On 29 February, LifeGate Radio moves from the historic frequency 105.10 to the DAB+ system. Under the banner of innovation and sustainability.
Today we talk about ourselves, about our desire to always be a little ahead of the future that we have imagined and dreamed of since we began our adventure back in 2001: more sustainable, with an ever-growing number of people who are aware of and attentive to the environment and the climate. Also thanks to the development of digital technologies. This drive towards innovation as a positive sign of our times has always set us at LifeGate apart. For this reason, for LifeGate Radio, we have chosen to continue the transition to DAB, an acronym standing for Digital Audio Broadcasting: following the switch-off of the FM frequencies in Rome and Turin and the subsequent move to the new technology, the historic Lombardy FM frequency 105.10 will also be replaced entirely by digital coverage starting on 29 February 2024. LifeGate's partner in this process is Italy's first media consultancy firm, Consultmedia.
Are we sad about this "farewell"? Perhaps a little, because that frequency has been part of us – and of you – for a long time. But as our CEO, Enea Roveda, says: "Courage and foresight guide our choices in favour of innovative solutions that improve the quality of our offering and respect the principles of sustainability. With a further shift from analogue to digital, we are getting ahead of what will become the norm in the years to come, in favour of a solution that allows us to reach many more people while reducing CO2 production."
"The switch to DAB is a natural evolution towards a cleaner, more efficient technology. Sustainability and innovation are values that have always been part of who we are, and for the radio we have chosen to get ahead of the curve in order to reduce our environmental impact as much as possible, while reaching an ever-growing number of listeners. What does not change is the passion we bring to everything we do to protect the environment – a commitment we owe to future generations. Change in all its forms is growth for the good of everyone and of our Planet," explains Simona Roveda, LifeGate's Communication and Editorial Director.
Thanks to this transition, the music and voices of LifeGate Radio will reach the main cities of no fewer than ten Italian regions – more than half of the peninsula. Online and on-demand, meanwhile, it already reaches the entire world. This is noted by Giacomo De Poli, the radio's artistic director: "A few years ago we created 4 different themed music channels online, and we have expanded our production of playlists and podcasts, which can be listened to anywhere on all streaming platforms, complementing our news and information offering and allowing us to experiment with new narrative forms and sound design."
LifeGate Radio can be heard on DAB+ (many of you may already be tuned in with the new devices) in the following cities:
LifeGate's OTT platform will guarantee linear and on-demand listening and viewing (podcasts) on smartphones, smart speakers, smart TVs, and in cars equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay systems.
"As for the future," De Poli continues, "the path is set; all the new developments to come will head in that direction, with the aim of bringing our content as far as possible, in the most modern and sustainable way."
The energy savings are also considerable. FM radio consumes a great deal of energy, as LifeGate's scientific director, Simone Molteni, reminds us: "However intangible it may seem, listening to the radio requires someone to have transmitted a signal and someone else to be listening to it on a device. The electrical energy required is substantial. Just to give an idea of the scale, in the United Kingdom the BBC accounts for 0.1 per cent of energy consumption." Thanks to the gradual transition to DAB technology, transmission-stage savings will amount to 80 per cent.
The frequency will change, but what has defined our radio in recent years – namely rigour and attentiveness to the news, both current affairs and in-depth coverage dedicated to the environment, civil rights and society as a whole – will always remain the same. Indeed, it will find new spaces. "Over the years, what we have done is respond to the need to communicate complex content – such as that surrounding sustainability – in a clear, direct and straightforward way. We have widened our lens without losing our soul," says Tommaso Perrone, LifeGate's editor-in-chief. "We have embraced new needs by trying to tell the stories of what happens at a local level, and we have tried to offer food for thought on macro-topics through the voices of expert and knowledgeable people. Looking ahead, the idea is to continue on this path, seeking to harness digitalisation to create different points of contact with our listeners."