Media: World's first FM switch-off confirmed for 2017

Thorhild Widvey, Norwegian Minister of Culture, has confirmed that
FM switch-off will happen in 2017. (Photo: Ilja C. Hendel)

And it is official. Norway will switch off FM in 2017, as the first country in the world. The government, represented by the Minister of Culture, announced today. The replacement? Digital Audio Broadcasting, usually referred to as DAB+.

Media: All requirements for FM switch-off fulfilled

765 DAB transmitting towers provide 99.5% indoor DAB+ coverage in Norway.

The radio listening figures for the last three months made Ole Jørgen Torvmark a happy man. Over 50% of Norwegians now listen to digital radio daily. That means that all the government's requirements have been fulfilled in order for a switch off of FM to happen in Norway 2017.

Retailers Should Stop Selling FM Radios

FM radios on offer in Moroni in Comores. They do however not have DAB signals in the air.

Norway will switch off FM as the first country in the world in January 2017. Digital Radio Norway is a non-profit organization that provides information about the shift in technology. It also deals with marketing of digital radio and consumer law considerations.

Media: "LTE Broadcast" - The Next Hyped Broadcasting Challenger

Broadcasting in Norway. 

What is seemingly the best reason to delay a decisions? By refering to something better, often a technology, that is in the process of being developed. Or at least, in the process of being planned.

Media: Would You Pay 115 Euro Per Year for Radio?

Stockholm by night. CC licensed photo by linkahwai. 

Sweden is one of the countries that is now planning for an FM switch-off. Because FM is way passed its due date. But also because the internet cannot and will not deliver radio to everyone.

Media: Broadcasting 7 Times Greener Than Streaming

Broadcasted radio consumes much less power than streamed radio.

Sometimes even a non-scientist like me feel like doing some experimentation. To find out how long a mobile phone battery will last if I want to listen to the radio via streaming vs. via broadcasting.

Media: DAB vs. FM Coverage Comparisons

DAB is cheap enough to be used even by a small local radio station using only one transmitter, as shown before. That still doesn’t mean that this way of thinking is not valid for a larger area. It is, although the costs will of course be higher. The bottom line is that DAB will almost always be cheaper than FM.

Media: The Real Cost of Digital Radio

This is Naustdal, my home village on the West Coast of Norway.
My mother, who still lives there, can receive 5 radio stations via FM or over 20 via DAB. 

Digital radio is very expensive. Or at least so we are usually told by wannabe experts. I have previously shown that is not the case. To build a DAB+ network from scratch is actually cheaper than staying on FM. But what is the real cost of building digital radio in Norway?

Media: The FM Bets Are On

Which country will be the first to switch off FM? Norway has long been in the lead. Apparantly. It's been a little over two years since the government in the land of the midnight sun decided to switch off FM in January 2017. Given some preconditions. Denmark later followed with 2019 as a tentative FM switch-off date, whereas Sweden as the third Nordic country said 2022 only last month.

Media: Sweden Joins FM Switch-Off Club

Creative Commons licensed photo by Hans Kylberg. 

Swedish Minister of Culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, today announced that Sweden have joined Norway and Denmark in setting a date for switching off FM and replacing it with DAB+. She explains the reasons behind the government's move in a letter to Swedish daily Dagens nyheter. 

EBU Recommends FM Switch Off

European Broadcasting Union recommends that European countries switch off FM. The announcement was made  during EBU Digital Radio Summit in Geneva last week. Norway has already announced an FM switch off. DAB coverage in Norway is now at 84%, but will be increased to 90% by the end of the year and to 99.5% by the end of 2014. 

The EBU is impressed by Norway, and now recommends other countries to do the same; To switch off FM and replace it by DAB+. 

This became clear in new technical recommendations that was presented in Geneva on February 13 by Javier Sánchez Perez who is Chair of the EBU’s Strategic Programme on Digital Radio Platforms.

