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Denmark - Current situation - History

09.04.2018

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.

Denmark has issued a clear roadmap for digital radio, with a transition to DAB+ by 1 October 2017 and a decision on DSO when 50% of listening is digital.
On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio, saying "the limited frequency space on FM means that we will eventually turn off FM". Read the press release here. The overall focus of the roadmap is to speed up the process of utilising capacity in the DAB network and to secure a more rapid development of the network. The roadmap was adjusted in April 2016.

Key features of the roadmap are:

- national information campaign, financed by the state is going to take place around shift to DAB+

- decision to switch off FM to be taken when 50% of listening is digital (currently at 36%)

- swap of content on MUX1 and MUX2 in October 2017 which will ensure that available frequencies can be brought into use, making it possible to have a commercial network operator of MUX1

- "Gatekeeper Model" will be adopted for MUX 1 (currently owned by Danish Radio) which will drive the market

- full transition from DAB to DAB+ by 1 Oct 2017

- free licences for spare capacity in MUX3 will be available in mid 2016. The mulitiplex is delayed but will be launched with 82 regional channels. Most of them will be simulcasts of FM stations.

Current Status of the roadmap:
  • 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
09.08.2017

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.

Denmark has issued a clear roadmap for digital radio, with a transition to DAB+ by 1 October 2017 and a decision on DSO when 50% of listening is digital.
On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio, saying "the limited frequency space on FM means that we will eventually turn off FM". Read the press release here. The overall focus of the roadmap is to speed up the process of utilising capacity in the DAB network and to secure a more rapid development of the network. The roadmap was adjusted in April 2016.

Key features of the roadmap are:

- national information campaign, financed by the state is going to take place around shift to DAB+

- decision to switch off FM to be taken when 50% of listening is digital (currently at 36%)

- swap of content on MUX1 and MUX2 in October 2017 which will ensure that available frequencies can be brought into use, making it possible to have a commercial network operator of MUX1

- "Gatekeeper Model" will be adopted for MUX 1 (currently owned by Danish Radio) which will drive the market

- full transition from DAB to DAB+ by 1 Oct 2017

- free licences for spare capacity in MUX3 will be available in mid 2016. The mulitiplex is delayed but will be launched with 82 regional channels. Most of them will be simulcasts of FM stations.

Current Status of the roadmap:
  • 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
06.04.2017

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.

Denmark has issued a clear roadmap for digital radio, with a transition to DAB+ by 1 October 2017 and a decision on DSO when 50% of listening is digital.
On 29th April 2015 the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with all political parties, finalised and published a new roadmap for digital radio, saying "the limited frequency space on FM means that we will eventually turn off FM". Read the press release here. The overall focus of the roadmap is to speed up the process of utilising capacity in the DAB network and to secure a more rapid development of the network. The roadmap was adjusted in April 2016.

Key features of the roadmap are:

- national information campaign, financed by the state is going to take place around shift to DAB+

- decision to switch off FM to be taken when 50% of listening is digital (currently at 36%)

- swap of content on MUX1 and MUX2 in October 2017 which will ensure that available frequencies can be brought into use, making it possible to have a commercial network operator of MUX1

- "Gatekeeper Model" will be adopted for MUX 1 (currently owned by Danish Radio) which will drive the market

- full transition from DAB to DAB+ by 1 Oct 2017

- free licences for spare capacity in MUX3 will be available in mid 2016. The mulitiplex is delayed but will be launched with 82 regional channels. Most of them will be simulcasts of FM stations.

Current Status of the roadmap:
  • 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