Why FM radio may be here to stay
As Norway switches off its FM radio network this week, other nations have abandoned similar plans, leaving the Scandinavian country a lonely beacon of digital-only broadcasting in a world that's rapidly moving on to music streaming and podcasts.
The switch to digital audio broadcasting, a first for any country, will be watched closely by other European nations, which are starting to question the benefits of shutting down analog networks. Success in Norway may be the last hope for enthusiasts and electronics retailers to revive digital-radio plans that have largely ground to a halt in the rest of the world.
Photo: A picture taken on December 23, 2016 shows the TDF (Telediffusion De France) radiobroadcaster transmitter antenna of 350 meters meters high in Allouis near Vierzon, central France, after France Inter #radio station announced the end of its long wave broadcast starting from January 2017. (AFP PHOTO / GUILLAUME SOUVANT)