The recommendations, titled Digital Radio Distribution in Europe (document R138), read:   

The EBU recommends that, 

1. The needs of all radio services in a country  be  considered  when  making  plans  for  the 

digitisation of radio, including future service expansion, the available spectrum, and the cost 

effectiveness of different standards for different services; 

2. Immediate deployment be done using DAB transmission as defined in ETSI EN 300 401 with 

DAB+ services as defined in ETSI TS 102 563 for digital radio broadcasting in VHF Band III; 

3. When DAB coverage is not possible, to use DRM as defined in ETSI ES 201 980 for digital radio 

broadcasting in the frequency bands currently used for analogue radio broadcasting; 

4. Digitisation is accompanied by the deployment of enhanced features, such as text, images and 

programme guides to keep radio relevant in the digital age; 

5. Hybrid radio services are deployed with digital broadcasting systems (for example using 

RadioDNS); 

6. Harmonisation in the timetable for deployment  of digital radio across Europe, including a 

target date for the switch-off of analogue  radio, would create a greater momentum and 

market take-up. 

The last point is a very strong signal. DAB+ is the clear recommendation of choice. DRM, or digital AM, is also mentioned, but only when DAB coverage is not possible, and only in the frequency bands currently used for analogue radio broadcasting (Band I and Band II that are used for FM). And DRM is rather costly.   

Radio is of vital importance

R138 is the first agreement among EBU Members on digital radio distribution. It was approved by the EBU Technical Committee two weeks ago.

The EBU also notes that 'FM radio is constrained by a lack of available spectrum in all developed markets,' and pinpoints the following:  

Radio is of vital cultural importance throughout Europe;

Radio is consumed by the vast majority of Europeans every week; 

Radio is consumed at home, at work and on the move; 

Terrestrial broadcast delivery is the only free-to-air and cost-effective method for truly mobile reception, particularly in cars.


This is a good and clear message from the EBU, which emphasizes their so called Euro-Chip concept. The name of that initiative is however awful, as I have argued earlier. 


But isn't all of this just nonsens? FM works just fine. Or does it? Read this blog post which contains links to yet another 18 blog posts that show why FM isn't all what it is cracked up to be. 

Digital Radios Become Cheaper

This particular chipset is made by Silicon Labs in the United States. 

DAB radios have been more expensive than FM radios, butthe gap is about to narrow. One reason has been the much lower production volume, another reason is the patent license fee on DAB chipsets, commonly referred to as the Philip patent. That patent expires March 18, something that eliminates the fee of €1.50-2.50 (volume dependent) and should make digital radios €3-5 Euros cheaper.

The DAB patent has already expired in some countries, but it is now eliminated world-wide. That is good news to both manufacturers and consumers. It should also lead to an uptake in production of DMB/DAB+ capable devices from companies that may not have produced such receivers before. It also lowers the barrier to introduce more mobile phone and tablets with built-in DMB/DAB+.

A few Euros may not sound like a lot, but it quickly adds up if your volume is hundreds of thousands or even millions of devices.

A Digital Radio, the Best Christmas Present

This street shop in Moroni has lot of radios, although no digital ones.
There are currently DAB transmissions in over 40 countries, but not in Comoros. 

A lot of people talk to me about digital radio. They know I work with media. Some seems to hate it, others are full of appraisal. But following Christmas Eve I have only heard great things. From a lot of people. Why? Because they just got their first DAB+ digital radio as a Christmas present. The official sales statistics are not out yet, but judging by the feedback I have got, a lot of Norwegians have discovered DAB+ radio under their Christmas tree in 2012.

There are some reasons that stand out when people tell me about their gifts. And they do so enthusiastically, so please excuse the widespread use of exclamation marks below.  

1. - The sound is much clearer!

