• Antwerp hosts WorldDAB Summit as new data shows more than half of listening in Flanders now via digital
• Event hears DAB+ making strong, sustained progress across Europe and beyond, including new DAB+ services from BBC and Radio France delivering public value
• WorldDAB announces new public policy toolkit, automotive research, updated ebook.
“DAB+ powers the business of broadcast, and it delivers real value for listeners at home, at work and on the road,” said WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst in her keynote session opening WorldDAB Summit 2025. She noted that “DAB+ offers both security and success,” citing recent tests of the new Automatic Safety Alerts (ASA) in Germany and increasing interest in the system from other countries, alongside popular new DAB+ launches from both public and private broadcasters.
Call to EU: guarantee broadcast radio in all new vehicles
In her speech, Bierhorst set out the strong, sustained progress made by DAB+ across Europe and beyond, with the “strong foundation” of the EECC requirement that receivers in all new cars sold or rented in the EU must be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio. “But this requirement applies only if a radio is installed in the vehicle,” she added.
Bierhorst said “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 support the growth of DAB+, she announced that WorldDAB will work with consultants South 180 to develop a new “public policy toolkit” - a practical guide that helps governments and regulators understand what is needed for successful DAB+ implementation. Alongside this, WorldDAB is commissioning bespoke new research into the role and value of broadcast radio in vehicles. This work will help quantify what listeners expect from radio in the car, how they use it, and how important easy, direct access to broadcast really is.
WorldDAB has also published a fully updated second edition of its popular ebook: “Establishing DAB+ Digital Broadcast Radio” with new and expanded sections on ASA — Automatic Safety Alert — and on hybrid radio features, plus updated country case studies.
New data: Belgium passes 50% digital listening; UK and France expand via DAB+; Ireland trial shows 20% DAB+ listening share
WorldDAB Summit was held at DPG Media in Antwerp, Belgium, as new figures were released showing more than half (54%) of listening in Flanders will be via digital channels. DAB+ is the most popular form of digital listening in this part of Belgium, accounting for 32% of the total listening volume.
At the event, two leading public broadcasters explored how DAB+ delivers public value through the launch of new digital stations. From the UK, the Director of BBC Sounds, Jonathan Wall, spoke about its launch of three brand-new digital music radio stations on DAB+ in September. Wall noted that DAB had wide adoption in the UK, not just at home, but also in-car, with the new services offering listeners more choice, particularly those previously underrepresented in the BBC’s offering. Meanwhile, Charles-Emmanuel Bon, Secretary General of Radio France, said its new radio station “Mon petit France Inter” was a unique offering, broadcast only in DAB+, and targeted toward 6–10-year-old children, plus their parents for in-car listening.
The challenge of younger audiences was also tackled by Katerina Borovska, Senior Manager – Marketing and Innovation, for egta, the international trade body of audiovisual sales houses. “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," Borovska said, adding: "DAB+ is the anchor. Multi-platform presence is the reach."
The recent successful trial of the new life-saving DAB+ Automatic Safety Alert (ASA) system was explored by Carsten Zorger, of Digitalradio Büro Deutschland, with Harald Hoffend from Funkhaus Regensburg and Alexander Jahn of Bayern Digital Radio. Zorger noted that ASA capitalises on the strength of broadcast radio by complementing existing warning channels, and stressed the potential to save lives through DAB+ data services, delivering added value for radio buyers and the industry.
The wide range of DAB+ launches across Europe was a focus of the Summit. Estonia’s full-time launch of DAB+ was highlighted by Priit Vare, Head of Radio, DuoMedia, which now operates 4 FM-stations and 10 DAB+ only stations. The country now has two official commercial networks launched by Levira in September, with 10 transmitters. Meanwhile, Luxembourg is days away from its launch of DAB+. Gérard Floener, Head of Digital Development Radio, RTL Luxembourg, said the new multiplex would carry 12 stations, with national outdoor coverage and high resilience in emergencies.
George Cernat, Senior Director, Automotive Connected Media / DTS AutoStage, Xperi revealed new data from the DAB+ trials in Ireland, which launched in April and now carry nearly thirty stations. Insights from DTS AutoStage-equipped cars showed that 20.3% of total listening is now to DAB+; where FM and DAB coverage broadly overlapped, over 90% of listening to that station in its vehicles was to the DAB+ version of the station. Meanwhile, Usha Parmar, CEO and Raj Parmar, Director of the commercial Asian station Sunrise Radio in the UK said that its expansion through DAB+ coverage and new services had delivered a 46.8% increase in listeners to the network.
At WorldDAB’s General Assembly, held the day before Summit, the 2025 WorldDAB Award for Outstanding Service was awarded to Mate Botica, CEO of OIV, the DAB+ network operator in Croatia. WorldDAB President, Jacqueline Bierhorst said Botica had “played a truly transformative role in bringing digital radio to a new corner of Europe, recognising early on the potential of DAB+ to strengthen national broadcasting and future-proof radio for the digital age.”
At the close of the Summit, it was announced that the unique annual WorldDAB Automotive event, bringing together the digital broadcast and automotive sectors, would be held in Frankfurt on 11 June 2026.
Info: www.worlddab.org
Notes: Press Release | WorldDAB | Antwerp, Belgium - 21 November 2025
