Responding to the WorldDMB Forum press release Norway sets date for FM switch off, Swedish media consultant Christer Hederström of Ideosphere writes: “The DAB lobby is not putting out fully objective information. It is understandable, because the truth is that there will not be a FM broadcasting switch off 2017. Local radio i.e. small commercial stations and community radio do not want a switch-off mostly because a transition to DAB will be too expensive. The government has listened to the Local Radio Association.
“According to the government proposal to the Stortinget (parliament) local radio stations are able to continue broadcasting on FM if they choose to stay on FM. This is also stated in the press release from the Ministry of Culture. So, it will be a switch-off for public service company NRK and the commercial radio networks, but not for the rest.
“And FM will go on after 2017 in Norway. (I reckon this will also mean that Swedish visitors in Norway will only be able to listen to those local stations on their car radios).”
(Source: Christer Hederström)
on Feb 6th, 2011 at 16:39
This means that the local stations are the winner.
After the FM switch of for national broadcasters (P and C) the local stations will have the monopoly on FM and see their rating rise, since many (older) people will not want to buy digital radioos. Also older cars will not have DAB.
Even AM can become profitable again.
Many FM/AM pirates will appear since it is all open for them.
Also many people will kiss radio goodbye, why buy a new set and to complicated, when at home a TV set is always at hand and offers everything radio does.
My feeling is that it will take a loooooooong time before real switch offs are being made when the ignorant autorities understand what they are doing.
on Feb 6th, 2011 at 17:52
Ruud, all new stations will be in dab+ and high power FM’s will be reduced power to local areas, 1 kW mostly. DABPLUS will be standard in all new cars in Sweden. Norway is out of EU, so they have not to follow the rules of Media in EU, more competition. You will still have your own TX in AM/FM/DRM.