British Findings: DAB Cannot Replace FM for Community Radio

SSDAB solution not a comprehensive substitute for analogue provision.

There are 332 community radio stations in the UK mostly broadcasting on analogue FM.  The are licenses for local digital services on DAB mostly for simulcasting FM-DAB but some also DAB-only. The think tank Decentered Media has published a new briefing paper examining the outcomes of the Small-Scale DAB (SSDAB) program and its implications for local and independent radio services across the UK. This paper provides an evidence-led assessment of the outcomes of the SSDAB program, drawing on an independently compiled and verified dataset of analogue and digital radio services.

  The paper reviews regulatory data, market conditions, and operational evidence from community and small independent broadcasters. It finds that while Small-Scale DAB has increased digital capacity in some areas, a significant number of services are unable to participate on sustainable terms due to transmission costs, multiplex governance arrangements, coverage requirements, and ongoing liabilities.  Read more here:

Norwegian Shame: Swiss DAB Fiasco Ignored By Media And Politicians

The unique initiative to shut down the FM network in Norway not the success story expected .

In 2017, Norway's nationwide FM network was shut down and replaced with digital terrestrial radio DAB+. This after a decade of debate that was characterized by a compact resistance both in public opinion and in the editorial and readers’ pages of the daily press. Today, Norway is still the only country in the world to have shut down its national FM network. Switzerland was supposed to be the second country to do the same, but its government recently changed its plans to shut down FM at the end of this year. The public broadcaster SRF, which shut down its FM network a year ago and thereby lost many listeners, has now announced plans to restart FM in 2026.

The fiasco in Switzerland has received a lot of attention in other countries that have DAB radio on their agenda. Considering how Norway up until 2017 was beating the drum for its DAB initiative both at home and abroad, it is remarkable with the total silence today. Why? Read more about this here:

FM Radio Mandatory in New Cars 2027. Sweden Following Finland

Important choice for preparedness and security. DAB radio remains a marginal platform for Swedish radio listeners.

The Radio and Television Distribution Inquiry proposes to the government mandatory access to listening to analogue FM radio should be available in all new passenger vehicles on the market from 2027. Since 2021, there is an EU regulation on the reception of digital terrestrial radio in new cars that have a car radio installed. But this does not go far enough according to the inquiry. It is difficult to more closely assess the extent of listening to DAB+ compared to FM. However, some growth in listening to DAB+ is discernible according to public broadcaster Sveriges Radio. The average daily reach in 2013-2018 was zero percent of the population aged 12–79. In 2019, it rose to 0.1 percent to reach 1.3 percent in 2023.-  Sweden now follows Finland, which already in 2020 introduced a law on FM in cars. There is no DAB broadcasting in Finland.

Stop for FM Shutdown. Parliament Overrules the Government

FM radio in Switzerland to continue operating.

Parliament has once again postponed the shutdown of FM radio transmitters in Switzerland. Private radio stations can thus continue to broadcast their programs via this technology after 2026. This is another setback for the European lobby that pushes for DAB+ to replace FM radio in terrestrial networks. Still, Norway is the only country in the world that has shut down FM in its national terrestrial network.

Yesterday, after the National Council, the Council of State also voted to extend FM broadcasts. With 21 votes to 18, with five abstentions. The Federal Council (government) must now, against its will, submit an implementation proposal. Public service radio SRG is now faced with a dilemma.

Report: New Future for Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting

5G Broadcast envisioned as a key to the future of media distribution in Europe.

With its trusted free-to-air content, terrestrial television and radio are essential to European life according to the broadcast provider industry. Looking to 2040,  terrestrial broadcasting is set to evolve with new capabilities that improve picture quality, expand access to mobile devices, and strengthen emergency communication. In the long term perspective 5G Broadcast will probably replace existing systems for digital terrestrial broadcasting as DVB-T2 for television and DAB for radio.

The report 5G BROADCAST HORIZONS FOR EUROPE prepared by South180 for Broadcast Network Europe presented at conference in Brussels paints a vision for the technology’s deployment in Europe. Read more here:

FM Radio For Another 15 Years In Germany - New Broadcasting Licenses

Transition to digital radio is moving at a snail's pace

DAB was invented in Germany back in the 1980s, but will analogue radio ever be switched off? 

FM radio was originally supposed to be switched off in Germany in 2010.Now 2025, and analogue terrestrial radio is still by far the most popular way to listen to radio. The first new licenses are now being granted until 2040.