illustration: bing.com/createThe latest generation of Digital Audio Broadcasting technology, known as DAB+, uses digital audio encoding to transmit radio signals. Unlike analog radio, which uses amplitude modulation (AM) or frequency modulation (FM), DAB+ uses digital frequency modulation (DFM). DFM allows for transmitting more data using the same amount of bandwidth, providing higher sound quality and better resistance to interference.
Advantages of DAB+
Higher sound quality. DAB+ offers better sound quality than analog radio. DAB+ can transmit audio at resolutions up to 24-bit/96 kHz, delivering clarity and detail unavailable with analog radio.
Better interference resistance. DAB+ is more resistant to interference than analog radio. This means cleaner and more audible sound in areas where signal interference occurs.
More features. DAB+ allows broadcasters to offer additional services, such as:
- text accompanying audio
- subtitles
- weather information
- traffic information
- news updates
Disadvantages
Hardware requirements. To listen to DAB+ radio, you need a DAB+ receiver. DAB+ receivers are available on the market but may be more expensive than analog radio receivers.
Availability. DAB+ is still in the implementation phase in many countries, including Poland. Not all radio stations offer DAB+ yet, and DAB+ coverage may be limited. According to Poland’s National Broadcasting Council:
- 94% of new cars in Europe come with built-in DAB+ digital radio
- in Poland, this percentage is 92%
DAB+ is a technology with great potential that could change the way we listen to radio. Whether it will become a universal radio standard will impact radio’s future as a medium.
Improving DAB+ receiver availability and expanding DAB+ coverage are the main challenges facing this new technology today. If successful, DAB+ could paint the future of radio in entirely new colors.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Media industry
New generations and the end of traditional news. Reuters Institute report
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Traditional news media are losing touch with the youngest generation of audiences, who grew up in a digital environment. Young people aged 18 to 24 spend time online continuously and expect publishers to take a fresh approach to presenting reality, according to a report by the Reuters Institute.
TVs in Europe, the USA and China. What and how we watch on them
Paweł Sobczak
The Living Room Study shows significant differences in video content consumption across different regions of the world. This is the result of diverse media ecosystems shaped by decades of local broadcasting, channel availability, and strong cultural factors.
Cinema in the era of algorithms and AI
Arkadiusz Murenia
Will artificial intelligence kill the creativity of filmmakers? The most honest answer is: no, AI is unlikely to kill the creativity of filmmakers, but it will very clearly change the place where this creativity manifests itself and, above all, how.
See articles on a similar topic:
Television 2025. Report by the European Broadcasting Union
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Europeans are watching less and less television. In 2024, the average viewing time was 3 hours and 13 minutes per day. Only 54% of young people had any contact with TV, and public broadcasters held a 23% share. Television is losing relevance, especially among the youngest viewers.
Streaming platforms in Poland. What criteria determine the choice
Paweł Sobczak
Price, indicated by 54.2% of respondents, and subject matter (54% of indications) are the most important factors influencing users' choice of content on streaming services. The service brand is mentioned by 18.1% of those surveyed.
Dead internet theory is a fact. Bots now outnumber people online
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Already 51% of global internet traffic is generated by bots, not people. As many as two-thirds of accounts on X are likely bots, and on review platforms, three out of ten reviews weren't written by a human. Do you feel something is off online? It's not paranoia. In 2025, it's a reality.
Greenwashing storms media in Poland. Business feel the impact too
BDw
A surge in media coverage reveals a new reality: ESG isn't just a corporate responsibility buzzword anymore - it's a battlefield. According to the Institute of Media Monitoring (IMM), Polish media mentioned "greenwashing" in 619 publications and "eco-hypocrisy" in another 545 in Q1 2025.




























