[cma-l] Norway to switch off FM in 2017

Mon Apr 20 10:43:56 BST 2015

Worthwhile remembering that Christer Hederstrom is a noted anti-DAB
campaigner. We have our own here - Grant Goddard or Steve Green, now mostly
quiet after the evidence appears to be pointing away from their views. The
publisher of Radio Today is also anti-DAB, so you probably won't get much
balance there.

In my report here -
https://media.info/radio/news/norway-to-switch-off-fm-go-dab-only-in-2017 -
I compare the Norwegian criteria for switch off with the UK criteria. In
short, we're not quite there yet. I also give my views about switchover.

Noted: community radio will continue on FM in Norway, even post
FM-switchoff. These stations are less than 5% of total radio listening; but
still worthwhile knowing.

James

On Mon, 20 Apr 2015 10:36 tlr at gairloch.co.uk <tlr at gairloch.co.uk> wrote:

>   Seems like Sweden is looking at it differently from Norway, or as Radio
> Sweden put it Är DAB dåligt för radiolyssnaren?
> <http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=4058&artikel=6141224>
>
>  For those without the benefit of Swedish, Radio Today has reported the
> story in English:
>
>
>  *National Audit report devastating for DAB in Sweden*
>
> The proposed transition to (terrestrial) digital radio imply major risks
> and will probably not be profitable for the society.
>
>
> The best choice is to retain the FM network, according to the national
> auditor Margareta Åberg.
>
> In the March 23 concluded consultation round by the Ministry of Culture
> there were several decisive objections and thumbs down by qualified
> institutions to the proposal for a transition to DAB 2016-2022. Together
> with this subsequent independent analysis it is now probable that 20 years
> of efforts to introduce DAB in Sweden will come to a definite end. The
> extensive and critical report was this week presented to the Parliament by
> Riksrevisionen (The National Audit Office).
>
> *A short summary of the report: *
>
> *1. The government is not properly prepared for a transition. *
> In spite of several inquiries and studies the government has not prepared
> a sufficient and solid case for a transition to digital radio. The
> government has not analyzed a transition from a wider cost perspective to
> society. The radio industry actors with their own interests in retaining
> terrestrial radio have to a large extent themselves been able to define the
> problems and to investigate and propose a possible transition.
>
> *2. Listeners' perspective is lacking. *
> A risk with a transition to DAB+ is that the government will introduce a
> new standard for radio listening which is not asked for neither needed by
> the listeners. Replacing in-car radios will be a large and costly challenge
> as there will be 3,6 milllion cars without a DAB+ receiver 2022.
>
> *3. Technical assessments are inadequate. *
> There is a risk that the geographical coverage for DAB+ after closing the
> FM network is overestimated. Riksrevisionen says while it is important to
> maintain a broadcast network which does not depend on Internet or mobile
> broadband the FM network meets such demands. Being robust and in principle
> reaching all citizens it meets the emergency alert requirements
>
> *4. Economic aspects are ignored.*
> A transition to DAB+ is probably not economically profitable from a wider
> societal perspective even after 50 years of operation. To abandon the FM
> band and transfer to DAB+ implies that the government will leave a
> frequency space (Band II) without any alternative use, On the other hand
> Band III will have a high alternative value in the future (for television).
>
> The audit is very extensive, starting in May 2014 in close cooperation
> with the official institutions involved in the digital radio process; the
> Ministry of Culture, the Telecom Authority, the Media Authority, Swedish
> public radio and the state owned broadcast provider Teracom. Interviews
> have also been made abroad; in Finland and Norway as well as with the EBU.
> Economic and technical experts from major universities have also been
> involved.
>
> *Christer Hederström is a Media Analyst in Stockholm, Sweden*
>
>   Christer Hederström <http://radiotoday.co.uk/tag/christer-hederstrom/>
> DAB <http://radiotoday.co.uk/tag/dab/> Sweden
> <http://radiotoday.co.uk/tag/sweden/>
>
> <http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/04/national-audit-devastating-for-dab-in-sweden/#>
> 0  7
> <http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/04/national-audit-devastating-for-dab-in-sweden/#comments>
> 1659  17 April, 2015  International News
> <http://radiotoday.co.uk/category/int/>
>
> On 20 April 2015 at 08:44 CMA-L <cma-l at commedia.org.uk> wrote:
>
>   Within two years from now, the shutdown of national FM-networks begins
> in Norway. The switchover will begin in the North and will be implemented
> region by region.
>
>
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