Radio use in Switzerland is becoming increasingly digital

This is the result of a survey by GfK Switzerland on radio use in Switzerland, which was conducted for the fourth time and presented at the Atelier Radiophonique Romand in Neuchâtel. Digital radio continues to grow: In the second half of 2016, Swiss residents listened to digital radio, i.e. DAB+ or IP radio (Internet radio), for an average of 54 minutes out of every 100 minutes of radio. That is one minute more than in the first half of 2016.

The trend is moving in the direction of digitization

Since the survey on digital radio use in fall 2015, digital radio has increased by 5 percent to 54 percent - at the expense of analog radio, which is transmitted via FM frequency. The pace of digitization slowed slightly in the last six months, but the trend is clearly toward digital use. Digital radio made gains among all age groups: Older radio users are more likely to switch to DAB+, and among listeners between 15 and 34, the user shares of Internet radio are growing fastest in percentage terms. From fall 2015 to fall 2016, the share of IP radio there rose by 8 percent.

Growth in western Switzerland and in car radios

At 28 percent, German-speaking Switzerland continues to listen to more DAB+ than the other language regions. In the last half-year, French-speaking Switzerland increased by 2 percent - to 25 percent. The lion's share of DAB+ use overall is on stationary radios, where there was a two percent increase in DAB+ use in the last six months. DAB+ is also growing in car radios: Within the last year by 4 to 21 percent. Nevertheless, 73 percent of usage in the car is analog with FM radio. Since spring 2015, GfK Switzerland has been conducting a semi-annual online survey and telephone interviews on behalf of the DigiMig working group to determine the status of digital radio use in Switzerland: In the second half of 2016, 2530 people aged 15 and over were surveyed.

Digital Migration" Working Group (DigiMig)

In spring 2013, the radio industry and the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) formed the "Digital Migration" working group (AG DigiMig). It includes representatives from the Association of Swiss Private Radio Stations (VSP), the Union Romande des Radios Régionales (RRR), the Union of Non-Commercial Local Radio Stations (Unikom), SRG SSR, the automotive industry and other industry groups. In Switzerland, digital radio is to gradually replace analog FM reception from 2020. At the end of 2014, the DigiMig WG presented the Federal Council with a scenario for the switchover from analog to digital. Today, SRG and most private radio stations already broadcast their radio programs via DAB+ in parallel to FM, and some even exclusively digitally.