1 September. This is intended for public and commercial broadcasters. Regulator Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI) has divided the Netherlands into 57 regions, known as allotments. More than 200 public and commercial broadcasters have received a licence for this and will be allowed to broadcast locally via DAB+ from 1 September for a period of six years. In any case, DAB+ distribution must have started by 1 September 2025. As there is still some space left on the allotments, a new round of applications for the licence necessary for broadcasting is being worked on behind the scenes.
(Totaal TV) Read more…
(Mediamagazine) East Groningen local broadcasters heard again via DAB+…

Broadcast Services’ DAB+ multiplex launches from six transmitters
17.02.2025, Czechia
Broadcast Services is launching a new DAB+ multiplex, which will operate from six transmitters in the first phase. The move expands the group’s Juke Box portfolio, which already operates FM radio, DVB-T and DVB-T2 broadcast networks. The new multiplex will distribute Radia Čas and Radia Čas Rock programmes at a bitrate of 96 kbps, with other stations under negotiation. Broadcast Services plans to progressively finalise the network to make efficient use of the frequency allocations. The aim is to provide complete DAB+ content for the Prague, Central Bohemia, Pardubice, Vysočina, South Moravia, Zlín, Olomouc and Moravia-Silesia regions.
(Český rozhlas) Read more…

Liberec already has 39 digital radios, multiplex C has been launched
14.02.25, Czechia
With more than a month delay compared to other locations launched on New Year’s Eve, RTI cz’s nationwide radio multiplex C started broadcasting in Liberec on Tuesday. This happened a week after the regional DAB+ network of Czech Radio Communications started broadcasting in Liberec. Four multiplexes for digital radio broadcasting with 39 radios can be tuned in from this week by listeners in Liberec and the surrounding area. At the beginning of last week, only two such networks (with 22 channels) were broadcasting in the North Bohemian capital, the public multiplex of Czech Radio and the regional network of Teleko digital. In the middle of last week, the regional network of Czech Radio Communications was added, and this Tuesday the national multiplex of RTI cz was added.
(Televizníweb.cz) Read more…
(Televizníweb.cz) Two more DAB+ operators – Broadcast Services and GG Omikron – launch first transmitters…

Radio Contact is launching a new radio station: Contact Max
13.02.25, Belgium
Radio Contact has a great announcement for you: a brand new radio station launches this Thursday. Contact Max promises to take you back to the carefree days of the 80s and 90s. From 13 February 2025, Contact Max is coming to bring back your best moments! ‘Radio Contact has been around for 45 years and, in a few moments, we’re going to be working with you to launch this new 100% digital radio station, with the ambition of becoming the first 100% digital French-language radio station in Belgium,’ says Frédéric Herbays from the Contact studio. By creating a third radio station, RTL Belgium is reaffirming its confidence in the future of DAB+ and strengthening its presence on the Belgian French-language radio scene with its new arrival: Contact Max.
(RTL Belgium) Read more…

Roman Gerner: ‘A clear mandate for the legislator’
13.02.25, Austria
Roman Gerner, Managing Director of Radio Klassik Stephansdom and Chair of the Austrian Digital Radio Association, on DAB+ in the Radiotest, demands for funding from the new government – and the continued existence of his station after the crowdfunding campaign. HORIZONT: The new DAB+ radios were measured by Radiotest for the first time. How do you assess their market entry in view of the current figures? Roman Gerner: We won’t see really valid data until the end of the next six months, as the new DAB+ stations didn’t go on air until June 2024 and have therefore not yet had a full year of coverage in the Radiotest. However, it can be said with relative certainty that, based on initial indications, the prospects for positive trends in DAB+ are quite good.
(HORIZONT) Read more…