With its decision to switch off FM at the end of 2024, the SRG has complied with the agreement reached with the radio industry and the federal government over ten years ago. The SRG has gone ahead in solidarity to pave the way for private radio stations that are dependent on advertising money. However, the political framework conditions have now changed with Parliament's decision to extend FM broadcasting. Politicians and sections of the population expect FM broadcasting to continue. SRG sees this decision as a mandate and will make the necessary clarifications for a return to FM.

It would only have made sense for SRG stations to completely abandon broadcasting via FM if the entire industry had switched off FM by the end of 2026, as agreed. As some private radio stations are not prepared to take this step for the time being, SRG cannot afford to continue to forgo this broadcasting technology and thus many listeners. At the same time, digitization is also unstoppable in radio broadcasting. Already today, nine out of ten minutes of radio are listened to digitally. SRG will therefore continue to be present primarily on digital channels and DAB+ - not least for the large proportion of listeners who have already made the switch.

Before concrete steps and binding timetables can be communicated, the new framework conditions must be announced by the Federal Council and OFCOM. They form the basis for SRG's planning with regard to a return to FM. This will take place at the legally, technically and economically best possible time.

The Swiss Private Radio Association (VSP) is pleased about the final decision to continue FM. At the same time, it is relieved that regional radio stations will be spared unnecessarily high losses in listeners and advertising and that the population will have more time to convert radio sets from analog to digital.

Following the decision of the Council of States, both chambers have now approved the motion to continue FM broadcasting. This obliges the Federal Council to ensure FM coverage beyond 2026 and to extend or retender the corresponding radio licenses.

Massive drop in audience figures for SRG programs

The VSP is delighted that politicians have taken the latest developments following the SRG's FM switch-off seriously and have taken on board the key concerns of regional radio stations. Since the switch-off, SRG stations have recorded a massive drop in listenership of up to 49%. In addition, over 100,000 listeners have switched to foreign FM stations.

Economic consequences taken into account

The VSP is also pleased that the Council of States has taken the economic consequences into account: A comparable decline in the number of listeners would have meant advertising losses in the double-digit millions for private providers and thus created existential risks. The extension also takes into account the still inadequate level of equipment in vehicles. 1.7 million cars in Switzerland still have an FM radio. As a conversion is in practice almost exclusively carried out by purchasing a new car, the population will now have more time for the technological transition.

Investing in the digital future

Regional radio stations continue to clearly support the digital radio future and are already investing significantly more financial resources in DAB+ than in FM. At the same time, however, a realistic transition phase is needed that takes into account technical conditions, user behavior and economic stability. The parliamentary decision that has now been taken provides the necessary planning security for the radio industry and the population.

The switch-off of FM transmission for SRF radio stations on December 31, 2024 has affected the radio market in Switzerland. According to Mediapulse data, SRG stations lost around 450,000 listeners in the first quarter of 2025, which corresponds to a 15% decline in daily reach. At the same time, private radio stations were able to increase their reach by an average of 17%, as many former FM listeners switched to providers that continue to broadcast in analog format.

Private broadcasters and the advertising market benefit

This development opens up new opportunities for the advertising market: Despite the increased audience, private radio stations have not yet adjusted their advertising rates. Advertisers are therefore reaching a larger audience for the same price, which increases the efficiency of their campaigns. Hans Lackner, Director Operations at Swiss Radioworld, explains: "The market data points to a temporary structural shift that opens up additional potential, especially for private providers."

Swiss Radioworld also sees opportunities for digital audio advertising and streaming services such as SoundCloud and TuneIn. The Goldbach Group subsidiary supports advertisers in reaching their target groups via various channels and benefiting from changing listening habits.

SRG focuses on digitalization and long-term stabilization

SRG considers the current figures to be in line with expectations. With a market share of 53%, it remains the leader ahead of the private broadcasters with a combined 41%. The decline is an expected transitional movement, as changeover and conversion take time. "The vast majority of radio listeners in Switzerland already listen digitally," emphasizes the SRG in its statement. Over 80 percent of radio minutes listened to today are via the internet or DAB+.

According to SRG, the early switch-off was also for economic reasons: Analog FM technology is inefficient and expensive. In addition, the aim is to pave the way for the digitalization of the entire market, as all broadcasters will switch off FM by the end of 2026 at the latest. SRG assumes that its usage figures will recover as the digital migration progresses.

The latest in a series of campaigns to inform the Swiss population goes on air under the motto "Think about your radio". The campaign focuses attention on radio listeners and their receivers, not only in the message but also visually. The aim is to persuade the last remaining FM radio listeners to switch in good time so that they can continue to use the medium.

