DAB+ expansion gains momentum across Europe

ANTWERP, Belgium — The 2025 WorldDAB Summit convened on Nov. 20 at DPG Media’s headquarters in Antwerp, bringing together broadcasters, policymakers and industry partners. In her opening keynote, WorldDAB president Jacqueline Bierhorst emphasized the technology’s operational and commercial significance. “DAB+ powers the business of broadcast, and it delivers real value for listeners at home, at work and on the road,” she said.

Bierhorst highlighted the continued relevance of the European Electronic Communications Code, which requires that any radio installed in new vehicles sold or rented in the European Union must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio. “But this requirement applies only if a radio is installed in the vehicle,” she noted. “Looking ahead, there is an important opportunity: future legislation can go a step further by requiring that a broadcast radio receiver is always included in new vehicles — maintaining continuity, reliability and guaranteed access for every driver.”

To assist policymakers, she announced that WorldDAB will work with the consulting firm South 180 to develop a public policy toolkit to help governments and regulators understand the key components of successful DAB+ deployment. WorldDAB is also commissioning new research on broadcast radio’s role in the car, examining listener expectations, usage patterns and the importance of direct access to radio.

Digital shift

Audience data provided an updated view of Belgium’s digital listening landscape. In 2025, 54% of all radio listening in Flanders occurred on digital platforms, with DAB+ accounting for 32% of daily listening — equivalent to 3 hours and 7 minutes per day. The latest figures for Wallonia, from 2024, show digital listening at 49%, with DAB+ representing 27% of total listening time (three hours and 19 minutes).

Speakers from across Europe outlined recent service developments and market outcomes. Jonathan Wall, director of BBC Sounds, described the launch of three new digital music stations on DAB+ in the United Kingdom in September, noting the platform’s widespread household and in-car adoption. Charles-Emmanuel Bon, secretary general of Radio France, introduced “Mon petit France Inter,” a children’s service broadcast exclusively on DAB+ and designed for listeners aged 6–10 and for family in-car use.

Usha Parmar, CEO, and Raj Parmar, director, of the U.K.’s Sunrise Radio, reviewed the station’s evolution from a local FM outlet in West Yorkshire to a broadcaster with extensive DAB+ coverage. They reported that the network’s expansion via DAB+ had delivered a 46.8% increase in listeners. Sunrise Radio launched in 1989 as the U.K.’s first commercial Asian radio service on FM. Over time, it extended its DAB presence to multiple regions and is now a partner in the rollout of new multiplexes in South and West London.

Audience behavior and the challenge of engaging younger listeners were addressed by Katerina Borovska, egta senior manager for marketing and innovation. “For everyone in this room who’s built DAB+ infrastructure, this is the foundation. DAB+ delivers the reach, quality, and automotive advantage that keeps radio central. But here’s the reality: to engage young audiences, we can’t just be on the airwaves,” she said. “DAB+ is the anchor; multi-platform presence is the reach.”

Tech and safety

Technical updates from Germany focused on the Automatic Safety Alerts system. Alexander Jahn, operations manager at Bayern Digital Radio, described ongoing on-air tests that trigger ASA events four times per hour to verify receiver performance. Harald Hoffend, CTO of Funkhaus Regensburg, outlined a fully automated workflow that allows crewless stations to convert official text-based alerts into synthesized audio messages, apply the required introduction and outro elements, and broadcast them automatically in line with ASA specifications.

Spain may become the first country to require ASA capability for all radio receivers sold nationally, according to Javier Sánchez Pérez, director of audiovisual policy and public service at Radio Televisión Española. He said the measure is expected to take effect in the third quarter of 2026.

Additional insights came from Ireland’s DAB+ trials, launched in April and now carrying nearly 30 services. George Cernat, senior director of automotive connected media at Xperi, presented real-world in-car listening data gathered from vehicles equipped with Xperi’s DTS AutoStage system, which aggregates anonymous information on which stations drivers are tuned to and whether they’re listening via FM, DAB or streaming. According to Cernat, 20.3% of overall listening in participating vehicles is now to DAB+. In areas where FM and DAB coverage overlap, more than 90% of listening in DTS AutoStage-equipped cars is to the DAB+ version of a station.

During WorldDAB’s General Assembly, held the day before the Summit, the organization presented the 2025 WorldDAB Award for Outstanding Service to Mate Botica, CEO of OIV, Croatia’s DAB+ network operator.

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