DAB Radio in Norway Close to the Abyss. FM Still On.

Picture: VG

Lobbyists are spreading a false picture of the digital OTA transition
During 2017 Norway switched-off its national FM network and replaced it with DAB+. Reports distributed by DAB promoters to international media depict the transition as ”successful”. However, the listeners do not agree. Last month the Oslo daily Dagbladet published a Ipsos poll indicating that 56% of the Norwegians are not satisfied with DAB, 31% satisfied and 12% do not know. 
Trying to force the listeners to scrap their FM receivers and invest in DAB+ receivers will come to a high cost for the three major broadcasters. Public radio NRK has lost a considerable part of its listeners – about a fifth during 2017.

Norway: Two out of three parties in a new government skeptical to DAB radio

Will the new Minister of Culture also be in the hands of lobbyists?
Prime Minister Erna Solberg has presented his new tripartite government. New Minister of Culture Trine Skei Grande (Venstre = Liberals), has previously shown that she has experience from radio and is skeptical about DAB. In the 2011 parliamentary debate on DAB radio report, she expressed skepticism before taking the decision. She hoped it was the last time the politicians in Stortinget decided on an information-sharing technology.

Danish DAB Radio Setback- FM Listening Increased

Upgrade to DAB+ decreased DAB listening by 40%
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).

Insufficient Indoor Reception Will Put DAB+ In Jeopardy

Digital radio test in two Dutch cities stopped
The DAB+ experiment in Rijswijk and Zoetermeer was stopped yesterday. In July 2017, Feel Good Radio decided to take part in the national experiment to find the best way for local channels to use DAB. Indoor reception of the channel was not sufficient in many cases.

Norwegian Parliament Rumbling Over FM Switch-Off

Government questioned about DAB and secret agreements. 
Radio Metro tries to resist switch-off.
The national channels have now switched-off FM, but the political part of the process is far from over. After a year of overwhelmingly negative opinion, especially in daily press and social media, the government politicians have now started reacting. Written questions were sent to the Minister of Culture about DAB. MP Hege Haukeland Liadal (Social Democrats) asked: Can the Minister of Culture inform about the total development cost of DAB has been as of December 1 2017 compared to the costs the alternative to maintaining and upgrading of the FM network?

One Out of Two Norwegians Are Still Dissatisfied With DAB Radio

"The People's Crushing DAB Verdict"

Widespread resistance to the DAB transition. 
Local commercial station refusing FM switch-off
During the year, FM transmitters for national radio broadcasters have been closed district by district. Today, the last closed in Troms county in northern Norway. Now on the FM band you can only listen to local radio, cross-border radio from Sweden and pirate radio. Today, the Oslo daily Dagbladet published an opinion poll by Ipsos, which shows that 56 percent are dissatisfied with the transition to DAB. 31% are satisfied and 12% do not know. This is an insignificant change since Ipso's measurement last summer when 60% were dissatisfied and 24% satisfied.