This is of course a debatable claim, as we have seen through repeated discussions following the launch of digital radio in the 90s. It all depends on the bandwidth the broadcaster allocate to each channel, the equipment on the receiving side as well as available signal strength and the space you are listening in. The higher the bandwidth, the better the sound. Keep in mind that most people compare the sound to their old FM radios and that most people listen while doing other things, moving around in a room or two. Most of the negative audio claims about DAB came from audiophiles who had enjoyed optimal listening conditions. They were typically sat between two high-end speakers connected to good receivers in an area with top signal strength and in an acoustically tailored room. Is this how you typically listen to the radio?  

2. - I can finally change stations!

Some people claim that they didn't dare to before, because the FM radio was tuned in just right and they didn't want to risk losing the frequency. With DAB+ you will see the list of all available radio stations which you can easily switch between.

3. - The selection is so much better!

This is certainly true outside all major cities. In Naustdal, my home village on the Norwegian West Coast, you will get 5-6 stations via FM and 21 via DAB/DAB+. One of the FM stations is transmitting on FM only, but all modern DAB radios come with FM as well, so you don't risk losing those odd FM only ones either. In addition, several radio station are digital only and cannot be received via FM. The number of such stations will only increase year on year. All of Norway is not covered via DAB yet, so some areas are still with FM only. NRK P1 covers the country best with 99.5% population coverage. DAB currently covers approximately 84% of the population, but by the end of 2014 99.5% will get at least 12 radio stations via DAB, 90% will get more than 30. Some areas in Norway do not currently have FM at all, but will finally get radio via DAB in early 2013.

4. - Car radio listening has dramatically improved!

Several people have told me that they will never again drive with an FM radio switched on after having tried DAB in their cars. The sound appears better (see the first point, and add that the car noises might also contribute) and they don't repeatedly lose coverage. This is of course only valid on roads with DAB coverage, but more and more roads are being covered, many of which do not currently have FM. Road tunnels are also gradually being covered by the Norwegian Road Authority, as DAB there works as an emergency system too. If an accident happens or a fire breaks out, the tunnel controller can override the radio stations and tell motorists how to get safely out of the tunnel.

5. - Now I can see who sings that song I loved so much!      

Metadata are being broadcast together with the DAB radio signal. That may at times offer the listener valuable information about artists, song titles or names of presenters, DJs or guests.

I could have added to this list myself, but that would've been bragging. Please feel free to add your own comments below though. And congratulations with your DAB radio, whether you already got it or soon will. Have an eminent radio 2013! 

The Costly Business of DRM

Digital radio is conquering new countries every year. Most of them (over 40) use digital radio's de facto standard Eureka 147 (which includes DMB and DAB+). Some of them use DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), which is like the AM of digital radio. It covers vast areas with few transmitters (i.e. India). The United States has, as usual, gone their own way and uses HD Radio, a proprietary solution.

Germany has used DAB+ since 2011 and is now covering over 80% of the country. Deutschlandradio in Germany did however also use DRM. Until September 2012 when it was switched off. Why? It cost the broadcaster 12 million Euro per year to run the system, the same as DAB+. The difference? Their DRM capacity was limited to 40kbps, just about enough for one radio station. DAB+ gives them 400kbps, 10 times as much for the same price. And while there are hundreds of receiver models capable of receiving DAB+, there are only a handful capable of receiving DRM.

DRM is a good option when you want to cover big areas with few radio stations. DAB+ is great when you want to provide many stations via broadcast radio. So, DAB+ for choice, DRM for reach to remote away places. Then again, in Norway DAB+ will provide both as 99.5 of the population will be covered by the end of 2014. And there aren't many countries that are more challenging when it comes to building a distribution infrastructure. 765 transmitters are needed to ensure better DAB+ coverage than what is currently the case for P1, the widest reaching radio station on FM.

Then again, India and Russia are somewhat bigger than Norway, and DRM may very well be a good solution in such huge countries.

What the Hell is 'Euro-Chip?'

