Year: 2025

WorldDAB is marking World Radio Day by releasing its latest infographic, which highlights the ongoing global growth of DAB+.
The updated graphic shows device sales now nearing the 150 million milestone, with the fast-growing markets of France and Australia leading the way with sales of receivers now over 10 million each, alongside the well-established DAB+ auto market.
Sales in eleven core markets now total 145,195,000, and almost all new cars across Europe come with DAB+ as standard.
In France, this is coupled with DAB+ coverage now exceeding 60% of the population, and in Spain, public broadcaster RTVE is heading towards the goal of 50% coverage with the recent addition of transmitters covering the metropolitan areas of Valladolid and Zaragosa.
WorldDAB President Jacqueline Bierhorst said: “13 February is an important day in the global calendar for anyone as passionate about broadcast radio as me and the members of the WorldDAB family. Today we can share new data showing how DAB+ continues to grow in both new and established markets around the world. This, coupled with our new DAB+ Automatic Safety Alerts, which can provide life-saving warnings of environmental emergencies such as storms and flooding, demonstrates the critical role of broadcast radio.”
Other highlights from WorldDAB’s infographic, which incorporates newly released data from across 2024, include:

Significant broadening of choice for listeners with over 60 national stations now on DAB in the United Kingdom, against five on analogue; and growth also in Belgium, Czechia and Italy where listeners can enjoy over 50 national DAB+ stations.
New data on DAB+ coverage in markets such as Croatia (98.4%); Slovenia (92%), Poland (87.9%); Serbia (80%) and Slovakia (72%).

WorldDAB’s infographic details the rollout status in 25 emerging markets, as well as a comprehensive overview of DAB receiver sales, road and population coverage, household penetration and the number of national stations on DAB/DAB+ compared to FM.
Data from the new infographic will be highlighted in WorldDAB keynote sessions at the Saudi Media Forum on 19 – 21 February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 24 – 27 February.

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The nominations for the 2025 Commercial Radio News Awards in association with IRN and Sky News have been announced.

Sky News Daily podcast presenter Niall Paterson revealed the shortlists for the 13 categories which recognise quality journalism, presentation and production in commercial radio news and sport.
The winners – including the recipient of the Gold Award – will be announced at Sky Cinema at Sky’s west London HQ on Wednesday 26th March 2025.
And the nominees are…

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Joseph Draper – Global’s Newsroom South
Sophie Green – Hits Radio North East, Bauer Media Audio
Ellie Tutt – Global’s Newsroom South 
Bronwen Weatherby – Global’s Newsroom Wales
Poppy Lindsey – Global’s Newsroom South

BEST INTERVIEW
Red Rooms – Global’s Newsroom North West  
Kate McCann interviews Kemi Badenoch at Conservative Party Conference – Times Radio
Southport Stabbings – Global’s Newsroom North West
Clare’s Law: Maddy’s Story – Manchester’s Hits Radio, Bauer Media Audio
Knife Crime on the Coast – Global’s Newsroom South

REPORTER OF THE YEAR (NATIONAL)
Charlotte Lynch – LBC and LBC News
Alice Faulkner – Hits Radio Network Scotland, Bauer Media Audio
Nick Ellerby – News UK Broadcasting, Times Radio, TalkRADIO and talkSPORT
Henry Riley – LBC and LBC News
Victoria Glover – Hits Radio UK, Bauer Media Audio

SPECIALIST REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Natasha Clark – LBC
Georgie Prodromou – Bauer Media Audio
Max Scott – talkSPORT
Alan Smith – Hits Radio Network Scotland, Bauer Media Audio
Fraser Knight – LBC and LBC News

REPORTER OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL)
Charlotte Linnecar – Greatest Hits Radio Lincolnshire, Bauer Media Audio
Heather Cartwright – Global’s Newsroom West
Katie Lyons – Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire, Bauer Media Audio
Chris Chambers – Global’s Newsroom North West
Liam Ross – MFR, Bauer Media Audio

BEST SPORTS COVERAGE
The Great North Run 2024 – North East News Team, Bauer Media Audio
Olympic Games Paris 2024 – talkSPORT
The Life and Legacy of Rob Burrow – Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire, Bauer Media Audio
2024 Sports Coverage – LBC News and Global’s Newsroom, London
Ipswich’s Promotion to the Premier League: 22 years in the making – Greatest Hits Radio Suffolk, Bauer Media Audio

