Radio free Europe? One nation will take the first step to eliminate radio in two years.

Radio No reports that Norway will shut down all FM radio in the country beginning in 2017. It will be the first country to do away with FM radio, as the Norwegian Ministry of Culture finalized a shift date this week. Norway plans to transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as the national standard.

Norway's Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey says

Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio-content, and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality. Digitization will also greatly improve the emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and offer new opportunities for innovation and development.

Norway's DAB currently offers 22 national channels as opposed to FM's five, and has the capacity to host almost 20 more. According to Norway's Ministry of Culture, , the cost of transmitting radio channels through FM is also eight times higher than the cost of DAB transmission. Several other countries in Europe and Southeast Asia are also considering a national move to DAB, but no other country has confirmed a timeline, timeline.

Norway's FM shutdown will begin on January 11th, 2017.

More From WPDH-WPDA