[GreenKeys] OT - FM radio going away in Norway.

[Ed Sharpe Archivist for SMECC via GreenKeys]

Truly the end of an era:
 
<http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/19/8453165/norway-end-fm-radio-2017>
 
In 2017, Norway will be first country to shut down FM radio
 
Norway will shut down FM radio in the country beginning in 2017, Radio.no  
reports. The Norwegian Ministry of Culture finalized a shift date this week, 
 making it the first country to do away with FM radio entirely. The country 
plans  to transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as a national 
standard.
 
A statement released this week by the Ministry of Culture confirms a  
switch-off date that was proposed by the Norwegian government back in 2011. The  
government has concluded that the country is capable of meeting all the  
requirements necessary for a smooth transition to digital.
 
FM is eight times more expensive than DAB
 
"Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio-content,  
and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality," Minister of Culture  
Thorhild Widvey said in a statement. "Digitization will also greatly 
improve the  emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and 
offer new  opportunities for innovation and development."
 
DAB currently offers 22 national channels as opposed to FM's five, and has  
the capacity to host almost 20 more. The cost of transmitting radio 
channels  through FM is also eight times higher than the cost of DAB transmission, 
the  ministry reports.
 
DAB has been available in Norway since 1995. DAB+, an updated form of DAB,  
was made available in 2007. According to the Ministry of Culture, it will 
be up  to radio broadcasters to choose between DAB and DAB+ transmissions, 
although it  is likely that by 2017, most broadcasting in the country will be 
in DAB+.
 
Several other countries in Europe and Southeast Asia are also considering a 
 national move to DAB, but no other country has confirmed a timeline, 
Radio.no  reports.
 
Norway's FM shutdown will begin on January 11th, 2017.
 
Update, 5:01 PM ET: Updated to add context to the DAB update, DAB+.
 
Verge Vide archive: The radio of the future- Welcome to the podcast era  
(2014)
• ViaRadio.no
•  SourceNorwegian Ministry of Culture (PDF)
• Related Items  norway fm radio digital audio broadcasting ministry of 
culture M Leica  Interchangeable Lens
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/greenkeys/attachments/20150420/086cd0df/attachment.html>