BEST NEWS STORY OR COVERAGE
Benwell Explosion – Hits Radio North East, Bauer Media Audio
Murdered Yards From Home: The Knowle West Killings – Global’s Newsroom West
RAAC and Ruin: Torry’s Concrete Crisis – Northsound 1 News Team, Bauer Media Audio
Southport Stabbings – Global’s Newsroom North West
The 2024 ‘Genny Lex’ – Kiss

NEWSREADER OF THE YEAR (NATIONAL)
Lottie Morley – Global’s Newsroom London
Steve Forbes – talkSPORT
Simon Conway – LBC and LBC News
Emma Kirwan – talkSPORT
Alice Young – Global’s Newsroom London

NEWSREADER OF THE YEAR (REGIONAL)
Chloe St John – Downtown Radio and Cool FM, Bauer Media Audio
Sophie Adams – Global’s Newsroom Scotland
Owen Arands – Hits Radio Liverpool, Bauer Media Audio
Collette McGonigle – Clyde 1, Bauer Media Audio
Micky Welch – Hits Radio North East, Bauer Media Audio 

BEST NEWS SPECIAL 
Banged Up in Boro – Karen Liu, Hits Radio Teesside, Bauer Media Audio
Bump on the Road: Scotland’s 100 mile baby dash – MFR News Team, Bauer Media Audio
Mass Graves – Chris Chambers, Global’s Newsroom North West
The Lighter Side of News – Micky Welch, Hits Radio North East, Bauer Media Audio
Paying Through the Nose: an investigation into nasal tanning sprays – Alice Faulkner, Clyde 1, Bauer Media Audio

NEWS TEAM OF THE YEAR (hubs or stations under 1.5 million TSA)
South Yorkshire News Team – Bauer Media Audio
MFR – Bauer Media Audio
Hits Radio Teesside News Team – Bauer Media Audio
East of England News Team – Bauer Media Audio
Forth 1 News Team – Bauer Media Audio

NEWS TEAM OF THE YEAR (hubs or stations over 1.5 million TSA)
Clyde 1 Glasgow News Team
Global’s Newsroom North West
Hits Radio North East News – Bauer Media Audio
Global’s Newsroom South
West Yorkshire News Team – Bauer Media Audio

STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR – supported by the BJTC
Gabriella-Mae Mitchell – Bournemouth University
Lucas Zanarotti – City, University of London
Daniel Macleod – Glasgow Caledonian University
Ellie Hayns – The University of Salford
Geetanjali Kaushal – Bournemouth University

IRN Editor and Chair of Judges, Dave Terris said: 
Commercial radio journalists continue to provide engaging and impactful coverage of local, national and international news for a record number of listeners. The shortlists prove that teams are prepared to invest in stories that matter to their audiences and deliver them with quality and creativity. Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you to all the judges for their expertise in reaching their decisions. 

Radiodays Europe is happening in March 2025 – use code RTY25ATH to get a discount and join us in Athens! More..

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Bauer Media has introduced Bridget Jones Radio, a pop-up station celebrating the new movie.

Timed to coincide with the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the station is now live via Rayo, online streaming, and smart speakers.
The station, powered by Magic Radio and the Hits Radio Network, will broadcast throughout February, delivering 24-hour programming with music, celebrity interviews, and discussions.
Music from the film will feature, plus interviews with the cast, and is part of a wider, multi-brand campaign with Universal Pictures.
Presenters include Magic Radio’s Harriet Scott and Kat Shoob, as well as Hits Radio Breakfast’s Fleur East and James Barr.
The campaign will be further amplified through promotions across Bauer Media’s network, including Magic Radio and Hits Radio, featuring on-air competitions, Galentine’s Day takeovers, and social media activations aimed at engaging listeners with Bridget-inspired dating stories.
Simon Kilby, Managing Director of Bauer Media Advertising: “The launch of our digital platform Rayo allows us to push creative boundaries with pop-up stations like this.
“Bridget Jones is a cultural icon with a nostalgic soundtrack—partnering with Universal Pictures to bring this station to life was an obvious choice to excite audiences and drive them to cinemas.”

Radiodays Europe is happening in March 2025 – use code RTY25ATH to get a discount and join us in Athens! More..

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