At the same time, the campaign also offers practical support for the changeover. In the moving image, it provides information on how radio listeners can check their devices for DAB+ reception. On the DAB+ website This support continues with tutorials on testing, operating and receiving DAB+ radios, fitting DAB+ adapters to FM devices and an AI-based chatbot. The switch-off date is also clearly displayed on all advertising materials.

The orchestrated campaign was developed in close cooperation with the radio stations, the cross-industry DigiMig working group and Bakom and is now on air throughout Switzerland in high-reach media such as TV, OOH, digital and radio in order to reach as many radio listeners as possible.

As OFCOM's mandate ends at the end of this year, the broadcasters will take over broadcasting responsibility and continue the campaign on their own channels from January 1, 2025. Also to inform their listeners about their own FM switch-off dates.

Responsible at Bakom: Kathrin Kluser (project manager). Responsible at Scholz & Friends Zurich: Barbara Hartmann, Franziska Stäger, Zara Velchev, David Fischer, Christian Vosshagen (creation), Monja Mangieri (desktop publishing), Véronique Forster, Victoria Kirsch, Elodie Caucigh, Sabrina Elsässer (consulting), Mathias Rösch (overall responsibility). Film production: Shining Film. Directed by Mitch Bekk (TV spots), Ari Zehnder (tutorials). Audio: Jingle Jungle. Photo: Jonathan Heyer. Radio: Building props, Fabian Lüscher. Media: Mediatonic.

Fewer and fewer FM receivers are still in use in Switzerland. The remaining, pure FM usage is stagnating at less than ten percent. This confirms the forecast that DAB+ will become the new radio standard, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) continued. According to the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM), the share of digital radio usage in spring 2023 was 81%.

In addition, the maintenance of FM antennas and investment in their renewal are expensive and disproportionate, SRG also announced. In view of SRG's strained financial situation due to declining advertising revenues and inflation, further investment in outdated broadcasting technology is therefore no longer justifiable.

With DAB+ and the Internet, there are two digital reception options that offer better sound quality and a larger selection of programs, are more energy and cost efficient and can provide additional information in text and images.

New cars with DAB+ as standard

To be able to receive DAB+, you need a corresponding device or an adapter. New cars have been equipped with digital technology as standard for several years. In addition, the Federal Roads Office Astra will upgrade all tunnels on the national road network for digital radio reception by the end of the year and also switch off the FM antennas.

However, there is also a solution for older FM models in cars: most old FM car radios have an AUX/IN connection. The radios can be equipped with a simple adapter via this port, which allows you to receive DAB+.

The same applies to old stereo systems. The latter also usually have an AUX/IN connection. With small household radios, however, it is usually no longer worth buying an adapter. DAB+ radios, which are now not too expensive, are also an alternative here.

Either way, you have a choice when buying a new radio for your home: some radios only receive DAB+, while others can also be used as an internet radio. Internet radios can be connected to your own router or LAN cable via cable or WLAN. The advantage of Internet radio: Compared to DAB+, there is a much larger selection of stations that can be received.

In October 2023, the Federal Council extended the FM radio licenses for the radio industry for the last time - until the end of 2026. After that, radio stations in Switzerland can no longer be broadcast via FM and only digitally. Originally, FM was to be switched off throughout Switzerland by the end of 2024. With the last extension, the radio industry will have the desired flexibility to successfully complete the migration process from analog to digital radio, Bakom announced at the time. (SDA/swi)

In spring, it was still at 19 percent, according to the study, which was presented on Thursday at the Swiss Radio Day in Zurich. According to the study, the FM share of listening time has declined by 32 percentage points since 2015. Only eight percent of listeners had relied exclusively on FM. With 41 percent of listening time, DAB+ was a touch more popular than internet radio, which accounted for 40 percent of listening time.

In 2014, the Swiss radio associations agreed that FM would finally be switched off in Switzerland at the end of 2024 and that all radio programs would be broadcast exclusively via DAB+ or the Internet.

In July, however, Federal Councillor Albert Rösti, head of the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, proposed to the Federal Council a "final" extension of the current licenses until the end of 2026 following criticism of the planned FM switch-off by individual radio operators. The decision will be made by the full Federal Council.

At Swiss Radio Day, Jürg Bachmann, President of the Association of German-Swiss Private Radio Stations VSP, emphasized the "much greater" possibilities offered by digital radio. However, he praised the "good compromise" proposed by Albert Rösti. This gives all players enough time to prepare for the transition and allows those who wish to do so to switch off FM before that date. (SDA)