The WorldDAB Summit 2024 saw public and private broadcasters actively collaborate and engage in dialogue to secure the digital future of radio.

The event was hosted by Aradhna Tayal Leach, Managing Director of the UK Radio Academy and Director of Radio TechCon.

Jacqueline Bierhorst, President of WorldDAB, accompanied by Edita Kudláčová, Head of Radio at the EBU, and Luka Đurić, Vice-President of the Association of European Radios (ARE), celebrated the strengths and lasting benefits of broadcasting.

Bierhorst said WorldDAB’s work with global organizations unifies the broadcasting ecosystem through initiatives such as its working groups and events.

She stressed the importance of maintaining a balanced broadcasting sector integrating traditional and digital elements, without relying solely on IP solutions. Complementing this, the EBU Connected Car Playbook was presented as a key initiative in line with WorldDAB’s objectives, providing essential guidelines for broadcast, applications and voice in digital environments.

The summit, held in Zagreb and attended by nearly 200 delegates, marked significant global advances in the field of digital radio. In his opening speech, Bierhorst said: “Ensuring the digital future of radio is essential and fundamental for listeners, broadcasters and society. »

Jasna Vaniček-Fila from the Media Directorate of Croatia highlighted the Ministry of Culture’s support for digital radio, citing opportunities for innovation and environmental benefits such as reduced energy consumption.

“The Minister for Culture and Media supports the development of digital radio and the wide range of opportunities it offers,” she said. Meanwhile, Mate Botica of Croatian network operator OIV announced that nine new DAB+ transmitters had been put into operation since August, bringing coverage to 97%.

The event took place just six weeks before Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR turned off its FM transmitters. Adriano Pitteri outlined the reasons, including cost savings, alongside the extensive work done to communicate the change to auditors. Dirk Schrödter, Minister for Digitalization of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, shared his plan to transition to DAB+ digital radio by 2031.

He described radio as “a truly wonderful medium” but insisted on the need to transform linear radio for the digital future. “With DAB+, we are creating more media diversity, which is extremely important in an era where deepfakes and fake news are on the rise. » he added.

At a time of floods in Europe and other disasters around the world, Carsten Zorger from Digitalradio Büro Deutschland highlighted the development of new, life-saving automatic safety alerts via DAB+, as well as the successful testing of the “Warntag” ( warning day) in Germany, who understood the system for the first time.

Innovation in DAB+ digital radio technology aims to protect the public in emergencies by providing reliable safety alerts without requiring an internet connection.

Elsewhere at the event, Javier Sánchez of Spanish public broadcaster RTVE spoke about the rapid rollout of DAB+ this year. Since its launch in February, RTVE’s DAB+ services can now be received in 13 cities across the country. To mark the 100th anniversary of radio in Spain, Sánchez revealed that Ràdio 4, RNE’s Catalan radio station, was now broadcasting in DAB+ in Barcelona, ​​becoming the first legal DAB+ station in Catalonia.

At the organization’s General Assembly, held before the summit, the WorldDAB Outstanding Service Award was presented to Lindsay Cornell of the BBC and chair of the WorldDAB technical committee, for her work on the development of new ETSI standards for the automatic safety alert system. The award highlights that Cornell’s “technical expertise and exceptional project management and people skills have undoubtedly had a tremendous impact on the industry.”

To close the event, it was announced that the next WorldDAB Automotive event will take place in Madrid, Spain on June 19, 2025.