Czech Radio enters final stage of digitization. DAB+ currently covers 95% of Czech population
On 17 September 2020 Czech Radio, along with České Radiokomunikace, launched digital broadcasting from ten new DAB+ transmitters in Bohemia and Moravia, thus entering the final stage of extending its digital broadcasting. As a result, coverage was increased to 95% of Czech population. All of Czech Radio’s 23 stations now use DAB+, 20 of them within České Radiokomunikace’s multiplex.
DAB+ is a new European standard, offering high-quality sound, space for more radio stations, additional multimedia services, stable reception and simple receiver control. The Czech Republic is one of the 11 countries with the most widespread DAB+ signal in Europe.
The development of digital broadcasting is also connected with the end of AM signal distribution, which is planned for the end of 2021. “Czech Radio’s entering the DAB+ network is an essential milestone for its digitization throughout the Czech Republic. In the long term, digitization represents new ways to provide listeners with better public service, especially in terms of a wider programme offer, high-quality transmission and new multimedia services,” says Czech Radio’s Director General, René Zavoral.
Ten new high-performance transmitters broadcasting twenty radio stations
On 17 September 2020, the 12C and 12D multiplexes began to broadcast twenty Czech Radio stations, ten of which are national and ten regional. They are the following high-performance transmitters: Votice - Mezivrata, Pardubice - Krásné, Jeseník – Praděd, and Jihlava - Javořice. And the following transmitters: Liberec - Ještěd, Sušice – Svatobor, Příbram – Hvězdárna, Valašské Meziříčí – Radhošť, Třinec – Javorový, and Znojmo – Kuchařovice. Five new transmitters in Bohemia will be operated within the 12C multiplex and five others in Moravia within the 12D multiplex. All newly launched transmitters will use vertical polarization. Czech Radio’s remaining stations are available in DAB+ multiplexes operated by RTI and Teleko. All stations will be broadcast using the latest HE-AAC coding.
“DAB+ is a new digital platform for providing modern media services wherever we spend a lot of time – in households, weekend houses, and especially in cars – for free and without having to rely on the internet,” says Vít Vážan, CEO, České Radiokomunikace.
The subject of digital broadcasting is also reflected by the car industry. Based on the EU’s decision, from December 2020 all new cars must include a DAB+ transmitter as a standard.
“We have always made sure our customers can get the best possible listening experience in our cars. Our customers can enjoy the best content provided by Czech Radio in the best quality in the DAB+ format in every new ŠKODA vehicle manufactured from 10 August 2020 onwards. Every year, there will be about 90,000 more new ŠKODA vehicles using DAB+ reception on Czech roads,” says Petr Janeba, Marketing Manager, Škoda Auto Czech Republic.
Czech Radio is also preparing new content – in 2021, Radiožurnál Sport and a digital station for senior citizens will be launched.
Parameters of the new transmitters:
Votice – Mezivrata: channel 12C/10kW
Pardubice – Krásné: channel 12C/10kW
Liberec – Ještěd: channel 12C/1kW
Sušice – Svatobor: channel 12C/1kW
Příbram – Hvězdárna: channel 12C/300W
Jeseník – Praděd: channel 12D/10kW
Jihlava – Javořice: channel 12D/10kW
Valašské Meziříčí – Radhošť: channel 12D/1kW
Třinec – Javorový: channel 12D/1kW
Znojmo – Kuchařovice: channel 12D/300W
Stations broadcast:
In both Bohemia and Moravia:
Czech Radio Radiožurnál, Czech Radio Dvojka, Czech Radio Vltava, Czech Radio Plus, Rádio DAB Praha, Radio Wave, Rádio Junior, D-dur, Czech Radio Jazz, Rádio Retro
In Bohemia only: multiplex 12C:
Czech Radio Region, Czech Radio České Budějovice, Czech Radio Liberec, Czech Radio Pardubice, Czech Radio Plzeň
In Moravia only: multiplex 12D:
Czech Radio Brno, Czech Radio Ostrava, Czech Radio Vysočina, Czech Radio Olomouc, Czech Radio Zlín
More information about DAB+, detailed information about Czech Radio’s digitization and support regarding the end of AM transmission is available on the following websites: