Switzerland listens to digital radio – only 8 out of 100 people listen exclusively to FM radio

Digital use of radio continues to increase in all regions, age groups and listening locations. Almost 70% of radio listened to in the car is now via digital channels. This was announced by the Digital Migration working group (DigiMig WG) at Swiss Radio Day on 31 August 2023.

Of all radio minutes listened to in Switzerland, 81% are digital. Around half of these (41%) are listened to via DAB+ and the other half (40%) via the internet. DAB+ is somewhat more popular with older people, with around half of the over 55s listening to radio via DAB+. Among the under 35s, the same applies to listening to the radio via the internet.

8% listen exclusively to FM radio

Eight out of one hundred people in Switzerland listen to FM radio only. About one third of the population listens to both FM and digital channels, and about half listen to digital radio only. Eleven per cent of the population does not listen to the radio at all.

FM use on the decline in all language regions

Radio listening via FM has continued to decline in all three language regions. FM radio is still listened to the most in Italian-speaking Switzerland at 25%. In French-speaking Switzerland, it is 20% and in German-speaking Switzerland 18%. In German-speaking Switzerland, digital use is divided more or less equally between DAB+ and the internet; in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, listening to the radio is most popular via the internet.

Digital radio most popular in the car

The majority of radio use takes place at home, namely 63 out of every 100 minutes listened to. Nineteen out of every one hundred minutes are listened to at work and 12 minutes are listened to in the car. At all locations of use, the majority of radio is listened to via digital channels; FM radio is listened to the most in the car with a 30% share of listening. At work and at home, more than 80% of radio minutes are listened to via digital modes of reception.

6.7 million DAB+ radios in Switzerland

In the first half of 2023, 245,600 new DAB+ devices were added in Switzerland, bringing the total stock including vehicles to approximately 6.7 million. 54 percent of all passenger cars in Switzerland are now equipped with DAB+.