Sweden puts the breaks on digital radio transition

Sweden has revised its plans for a transition to digital radio. Minister for Culture and Democracy Alice Bah Kuhnke said that there isn’t enough support at this time to justify the complete transition. The initial plan from the Swedish government was to launch DAB+ in 2016 and to end all FM broadcasting by 2022 or 2024. But there are 10 million FM receivers in Sweden that would have to be replaced, and Kuhnke also named concerns about DAB’s coverage and ability to serve in emergency situations. She said the government would follow the international adoption of the technology and see if a future transition would be viable.