FM Remains the Economic Basis of Commercial Radio in Germany

Alleged energy savings with DAB not enough for a comprehensive analysis.

Digitalisierungsberichts Audio (report for audio digitization) was presented today at the media authorities' Digital Radio Day in Berlin.

Marco Maier, chairman of the department for radio and audio services at the commercial radio organization VAUNET, says that the report documents the dynamics of the digital sector and the uninterrupted high relevance of FM radio in Germany. This form of distribution will therefore remain the economic basis for private commercial radio in Germany for a long time to come. Here his message is clear and he also questions another report which claims that DAB implies "green radio".

Norway Will Probably Retain FM radio

Political majority against choking FM for local radio

Close to the election this month, the Norwegian Local Radio Association has asked politicians in the culture sector what is their approach to Norwegian local radio. Local radio is not allowed to expand on FM by setting up new transmitters on FM, even in order to increase coverage of its own license area. Several politicians in the Parliament believe that this is wrong and there is now a majority for other solutions. Only Høyre (Conservative party) is clearly opposed to approving new FM transmitters. As mentioned previously there is now a political majority rejecting also the proposal by the Ministry of Culture for a total advertising ban for FM radio in the metro areas. Such a ban would seriously damage community broadcasters especially minority radio which cannot afford switching over to DAB+.

Also read:  Minority Broadcasters in Norway Hit By Government Proposal

Swiss FM Radio Switch-Off Postponed

Radio station agree to switch off at the end of 2024. But yet the case is not closed.

Last year private radio broadcasters and public broadcaster SRG agreed on an early and staggered shutdown of the FM stations: in August 2022 for the SRG and in January 2023 for the private broadcasters.  In the past weeks and months, however, the shutdown has become more and more a political issue: the former media minister Doris Leuthard had already joined the discussion in June and advised the government to halt the process. Now FM will be retained for another couple of years.

Private Terrestrial Radio Transmissions In Sweden Financed by Government?

The conservative party wants taxpayers to save commercial radio.

If a right-wing coalition takes replaces the red-green government next year it is likely that the Moderaterna (the Conservatives) will get through the reform proposals in their media policy program. One of the  proposals for commercial radio which, among other things, means that the state should take over the cost of the infrastructure for all terrestrial radio across the country. In the background are the high costs that the two commercial radio companies have for their terrestrial distribution on both FM and DAB, while at the same time having a smaller and continuing declining share of radio listening in Sweden.

The proposal emphasizes that the commercial radio and television of the future need predictable and long-term rules of the game and technology-neutral legislation. Increased state responsibility and a lower bar for obtaining a broadcasting permit would mean that commercial radio would have more leeway to develop new forms and business models, without abandoning parts of the country.

High Level Questioning of Swiss FM Shutdown

Plans for winding up FM radio might be postponed

Kommission für Verkehr und Fernmeldewesen des Nationalrats (Transport and Telecommunications Commission (KVF-N) in the Parliament ) demands that the federal government examine in more depth the consequences of not switching off FM (UKW) radio stations. The parliamentary services announced Tuesday.
The commission invited to the hearing representatives from the broadcasting industry, including the media pioneer Roger Schawinski, and the responsible communication agency OFCOM.  The MEPs in the commission wanted to further discuss the shutdown again at the end of August.

Minority Broadcasters in Norway Hit By Government Proposal

Feminist radio station shocked by proposed changes for local radio

Oslo community radio broadcaster radiOrakel is shocked by the proposal to change the license terms for local radio and says that the changes further tighten strict and unfair framework conditions. This is stated in a consultation submission to the proposal from the Ministry of Culture with new rules for local radios which will have their licenses extended after 2021. radiOrakel is one of several local radio stations that still broadcast in the so-called switch-off areas, where the parliament passed a ban on commercial local radio on FM in order to protect the major national DAB-only commercial players Bauer and P4 group (NENT). Now community radio in Norway is on the road to become squeezed out of business.

radiOrakel is the worlds oldest feminist radio station, and has since 1982 produced experimental journalism, creative comedy and investigative radio plays; all with a queer angle. The music profile covers everything from niche punk voices to doom and hip hop!