UPDATE March 20, 2014: Name changed.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has joined forces with the BBC and Deutschlandradio to in a better way promote digital radio across Europe. Or to put it in the words of the EBU:

'The 'Euro-Chip' initiative is a marketing project designed to promote an existing set of minimum features and functions that was originally created by WorldDMB, EBU and EICTA, for all new digital radio receivers.' 

This is a splendid project which has been presented by EBU Media Director, Annika Nyberg Frankenhaeuser, acting General Director of the BBC, Tim Davie and Director-General of Deutschlandradio, Willi Steul. But the name of the project defeats the purpose and does nothing by cause confusion and possible hostility from countries outside Europe.

I am attending the WorldDMB European Automotive Event in Berlin today with over a hundred other people that are working within the radio or the car industry. I'd say we know, understand and love radio. When the 'Euro-Chip' initiative was presented, many attendees reacted with surprise and a number of questions were asked:

- When will the new chip be introduced? 
- Is it a chip that costs only one Euro?
- It is not a chip? So it is some new software?
- How can we use this?
- Who produces this chip?
- When will the new chip be ready?
- Is it only for use in Europe?

A Marketing Project
We were told that this is only a marketing initiative to give digital radio a European wide push. The main message is pretty clear and easy, but it is being overshadowed by the name.

Or as Tim Davie put it when 'Euro-Chip' was introduced last month:

"Digital radio across Europe has been plagued by uncertainty. We may be reaching a tipping point, but first we have to bank what is certain about radio's digital hybrid future and join forces to promote a common vision across Europe."

Such chips that support FM, DAB, DAB+ and DMB are already in production and have been so for years. They ensure the interoperability between all new digital radio devices that are to be sold in Europe and eliminates uncertainty. All such radios will be able to receive radio no matter which way it is broadcast.

"This is of critical importance for broadcasters, manufacturers and the public. We must ensure that European consumers are able to buy future-proofed receivers that will provide them with radio services across Europe." Said Annika Nyberg Frankenhaeuser.

Many listeners don't even know what a chip is or that there is a chip inside radios. And why exclude the rest of the world by insisting on 'Euro' in the name? DMB and or DAB+ services are live on air in five continents.

There is really nothing new, except that broadcasters across Europe will work together to promote digital radio. Let us do so by using a language that people understand and a language that doesn't exclude or confuse. Please don't make it more difficult for us to do this, Annika, Tim and Willi. Scrap the name, not the project.

What Google Says
Or how about a websearch on 'Eurochip?'

Eurochip is already the name of no less than two European projects. In the first one, scientists from research institutions 'study various aspects of the hormonal communication between the gut and the brain.' In other words, a research project about obesity. Eurochip is in fact an acronym. Sort of. It stands for 'European Obesity Consortium studing the Hypothalamus and its Interaction with the Periphery.' The other one is a cancer health indicator project.

Eurochip is also a company that has 'your branch and tree removal needs covered,' a car chip for BMWs and an Italian bike park.

Eurochips, on the other hand, is a network; The European Committee for Children of Imprisoned Parents.

Any original ideas for a new name? Anyone? 

It is not too late to change the name, EBU. Sometimes even marketing people can get slogans and names wrong. And it is never too late to turn around and actually change something that was a less than perfect idea. Now, we will have to use a lot of effort on explaning what the "Euro-Chip" is supposed to be and what it certainly isn't istead of spending our energy on explaining what it really is and why a concept is called a chip.

Update (Nov 27):
The EBU seems to have taken the feedback to consideration. They now occasionally refer to the initiative as 'The Euro-Chip concept.' A little bit better, but there will be no cigar for creativity or clarity.

There's a New Buzzword in Town; LTE-A

A report by independent Dutch research institute TNO compares various networks that may be used to cover a country with digital radio and mobile television. LTE-A (Long Term Evolution Advanced) is the newest buzzword, or buzz acronym rather, to come from mobile network operators and the technology has been included in the comparison.

