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LONDON — As 2025 becomes 2026, questions about the viability of terrestrial broadcasting and the full advent of digital radio are increasingly pressing.
I share my WorldDAB counterpart’s view that radio’s future is bright, as listeners continue to love radio, especially in the car — or rather, in some cars. The battle for the dashboard continues, from the halls of the American Congress to the forecourts of Tesla. Funnily, the old attributes of radio — trust, accessibility and authenticity — are more appreciated in a world governed by algorithms. A recent iHeart study found that in an era of constant scrolling and synthetic content, Americans are feeling digitally sick and “looking for something real: human voices and live connection of broadcast radio.”
So, broadcast doesn’t need saving but does need to be digital, and 2025 witnessed overall progress for digital radio, especially for the open standards, DRM and DAB+. This might be one of the most salient features of 2026 and beyond.
Strengthening global position
The Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium is closing out 2025 with a series of advancements that underscore its role as the only global digital radio standard capable of operating seamlessly across all frequency bands.
In 2025, we registered increased interest and orders for shortwave — either for long-awaited digital upgrades to existing transmitters, as in Nigeria, or for new installations that provide additional coverage for broadcasting and emergency warning delivery.
Other African countries, such as South Africa, are aiming to implement DRM and DAB solutions. Increased focus on the African continent has emboldened DRM to launch a new DRM African Newsletter in September.
DRM is also shining in the Asia-Pacific. In July, the Chinese government officially adopted the National DRM Standard for medium-wave and shortwave broadcasting. This historic move is more than just an infrastructure upgrade; it is a deliberate investment in the resilience of national communication networks. The draft Chinese Mandatory Standard for In-Vehicle Wireless Reception also includes DRM, weaving digital radio into the fabric of everyday mobility and setting an example for other nations.
The good work continued in India, where 12 million cars are now equipped with DRM medium-wave receivers, upgradeable to FM. Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Malaysia are either rolling out or considering DRM.
One Asia-Pacific country with steady DRM progress this year is Indonesia, which has adopted DRM alongside DAB in VHF Band II and the lower part of Band III, and installed DRM FM transmitters with Emergency Warning Functionality, which is essential for a country on the Pacific “ring of fire.”
DRM is a considerable, robust, scalable system ready for broad adoption.
Expanding listener experience
Digital radio is about reception as much as it is about transmission, and for DRM, receivers remain a priority. In September, two DRM members, RF2Digital and Desay SV, together with Autoaccindo Jaya, developed a dedicated in-vehicle digital radio solution tailored for Indonesia. It features a single unified DRM-DAB module capable of receiving FM, DRM and DAB signals, along with integrated EWF.
At IBC2025 in Amsterdam, RFmondial and transmitter manufacturer Plisch unveiled the world’s first multichannel DRM transmitter in VHF Band III. Capable of combining up to 15 DRM-FM streams into a single spectrum, it supports up to 45 audio channels and 15 data channels. The system’s low-power, even solar-powered design, makes it ideal for geographically diverse nations like Indonesia.
Starwaves added DRM-only support to its dual-standard SoftRadio app, enabling Android devices to process DRM across all bands and DAB+ signals. Meanwhile, CML Micro and Fraunhofer IIS enhanced the DRM1000 broadcast receiver module, now with Journaline services integrated, optimized for compact, low-power receivers such as the newly launched N88 receiver. It is now manufactured in India.
Radio is not just about hardware. In a groundbreaking pilot carried out in The Gambia, DRM successfully delivered distance education via digital radio. A live math lesson was broadcast more than 4,000 kilometers from the United Kingdom using DRM shortwave, complete with audio, multilingual text and interactive digital textbooks, showcasing how DRM can support learning even in remote areas, without internet access.
A connected digital future
If we were to sum up the notable DRM digital radio 2025 highlights, they would include: Significant strides in Asia, renewed focus on Africa, clear demonstration of special benefits such as distance learning and emergency warning, receiver developments and multistandard DRM-DAB solutions that align with the policies of countries like South Africa and Indonesia.
DRM is no longer a niche technology. It’s a considerable, robust, scalable system ready for broad adoption. It can provide energy-efficient nationwide coverage, deliver multimedia services and ensure reliability across diverse terrains.
It is not a question of whether DRM or DAB can save broadcasting. They can enhance it and keep it relevant where and when needed. The 2025 developments show that the journey toward universal, connected digital radio is no longer speculative — it’s already underway.
The author is chairman of the DRM Consortium.
This story originally appeared in the November/December edition of RedTech Magazine.
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