News

Norway is about to become the first country in the world to switch off FM. As far as national radio stations are concerned, it is converting completely to DAB. The switchover process starts this month and will continue, region by region, until the end of 2017.

Joan Warner, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Radio Australia, reflects how 2016 has been an exciting year of continued growth in audience and revenue. Exciting progress in DAB+ digital radio with 27% of metro listening to DAB+ each week and significant progress in regional rollout with permanent services recently announced for Canberra, Darwin and Hobart.

Norway will eliminate its FM radio broadcasting this year, becoming the first country in the world to do so. "Radio digitization will open the door to a far greater range of radio channels, benefiting listeners across the country," said then-Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey.

The Evoke H6 feels nonetheless, with a reassuring weight you don’t see in cheap DAB sets. The Pure Evoke H6’s knobs and buttons all feel good, unlike many a cheaper radio.

Norway will become the first country to switch off its traditional FM radio network and go completely digital next week, amid criticism that the move may have been rushed. Other European countries including the UK are said to be keeping a close watch on the move's consequence.

Norway is the first country to switch off the FM radio networks, this will be of great interest to many other countries across Eurrope who may also be considering a digit switchover.

The range of DAB+ radio statiosn available in Flanders this week expanded to include VBRO Evergreen a station dedicated to playing oldies music station.

"We're the first country to switch off FM but there are several countries going in the same direction," said Ole Joergen Torvmark, head of Digital Radio Norway, which is owned by national broadcasters NRK and P4 to help the transition.

Norway is entering the history books with a radio-related first: The country is shutting down its FM radio network in favor of digital-only transmissions via DAB+. The switchover plan has been in place for years as digital radio costs Norway the same as the FM network, $29 million, but allows for eight times more radio stations.

Norway will soon become the first country in the world to gradually stop using the FM radio network, with the first area to switch off these frequencies next week. The government says the digital option will bring savings of more than 200 million kroner ($23.5 million) for broadcasters and a clearer sound for the only 5 million people living in a huge country formed by fjords and mountains.