Norway will be first country to shut down FM radio in 2017

Norway will be the first country globally to do away with FM radio beginning in 2017. The country plans to transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as a national standard.

According to an online Statement posted in by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture on the Norway’s Government official website, the decision to switch off all FM radio stations in 2017 follows up the radio digitisation mandate issued by the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) in 2011.

“Radio digitisation will open the door to a far greater range of radio channels, benefiting listeners across the country. Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio content, and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality. Digitisation will also greatly improve the emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and offer new opportunities for innovation and development,” says Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey.

The statement also added that whereas the FM system only had space for five national channels, DAB already offers 22, and there was capacity for almost 20 more. In addition, more than half the population already has access to local radio on DAB, and there is considerable potential for further local channels.

The authorities have facilitated an industry-driven process, primarily in the form of a collaboration project between P4, Radio Norge and NRK. The 2011 parliamentary white paper on digital radio – which enjoyed broad cross-party support – laid down a set of criteria to be met by 1 January 2015 in order for a 2017 digitisation date to be viable.

The cost of transmitting national radio channels through the FM- network is eight times higher than with the DAB-network, and P4, Radio Norge and NRK are currently spending large sums on parallel distribution. The digitisation of Norway’s national radio channels will realise savings of more than NOK 200 million a year, releasing funds for investment in radio content.

The DAB-network also offers clear advantages over the FM system from an emergency preparedness perspective. For one thing, DAB is far less vulnerable to transmitter failure in extreme conditions. Second, DAB permits tunnel reception of all channels. Finally, DAB technology allows simultaneous transmission of emergency messages on all channels.