TNO is looking to its own country for a case. In the Netherlands, 16.5 million people share 31,000 square kilometers. An LTE-A network will require 38,500 transmitters on almost 13,000 sites to reach all of them, according to TNO. A DMB/DAB+ network will require 30 transmitters on the same number of sites. The differences in building costs, site rentals and other running expenses are major. The running costs for a LTE-A transmitter is 60,000 USD per year, according to Arqiva back in 2010.

Given that those figures still are accurate means running costs of 2.3 billion USD a year. In addition to four times as much in investments. That means that whoever would want to buy such a network covering over 99% of the country would need 4 million paying customers (25% of the population) to each pay 1,150USD a year to break even. And a revenue on top would be nice.

The TNO report maintains the need for cost efficient distribution solutions, that the capacity crunch in mobile networks is very real and that broadcasting networks are the most efficient means to distribute live content to a large audience.

The report has been commissioned by IDAG and will shortly be available to paying IDAG members. Not among those? Please get in touch with Ron du Croix to buy a license for individual or corporate use.

In January 2011 I wrote Why 4G is Hyped which you may also find useful.

Video Killed the Internet Star

Both Netflix and HBO are currently expanding to new markets. 

The costs of distributing on demand television via the internet are higher than via broadcasting as soon as you pass only 8,000 viewers, according to IHS Screen Digest.

To distribute one hour of web tv to 8,000 people will cost 29.58 Euro, or 0.003698 Euro per user hour. The price of an hour of broadcasting is 28.62 Euro, again according to IHS Screen Digest. The difference is that broadcasting can reach an infinite number of people bringing the cost per user hour to virually zero.

That means that a programme that is watched by, say 8 million people (as the highest freefall jump last week), will cost 29,580 Euro per hour to distribute via the internet. That is over a 1000 times more than the 28.62 Euro it will cost if it was broadcast.

But is 8 million viewers a lot? Not necessarily. Several events have reportedly had around one billion viewers. The cost then, if it were to be distributed via the internet (this is very hypotethically, as the infrastructure wouldn't at all be able to cope) would then be 3,697,500 Euro per hour, against 28.62 if broadcast. 129,000 times more expensive (given that all the viewers are in one country), in other words.

How does this translate to current television figures? IHS has made an estimation for the UK, given that all current TV viewing were to be distributed via the internet (again, very hypothetically). The CDN costs alone would exceed 1.2 billion Euro per year.

In the US, videos from Netflix alone is to "blame" for 33% of all internet traffic! And Netflix only provides on demand video, which in the US accounts for 2% of viewing times (98% is on traditional television, live or time shifted). Add YouTube traffic, and the figure increases to 44%. What if you add all live television viewing? You do the maths. And remember that Netflix and YouTube are not alone. HBO, Hulu, The BBC and others also provide online video services or are planning to do so.

The internet will not be able to distribute all sorts of radio and television content. It is already struggling with on demand videos. The figures shown above may illustrate why we need both broadcasting and the internet even clearer than other examples. I have provided a range of them in various blog posts the last few years, included posts such as Why the Internet Won't Solve Everything.

Maybe broadcasting isn't so stupid and old fashioned after all.

Denmark Also Switches Off FM

The government of Denmark has agreed with the opposition to switch off FM in 2019, reports radionyt.se. That makes Denmark the second country in the world to set a time frame for an FM switch off and to go for digital radio only, via DAB+. Norway has already decided on January 2017 as the switch off date for analogue radio.

”The world is going digital, and this is therefore a natural evolution that corresponds well to earlier work and political decisions in this area, just as what was the case with television a few years back. By setting a switch off date, we send a clear signal to both the industry and the listeners that we are moving forward. By setting a date so distant as 2019, the Danish will have plenty of time to take the FM switch off into consideration when they aquire new radio receivers." Says Danish Minister of Culture Uffe Elbæk in a press release issued today.

