Interesting story. Doesn't say what "digital" Norway is adopting, but an ABC
news piece says it's a tossup between DAB and DAB+.
Also interesting is that in a recent blog, Tom Wheeler was asking what we
can do to save AM. Same thing. Ditch AM and use either HD Radio, or DRM, in
the MW band. Make that band useful again. Or just move everyone over to
Internet radio, although that requires more infrastructure.
It's unrealistic to think any of these shifts can happen without FCC action,
however (or their equivalent in Norway).
Bert
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http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/20/living/norway-fm-radio-digital/index.html
Norway to become first nation in world to shut down FM radio
By Emma Lacey-Bordeaux, CNN
Updated 11:09 AM ET, Mon April 20, 2015
(CNN)—Video may have killed the radio star, but in Norway it's digital
that's killing FM radio.
In two years' time, the Scandinavian nation is slated to become the first in
the world to phase out radio entirely.
That doesn't mean that Norwegians will be left with radio silence; they'll
merely have to tune in digitally.
According to officials in Oslo, many in this nation of 5 million have
already made the move.
On FM, Norwegians can only find five stations. On the Digital Audio
Broadcasting network, there are four times that number.
Half the country already listens that way, said Culture Minister Thorhild
Widvey.
"Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio-content,
and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality," Widvey said in a news
release.
Officials say the move will spur innovation because the cost of digital
transmission will save some $25 million.
But the country's radio waves won't cut out all once, a blog post on
Radio.no explained.
Radio will be phased out region by region, starting in January 2017 and
concluding in December.
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