The regional television network MUX RS 11 has expanded its portfolio with a new radio station, EDU radio. The program, focused on education, science, and technology, is now available to all viewers within the reach of this multiplex. The network operator is responding to the needs of listeners who use television receivers as an alternative to listening to digital radio in the DAB+ standard.
EDU radio profiles itself as a station with popular science content. It offers interviews with experts, topics from the fields of science, technology, culture, and personal development. It becomes part of the existing offering of radio stations that complement the primary television broadcasting of multiplex RS 11. According to network representatives, television distribution of radio is a practical choice for households that do not own a separate DAB+ receiver but want to take advantage of digital audio transmission via existing set-top boxes or televisions.
The use of the television platform for radio listening is not negligible in the Czech environment. Statistics indicate that a stable portion of the audience prefers this method of consuming audio content. Approximately 10% of the population states that they listen to the radio via a television receiver, which allows station operators to reach a specific group of listeners without the need for investment in new infrastructure on the end-user side.
In addition to a stable signal and a clear selection of stations, digital distribution within television networks also brings technological benefits for broadcasters themselves. “Thanks to HbbTV technology, it is also possible to monitor and evaluate the viewership and listenership of individual programs, which provides radio stations with relevant data about their audience, even within the television platform,” states the operator's press release.
Although MUX RS 11 primarily focuses on expanding television offerings, radio stations form an important supplementary component. Current data show that there is interest in this type of content. The daily listenership of individual radios in this network is around 2,000 listeners per station. The inclusion of EDU radio is intended to further strengthen this trend and offer viewers a wider range of thematic programs.