More than every third DAB listener lost digital radio right after the old DAB channels were shut down in October. But many have found new ways to receive radio such as FM and the Internet. When the network was upgraded to the newer technology DAB+ in October last year, between 200,000 and 400,000 Danish radio receivers became unusable. Shortly after the change, DAB listening fell by 40%, according to the public radio Danmarks Radio (DR).
Since October 1, the overall volume of listeners has increased again, DR writes in a press release that the listeners who left DAB simply found other ways to listen to the radio instead - for example FM or by buying new DAB+ receivers.
Although the DAB upgrade did not mean that a lost overall listening, certain channels without an FM frequency were hit hard. This is because most DAB sets also can receive FM, and so many were there - instead of throwing out the DAB radio that did not support the DAB+ format - tuned in on FM instead, says the director of DR Media Research Dennis Christensen.
To this we can add that many listeners also switched their digital radio listening from terrestrial DAB to the Internet.
Still there is no political decision in Denmark to replace the FM network with DAB+. Neighboring Sweden rejected such a proposal in 2016.
Read more in Ingenjören (The Engineer)
DR: Radiolytning på DAB faldt med 40 pct. efter skift til DAB+
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Danish Report: DAB Radio Will Not Replace FM in The Near Future
