OSLO � If you�ve been following along with the news from Norway for the last several years, you know that the �sun-setting� of FM there was driven by both industry and the Norwegian government. The plan for the shutdown has been in the works for some time. Just what was done by the radio industry and the government to help the other stakeholders make the transition?For starters, NRK opened an information center and staffed it, so that they could respond to inquiries received via the internet or telephone. Additionally, there will be help teams present in the counties where FM is being shut down. The teams are staffed with technical personnel from NRK, P4, Radio Norway and Digitalradio Norway, according to Radio.no. Eight out of 10 households in Nordland now have a DAB radio, according to Kantar TNSs Digitalradio survey. �Although many have a DAB radio we know that more must acquire new radios after the shutdown. We want to include all the listeners of digital radio and will help anyone who needs it,� said Ole J�rgen Torvmark, the general manager of DigitalRadio Norway, quoted in the same article.
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There were also teams from the digital radio proponents that visited every single car dealership in the country. Information and instructions were given to educate them ahead of the switch off. Similar teams put on seminars and courses for the retailers so they would know how to answer questions and how to best help young and old to choose the radio best suited for their needs, according toradioassistant.com.
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One wonders if HD Radio would see an increase in public interest and use had the stakeholders here in the U.S. had taken a similar approach. It�s not too late.�
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