Denmark will at the same time go from DAB to more efficient and robust DAB+. 50% of the radio listening must happen digitally in 2018 for the switch off to happen, although this is a reasonable criteria that is not far off even today. Denmark was one of the first countries to start DAB transmissions, and both the uptake and the number of available DAB stations has been high. 

The Danish announcement is as expected. The questions now is which countries will follow next. I am guessing that the UK, the Netherlands, Poland, France and Germany will follow suit, as discussed here.

Samsung Leads the Way for Radio with Screens

Samsung Galaxy S 5.0 Wi-Fi with built-in DMB and DAB+ is now on sale in Germany and Norway.

DAB has been on air since the 90s. Up to now all the radios for the European market have, with a few exceptions, been rather old-fashioned. They have offered radio and not much more. Absent were the possibilities for advanced functionalities that enable greater interaction with media savvy consumers through visuals and interactivity. Communication with the listeners is key, but radios have up to now not made such dialogue easy.

IDAG (International DMB Advancement Group), an organisation for broadcasters and DMB/DAB+ licence holders has worked closely with Samsung to change this.

The world's leading global electronics consumer brand has just launched a device that enables broadcasters to have greater communication channels with its listeners. The device, Samsung Galaxy 5.0 Wi-Fi combines DAB/DAB+ and DMB with the internet and supports TPEG. It is Android powered, Google approved, has a 5 inch touch screen and comes with two cameras, GPS Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. As TPEG can be supported too, there is a potential of making it a great navigation unit. It is not a phone, but a huge step in the right direction. The name of the toy? Samsung Galaxy 5.0 Wi-Fi with DMB/DAB+. Nice and short.

The best bit is that IDAG has worked closely with Samsung to gain access to the API of the device. The application protocol interface enables developers to control the DMB/DAB+ chipset at the same time as they can simultaneously communicate via the internet.

Established data services such as Slideshow, DLS, DL+, Broadcast Websites, EPG and Journaline all come to life in the first app that has been developed for the device by Syngenio of Germany. So does integration to Facebook and Twitter. Listeners can by the touch of the screen share information on which radio station they are listening to, which track that is playing or even share the slideshow that is on. This integration opens up for radio programs to easier enable and integrate comments and discussions. Not ground-breaking? Well, these services are obvious examples. Any other internet service that you can think of may be added on a layer "on top" of the broadcast. Expect to see betting, gambling, touch screen shopping, personal coupons with ads and much more soon on a tablet near you. Or a phone.

The Samsung mini tablet also handles mobile TV via DMB.

Such phones with the right chipset do already exist. In Korea. How about a Samsung Galaxy III with built-in DMB, DAB and DAB+? I'm quite certain that the first DMB/DAB+ enabled smart phone by a global brand will be on offer in Europe and beyond within 12 months from now. In the meantime, play around with the possibilities and find out what digital radio can do in a multiplatform future to benefit the consumer and keep radio relevant in a digital age.


A shortened version of this article is published in Eureka, the magazine of WorldDMB. 

Which Country Next for FM Switch Off?

The UK is among the countries I believe will decide to switch off FM soon. Brilliant button @ Bob Bob Ricard, Soho.

The Norwegian government has decided to switch off FM in January 2017 (given certain criteria which will be fulfilled). And in neighbouring Sweden, a governmental report on radio and media in general was recently published. It clearly states that radio in Sweden will go digital and that the broadcasters will get extra money to do so. So, the future home of Julian Assange is set to follow in the steps of the Norwegians. The date is however uncertain, but probably by 2020. In the third Scandinavian country, politicians are expected to agree on a switch off in 2019. That is when the Danish FM licenses run out. The announcement can be expected as early as in October or November.

So, who dares go next? Two years ago no one outside the offices of certain broadcasters even dared utter the three words "FM", "switch" and "off" in the same sentence, let alone in that order. Now, to switch off FM is a clear goal being implemented in policies in more and more countries. Why? Because it saves broadcasters a lot of money that can be spent on better programs, it ensures the same radio offering to everyone whereever they live and it is much greener. Do you need more reasons? Here is a selection of articles. Help youself. 

