FM in Norway Isn’t Dead, Says Norwegian Local Radio Association

A little reality check on the supposed FM shutoff in Norway:

"Reports of FM’s death in Norway are premature. That’s according to the Norwegian Local Radio Association (NLF – Norse Lokalradio Forbund in Norwegian) which sent us a press release saying that 200 local commercial and community radio stations outside the country’s four largest cities will continue broadcasting in analog. Waves were made in the international press the last few days with the initial report that Norway will shut down FM radio service in 2017. "


"The group also highlights a recent report from the Government Statistical Bureau that says only 19% of listening is on broadcast DAB, below the 50% threshold set as a prerequisite for the change."


"Apparently, the analog switch-off still requires approval in Parliament, where it has majority support, but opposition from the Progress Party–part of the governing coalition–and the Green Party. Part of the objection is based on claims by groups like the NLF saying DAB’s adoption was spurred by lobbying from the Digitalradio Norge AS company, not by consumer demand. That should sound familiar to HD Radio critics in the US."

Read more at:

http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2015/0...-dead-says-norwegian-local-radio-association/

According to sources, if FM broadcasting were to be shut down, it would be placed into a boat, set afire and pushed away from shore.

Anyone who actually read the main article on the subject instead of just running with the sensationalist headline would have known that the shutdown only applies to certain regional and national broadcasters, not necessarily local ones or places where DAB doesn't reach.

There are a limited number of DAB channels in Norway. And there are some local FM radio stations that can't get onto the DAB network -- apparently including some local commercial stations as well as community radio stations.

So - when they say they're switching over to FM, the Norwegian government means all of the 14 or so NRK radio channels (P1, P2, P3, etc. -- several of which have very high listenership), as well as the largest commercial broadcasters (Radio Norge, NRJ, etc. -- which also have very high listernership).

FM will apparently remain open for other stations to use.

LW still exists in the far north of Norway -- one longwave station they've kept on because it bests serves the mariners and fishing industry. So the point isn't to kill older broadcasting technology, as much as to replace an aging FM transmission system and still serve the public.

RE: the 19% who listen to DAB: that figure may be true, but the criteria the Norwegian government was using for setting the FM switchoff date was 50% or more "digital" radio listening, which includes ONLINE radio listening.