OSLO � With the shutdown of the national FM stations in Norway starting just about a month from now, it�s not surprising that sales of digital receivers has rapidly increased there.�
Radiottny.nois reporting that Norwegian electronics retailerElkj�phas experienced a 50% increase in radio sales vs the same time last year.� At the same time, interest in digital radios for cars has increased 330% over last year.�
Despite the fact that local FMs will remain on-air in Norway for at least five years, and that much of the country can receive FM signals from its neighbor Sweden, the Center Party is concerned about what to do with all the FM radios that will no longer be needed. In fact, it is asking the government to consider a return scheme for FM radios: �In order that these radios will not be yet another waste pile of usable electronics, it is important to see how they can be recycled,� party culture spokesperson Anne Tingelstad W�ien was quoted inradionytt.no.�
W�ien wants climate and environment minister Vidar Helgesen to initiate a return scheme for FM radios and to “ensure that these accrue [for] the population in countries where the FM network will not be extinguished.� She also wrote �the easiest thing would then be to ensure that other countries, often in the Nordic region, which [are] not extinguishing the FM network, could acquire radios from us. Such measures must be organized in collaboration with the electronics industry selling the new DAB radios and often environmental organizations.��
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