My bet is that at least four out of the five countries below will follow suit and make an announcement of a forthcoming FM switch off no later than the end of 2014. The date of the actual switch off will vary, but a notice of 3-6 years is expected to be given. In reality, users should only be given two years. People are not stupid, they will get a new radio when one is needed. Not before. As is the case with a switch off of analogue television, most people wait until the last 2-3 weeks before the analogue signal goes off air until they buy the needed setup box. Consumers expect prices to fall while extra functionality will be added the longer they wait. Sales also pop up all over the place when retailers know something big is happening, so why buy now if you don't have to?

Great Britain
This was the first country to start a DAB trial, and DAB signals now reach 93% of the population. Coverage will be increased to 97% by the end of 2015. 40% of people in London listen to DAB every week, and the UK seems almost ready to take the plunge as the first big country. How about an announcement in 2013?

The Netherlands

DAB has been on air for years in the Netherlands, but with very little marketing and few devices in shops. This is about to change, and both the public service broadcaster and the commercial ones will have transmissions on air by September 1, 2013. In addition moile TV company MTVNL has mobile TV signals and updated traffic data on air via DMB. The government looks at the licensing of FM and DAB as one matter. If you're not on digital, you will not be allowed to remain on FM. The Dutch are more than ready to switch off FM relatively soon.

France
This might be a little bit of a surprise, given the reluctancy by the four big commercial broadcasters to go digital. They want to keep the competition away by staying on FM, milking it for what it is worth and sabotaging any attempt by the government to get going. Putting your head in a flower pot never helped anyone defeat hungry competitors, not even where cake should eradicate hunger. Frequency licenses are being handed out as we speak, and there are hundreds of applicants. The question is, will all the big four French dare not apply for digital licenses? What if one of them changes its mind two minutes before the deadline? Legislation is even in place to force all car manufacturers selling cars in France to add a digital broadcasting receiver in cars 18 months after regular DAB+ transmissions covers 20% of the country. This coverage level should be reached before the summer of 2013. 

Germany

The biggest economy in Europe last year introduced nationwide radio transmissions for the first time since WWII, via DAB+. Digital radios are selling reasonably well, and digital radio is attracting new players into the radio business. If you own a global company with a huge marketing budget, why not spend some of the money on a hip and trendy radio station? Did you mention DJ Red Bull?

Poland
This is an outsider, but given its proximity to Germany and it being the fastest growing economy in Europe, I think this may be the surprise country to announce a switch off relatively soon. They have already trialled both DMB and DAB+ with good results in Poland and the players there are innovative and forward leaning. 

Involvement  is a key criteria in any FM switch off plan, also in these five countries. Public broadcasters, commercial broadcasters, retailers AND governments must all work together to ensure success. In most of these countries, such processes have already started. And a switch off date is needed. No matter how many great new radio stations you add on digital, a fairly high percentage of the population will always be happy with what they already have. At least until they experience how much better the alternative is.

But what about all those radios?

Please don't use the awful excuse: "But everyone will have to buy new radios." You don't complain when you and each and every one of your family members, colleagues and friends buy a new Samsung or a new Iphone every 18 months, then brag about your new gadget on Facebook afterwards. One of those smart phones costs more than 10 times the price of an average digital radios and requires much more energy to produce.

You can also safely exclude another overused excuse: "But imagine the waste problem with all the radios that will be thrown away." Again, why not care equally about all those mobile phones, tablets and laptops that you throw away every other year? They contain many more chemicals and electronics than a simple FM radio. And a radio works "forever," so it has certainly done its duty compared to other gadgets that are old after a year or three. A radio also contains parts such as loudspeakers and antennas that can be reused with relative ease. Not to forget cheaper and cheaper adapter solutions that will actually pimp your old FM radio and make it a digital one.