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Norway Becomes First Country To Switch Off FM Radio (thelocal.no)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Local Norway: Norway on Wednesday completed its transition to digital radio, becoming the first country in the world to shut down national broadcasts of its FM radio network despite some grumblings. As scheduled, the country's most northern regions and the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic switched to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) in the late morning, said Digitalradio Norge (DRN) which groups Norway's public and commercial radio. The transition, which began on January 11th, allows for better sound quality, a greater number of channels and more functions, all at a cost eight times lower than FM radio, according to authorities. The move has however been met with some criticism linked to technical incidents and claims that there is not sufficient DAB coverage across the country. In addition, radio users have complained about the cost of having to buy new receivers or adapters, usually priced around 100 to 200 euros. Currently, fewer than half of motorists (49 percent) are able to listen to DAB in their cars, according to DRN figures. According to a study cited by local media, the share of Norwegians who listen to the radio on a daily basis has dropped by 10 percent in one year, and public broadcaster NRK has lost 21 percent of its audience.

5 of 183 comments (clear)

  1. Patent? by harrkev · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do they use the same patent-laden system as here in the US, or is there a chance to use an open decoder?

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    "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
  2. Re:You can take my FM receiver . . . by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

    . . . when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

    (Sansui 3000A tuned to KCRW)

    No one is trying to take your receiver. It's the transmitters that are changing. You're welcome to keep your receiver that no longer receives anything.

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    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  3. Re:Good first step by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's a good thing you stopped writing because you where only a dozen sentences away from asking for the end of the universe.

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    #DeleteFacebook
  4. Re:AM to FM to DAB? by squiggleslash · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh now come on, it's easy to make a digital radio receiver out of a naturally semiconducting crystal, three paper clips, a speaker, some copper wire, and a Raspberry Pi.

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    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  5. Re:You can take my FM receiver . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    You're welcome to keep your receiver that no longer receives anything.

    Well, if your beloved KCRW goes dark . . . just buy an FM transmitter, and produce the program yourself:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    Since you would be the DJ, you can then even call yourself up on the radio telephone number, and have a heated debate with yourself.

    Oh, and every few months or so, hold a pledge drive, and beg folks for money in exchange for some radio station hats.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!