Observed Signal · Oct 16, 2026 · Market Research / Industry Report · Source: Meedia · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Digital Radio Listening Rises: 66% Use DAB+ or Webradio
According to the 'Audio Trends 2026' study by the German media authorities (die Medienanstalten), 66% of radio listeners in Germany used digital reception paths (DAB+ or webradio) in the past four weeks, reaching a far listener circle of about 42 million people. This marks an increase from 64% in the previous year. Daily digital radio usage also grew to 42% of listeners. DAB+ remains the leading digital path, with 25 million users in four weeks, up by three percentage points. Webradio reached over 17 million users in four weeks. Household equipment is also expanding: 41% of households now own at least one DAB+ device, and over a quarter of the population has a DAB+ car radio. The study is based on a special evaluation of the ma Audio data by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Media-Analyse (agma).
The article provides relevant market data on radio consumption trends, indicating growth in digital audio platforms, which is valuable for advertisers and media planners in the audio advertising space.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 66% of German radio listeners used DAB+ or webradio in the past four weeks (up from 64%).
- Reach: approximately 42 million people (far listener circle).
- Daily digital radio usage: 42% of listeners, accounting for nearly a quarter of total radio usage.
- DAB+ usage: 25 million listeners in four weeks (up 3 percentage points); 14 million daily.
- Household DAB+ device penetration: 41% (up from 40%).
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“According to the Audio Trends 2026 study by the German media authorities”
“Thorsten Schmiege, Chairman of the Directors' Conference of the State Media Authorities (DLM) and President of the Bavarian Regulatory Autho...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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Audio‑MA 2026/II: No Radio Station Hits One Million
The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Media‑Analyse (AGMA) released the Audio‑MA 2026/II results showing that radio and audio usage in Germany remains high but audience rankings shifted. Daily reach (Mon–Fri) for people 14+ is 74.1%, with an average listening duration of 251 minutes. Digital distribution via DAB+ and online audio also shows strong usage, with 35.6% of the population using digital radio in the widest listening circle. Radio NRW remains the largest station group at ~1.3 million listeners per average hour (Mon–Fri, 6–18h), while no individual single station reached one million listeners; Bayern 1 fell sharply (-10.1%) to 981,000. Several stations show large percentage gains (e.g., Bayern 3 +13.9%, Hitradio OHR +80.8%) or losses (e.g., Radio Arabella -47.4%). The report notes methodological changes due to new microcensus weighting rules.
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