Schleswig-Holstein is the first federal state to say goodbye to analogue terrestrial radio reception. The last FM frequencies will be phased out in 2031 – from then on, radio in the far north will only be available via DAB+, cable or IP-based. This was announced by the Hamburg-Schleswig-Holstein media authority.
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Previously there had been discussions for years whether DAB+ and internet streaming could replace the current FM broadcasts. The agreement that has now been reached provides for a change in stages: The three Deutschlandradio programmes will be switched from VHF to a completely digital distribution from mid-2025, and the private stations BOB!, Deltardio and Antenne Sylt will switch over in the same year. Norddeutscher Rundfunk also gradually closes radio stations depending on the region. The last VHF user left in Schleswig-Holstein will be the private broadcaster R.SH in 2031, whose licence to use the frequency will then expire and this will therefore be the last VHF wave that can be received on the coast.
Last year, the first private broadcasters in Schleswig-Holstein began broadcasting on DAB+. Poster campaigns and other channels are aimed at informing citizens about the approaching end of the current distribution channel. Additional transmitter systems are intended to ensure reception via DAB+, which, however, does not offer the same area coverage as classic FM stations. Compared to FM broadcasting, which has been used in Germany since 1949, a larger number of programmes can be broadcast digitally at the same time on a comparatively small frequency spectrum.
DAB has been in the news for 30 years
Switching from FM to DAB has been a topic of discussion for over 30 years; all FM broadcasts legally required since 2004 were removed from the Telecommunications Act in 2012 due to a lack of reality. Switchover scenario. From 2020, new cars with radio receivers must have DAB+ receiver units installed – one of the main user groups for terrestrial broadcasting. DAB+-enabled devices are currently said to be installed in 41 percent of cars. The number of remaining FM users cannot be determined precisely, but the number of DAB-enabled devices has grown steadily in recent years, with a projected 28.3 million receivers nationwide in 2023. In addition, there is the possibility of receiving via mobile phone streams, which are intended to serve as an alternative option for radio reception in a large country like Schleswig-Holstein with 5G, at least along important transport axes.
With Schleswig-Holstein now announcing its exit from FM broadcasting, other federal states are likely to follow suit. The industry sees the high costs of operating VHF transmission towers as a reason for the change. According to the commission for setting financial requirements for the years 2025 to 2029, ARD and Deutschlandradio alone have registered 220.9 million euros for FM broadcasting – money that the broadcasters had actually been hoping to save for years by switching to DAB+. Without public broadcasters, the operation of nationwide FM stations is considered economically unfeasible for private radio providers.
(Application)
