Denmark - Current situation - History

The Danish government has proposed a closure of FM broadcasting two years after more than half of radio listening is digital or in 2021 at the latest. Press release (in Danish) Full document (in Danish)

Denmark has one of the highest numbers of DAB users per capita in the world, with 46% of the population having access to a digital radio. Digital radio is driving growth in the radio industry, 28% of radio listening is digital (Source: Q1 2018 DR/Gallup).

The consensus is that FM shutdown is inevitable, in order to offer listeners more choice and the goal is to stimulate new channels on DAB.

On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio:

• Early 2017: announcement of the winner of the beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• July-October 2016: beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• February-May 2016: preparation for beauty contest to choose the gatekeeper for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• January 2016: the Danish government decided on a gatekeeper model for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• November 2015: report on the future of digital radio was handed in to the Danish Government

In August 2019, Viacom announced the launch of a new DAB+ MTV radio station in Denmark. The radio station, which is only available in digital format, is available to DAB+ listeners nationwide.

The Danish government has proposed a closure of FM broadcasting two years after more than half of radio listening is digital or in 2021 at the latest. Press release (in Danish) Full document (in Danish)

Denmark has one of the highest numbers of DAB users per capita in the world, with 46% of the population having access to a digital radio. Digital radio is driving growth in the radio industry, 28% of radio listening is digital (Source: Q1 2018 DR/Gallup).

The consensus is that FM shutdown is inevitable, in order to offer listeners more choice and the goal is to stimulate new channels on DAB.

On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio:

• Early 2017: announcement of the winner of the beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• July-October 2016: beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• February-May 2016: preparation for beauty contest to choose the gatekeeper for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• January 2016: the Danish government decided on a gatekeeper model for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• November 2015: report on the future of digital radio was handed in to the Danish Government

The Danish government has proposed a closure of FM broadcasting two years after more than half of radio listening is digital or in 2021 at the latest. Press release (in Danish) Full document (in Danish)

Denmark has one of the highest numbers of DAB users per capita in the world, with 46% of the population having access to a digital radio. Digital radio is driving growth in the radio industry, and for the first time in many years radio listening went up in 2016. 36% of radio listening is digital (Source DR/Gallup).

The consensus is that FM shutdown is inevitable, in order to offer listeners more choice and the goal is to stimulate new channels on DAB.

On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio:

• Early 2017: announcement of the winner of the beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• July-October 2016: beauty contest for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• February-May 2016: preparation for beauty contest to choose the gatekeeper for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• January 2016: the Danish government decided on a gatekeeper model for the new DAB+ MUX for commercial radios
• November 2015: report on the future of digital radio was handed in to the Danish Government