Germany Continues FM Radio Shutdown, Multiple Regions Transition to Digital Broadcasting

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Medienanstalt Hessen (Hesse Media Authority) has reported on the progress of FM radio shutdown for local non-commercial radio (NKL). The original plan to shut down all NKL FM broadcasts by June 30, 2026, at the latest has not yet been fully implemented. The authority's board decided in December 2025 to terminate the FM transmission network operation service contract at the earliest possible date. The authority terminated the basic contract with transmission network operator Uplink Network on June 30, 2026. From that date onward, it is no longer responsible for covering the costs of NKL FM transmission in principle.

The operator of "radio X," Radio X-Mix e.V., expressed a preference for retaining FM broadcasting rather than switching to DAB+. The authority approved this request, with the condition that the association forgo funding for DAB+ transmission costs in exchange for funding for FM transmission costs. It remains unclear whether DAB+ will be shut down or whether the association will fund digital terrestrial transmission itself. The authority also stated that all NKL operators have the opportunity to receive financial support for streaming transmission. If NKL continues to use both FM and DAB+ transmission simultaneously from July 1, 2026 (which is legally possible in principle), the costs will not be borne by the authority. The authority noted that in all cases, simultaneous use of both transmission methods is only transitional.

Schleswig-Holstein has taken more decisive action. Freies Radio Neumünster shut down its 100.8 MHz frequency on August 10, with the program now available via DAB+ and the internet. The operator announced this change via Instagram; the originally planned FM shutdown date was July 1. Another non-commercial operator, Radio Fratz in Flensburg, shut down its 98.5 MHz frequency on July 1 and is no longer broadcasting via analog radio, with the program also moving to DAB+ and the internet.

Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR, Bavarian Broadcasting) is also steadily advancing its FM exit plan.

The fill-in transmitter site at Intal/Ebbs will be shut down on July 21. According to ARD (the German public broadcasting consortium), the shutdown is for economic reasons and to improve transmission energy efficiency. Five BR radio programs—Bayern 1, Bayern 2, Bayern 3, BR Klassik, and BR24—will still be receivable via analog, but with poor quality from the Wendelstein transmission site. In the future, BR will only broadcast programs from the Intal/Ebbs site via DAB+. BR stated that digital broadcasting guarantees significantly greater program diversity, free reception anywhere, and optimal quality without noise. Additionally, several FM shutdowns have already been implemented in recent weeks.