Final Stop For DAB Radio in Sweden

Joins Finland rejecting the DAB technology and retaining FM
Democracy too strong for longtime lobbyism

The Swedish government has announced it will not go ahead with plans to replace FM radio with digital DAB+ broadcasting. In the daily Svenska Dagbladet, the Swedish minister of culture and democracy Alice Bah Kuhnke writes that there is not enough support for introducing digital radio. Among the main reasons for retaining FM is that 10 million FM receivers would have to be replaced.

The culture minister also points to concerns from the Swedish defense, which uses some of the DAB frequencies, and that there are some reports that the planned DAB networks wouldn’t have the same coverage area as the current FM networks.

Government Prepares Retainment of FM Radio In Sweden

"The DAB project is off the agenda" 
At its party congress Miljöpartiet - the Green party - has decided that the FM radio should be retained in Sweden. According to the party's culture and media spokesman Niclas Malmberg this decision means that the 2014 proposal to replace FM with DAB+ 2022 will not be carried out by the government
Since 2014 Sweden has a coalition government by the Social Democrats and the Greens. Miljöpartiet ministers is in charge of the culture, media and ICT agenda. The ministry of culture statement regarding DAB radio is expected before summer holidays in July.