Denmark

[DK] Radio and Television Board approves new digital public service offering

IRIS 2026-4:1/11

Terese Foged

Legal expert

On 26 March 2026, the Radio and Television Board, the Danish media regulatory authority, approved a proposal for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) to develop a new weather app in collaboration with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). The approval followed a so-called value test, which is required whenever the DR wishes to launch new digital public service offerings.

The planned app will bring together:

- the DMI’s meteorological data and weather forecasts,

- severe weather warnings, and

- the DR’s journalistic content on weather and climate.

The idea is to provide the public with a single, comprehensive platform for raw weather data, explanations and social context.

The objectives include:

- faster and more widespread warnings in the event of extreme weather,

- easier access to reliable weather information, and

- better journalistic coverage of climate and weather phenomena.

The DR’s weather app had to be approved because, whenever the DR wishes to launch a new service (such as an app), it must undergo a public service value test, which assesses two things:

- public service value: whether the service meets democratic, social or cultural needs;

- impact on competition: whether it could harm private operators in the market.

There were particular concerns from media and tech players, according to which the DR could gain a competitive advantage through its collaboration with the DMI, and users might perceive the app as the "official" weather channel.

However, the board concluded that, overall, the public service value outweighs the potential negative effects on competition, partly because the DMI’s data remains freely available to all. In addition, the market for weather apps has relatively low barriers to entry.

The approval issued by the Radio and Television Board allows the DR to develop the app in collaboration with the DMI. It is expected to be launched around 2027, provided development proceeds according to plan.