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Digital transition: turning off and not turning back
alternative facts

Digital radio transition in Norway is just a few steps from completion. The phased shut-down of national FM distribution takes a huge leap this week as the Oslo metropolitan area, with 1.8 million people, joins the DAB (digital audio broadcasting) zone. Some local stations across the country will remain distributed on the FM band for at least several years.

So far, the Kantar TNS PPM weekly audience estimates show daily reach dropping fairly significantly. For the first week of September (week 36) total daily reach fell to 62.9% from 68.1%, one year on. Public broadcaster NRK aggregate radio daily reach dropped to 43.0% from 48.1%. National commercial channels P4 and Radio Norge fell; 15.7% from 21.7% and 9.1% to 13.0%, respectively. National public and commercial channels will leave the FM band completely around the first of the year. (See more about digital radio here)

Some in Norway remain disconsolate. Major daily newspaper Aftenposten reported (September 18) several unnamed “private investors” asked the Norwegian Auditor General (Riksrevisjonen) in August to investigate relationships among NRK, digital radio support group Digitalradio Norge, advertising company Talkman Gruppen DA and digital receiver importer Sahaga. “It was a funny decision,” opined Aftenposten.

Well, no, said the Auditor General’s office. “This is about something that Parliament has adopted,” said a spokesperson to journalisten.no (September 18). “It is therefore not appropriate for us to investigate this now.”

“This is a very bold move that Norway has taken,” said major DAB support group WorldDAB in a contemporaneous statement (September 18) at the IBC electronics show. The group noted that listening levels in Norway year to year had remained the same. In this brave new world alternative facts are widely accepted.

More local programming promised as foreign network exits
"We see the opportunity"

The American radio station in Berlin will have a new licensee on October 1st. Berlin-Brandenburg media authority mabb published last week the award to US public radio station KCRW, operated by California public community college Santa Monica College. The station will operate on 104.1 FM and provide locally-produced programs in addition to content from the US public radio network NPR.

There has been an American radio station in Berlin with various operators, since 1945 under treaties authorizing “special protective powers.” First it was AFN Berlin (Armed Forces Network), then Voice of America (VOA) and, since 2006, National Public Radio (NPR). AFN Berlin produced a completely local program schedule with a large, mostly military staff, some of whom remained in Germany after their tours. AFN Berlin was replaced by VOA programming in 1994 under an agreement with a private licensee. (See more about international broadcasting here)

In April it was announced that NPR had begun searching for a budget-saving exit. The mabb issued the requisite concession tender and about a dozen prospective operators of the 104.1 FM frequency applied. "We see the opportunity to receive and further develop an American program for Berlin< with KCRW,” said mabb council chairperson Dr. Hansjürgen Rosenbauer, quoted by radiowoche.de (September 15) “So, in the future, there will still be a US-American, as well as a French, British and Russian radio offer.” The KCRW concession is for seven years.

Radio Page week ending September 15, 2017
streaming audio, workplace listening, music streaming, Spotify

Radio Page week ending September 8, 2017
radio in Germany, VPRT, IFA, radio in China, digital radio, Radio Television Hong Kong, BBC World Service

Radio Page week ending September 1, 2017
radio in Bulgaria, Z Rock, bTV Media Group, CME, Oberon Radio Max, radio in Norway, digital radio, DAB, radio in Switzerland, Swiss Radio Day

Radio Page week ending August 25, 2017
radio in Switzerland, radio brands, Radio Lac, Yes FM, Media One

Radio Page week ending August 4, 2017
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, BBC Radio, public broadcasting, commercial radio, digital radio, Radio 2, Radio 1, Radio 4, Heart, 6Music, LBC, London radio

Radio Page week ending July 28, 2017
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Radio Page week ending July 21, 2017
radio in France, Mediametrie, RTL, France Inter, Europe 1, RMC, France Info, Fun Radio, radio in Switzerland, radio audience, Mediapulse, Radio Fiume Ticino, Radio3i

Radio Page week ending July 14, 2017
radio in Denmark, radio in Norway, digital radio, digital transition, DAB, FM shut-off

Radio Page week ending July 7, 2017
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