Thursday, the Ministry of Culture announced a national FM-switch off, to complete the transition to digital radio. Norway is making an historical move into a new radio era, being the first country in the world to decide upon an analogue switch-off for all major radio channels. With DAB and digital radio, listeners will be provided with more radio channels and greater diversity in content.

Switch-off starts in Nordland county 11th January 2017 and ends with the northernmost counties Troms and Finnmark 13.12 2017.

Norway is in a transition from analogue to digital radio for all national channels and some local channels. Digital radio expands radio reach and multiplies the number of national channels. More than 90 per cent of the population can now listen to 22 national radio channels. The national DAB networks have equally high and partly higher population coverage than national FM networks. DAB coverage along roads is generally better than FM-coverage .

STATS FOR DIGITAL RADIO IN NORWAY *

— 56 % of radio listeners use digital radio daily
- 44 % of listeners only use FM radio daily
- 20 % of private cars are equipped with DAB radio
- 55 % of all Norwegian households have at least one DAB radio.
- 7.9 million radio sets will be affected by FM-extinction. FM radios can be upgraded or recycled.

• Digital radio survey , TNS Gallup 2015

DAB COVERAGE

NRK: at least 99,5 % coverage on DAB
Commercial radio: 92.8 % coverage on DAB
Community radio: 50 % DAB coverage on DAB
DAB-covarage on roads are generally higher than on FM. All FM-transmitters in tunnels will be replaced with DAB.