NORWAY, UK (VIP NEWS) — Norway will be the first country to shut down its FM radio stations, with a 2017 date set for the switch-off.
The country’s Ministry of Culture, has announced that the end will come during 2017, saying that the conditions it set down in 2011 have been met.
There are now 22 digital radio stations in the country, instead of the five national FM stations that operate in Norway. There is a capacity for more 20.
The ministry says FM transmissions are around eight times more expensive than on the digital spectrum, and this is a big saving for broadcasters.
The shift to digital is set to benefit the country’s emergency services, since emergency announcements can be simultaneously broadcast on all digital channels.
The first FM switch-off, due in January 2017, will be in the Nordland county, and will end with the Troms and Finnmark counties in December 2017.
