The FM radio dial will soon join the ranks of obsolete technology alongside
the floppy disk, answering machines and VCRs -- well at least in Norway.
The Scandinavian country's Ministry of Culture said in a statement
that FM radio will be switched off in 2017 with digital radio taking its place.
Norwegians won't lose their favorite radio programming
and can instead expect higher quality and more choices, according to Thorhild
Widvey, Norway's Minister of Culture, who said the move was first discussed in
2011.
"Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic
radio content, and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality,"
Widvey said in a statement. "Digitization will also greatly improve the
emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and offer new
opportunities for innovation and development."
Norway's digital audio broadcasting network (DAB) already
includes 22 national channels with room for plenty more, whereas the country's
FM radio station hosts five.
When the FM dial dies, broadcasters will be able to
decide whether to take their stations to DAB or the more cutting edge DAB+.The
Ministry of Culture also said it expects the majority of future radio
programming in Norway to be on DAB+.
The move may be a win for everyone. According to the
Ministry of Culture, the cost of transmitting FM radio is eight times higher
than going digital.
It's expected the switch could provide as much as $25
million USD in savings per year for national channels, allowing more money to
be invested in programming.
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