Deutschlandradio is moving along with DAB+ by switching the majority of the Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur programs to digital at a total of five locations in Bavaria (Burgbernheim, Burglengenfeld, Hohenpeißenberg, Starnberg) and Hesse (Oberursel).
The national German public radio broadcaster notes that together with Deutschlandfunk Nova and the special channel Dokumente und Debatten (Documents and Debates) as well as nine other private programs in the nationwide DAB+ program offer on channel 5C, these programs can already be received digitally via antenna.
On June 30, it will end the parallel analog VHF broadcast of Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandfunk Kultur in Burgbernheim in Middle Franconia and Starnberg in Upper Bavaria. At the Burglengenfeld in Upper Palatinate and Oberursel im Taunus locations, Deutschlandfunk and in Hohenpeißenberg Deutschlandfunk Kultur will remain available via VHF.
Deutschlandradio is preparing listeners for the change with local and online marketing and outreach. Regional retailers are available to answer questions about DAB+ and the new functionalities. Also, several regions will have “Digital Radio Days,” where people can get on-the-spot advice from experts.
The broadcaster has been distributing purely digital programs in select regions for several years. “We are convinced of the digitization of radio and are pursuing a sustainable digitization strategy. DAB+ represents the only way for Deutschlandradio to fulfill its legal mandate and actually make its wide range of programs available nationwide,” said Stefan Raue, director-general of Deutschlandradio.
