Ministers have begun a review that could determine how UK radio is distributed beyond 2030, and if FM should be switched-off.
The government will examine whether there should be a managed transition away from FM in the 2030s, as almost 75% of listening now takes place on digital or online platforms.
The review will assess changes in listener behaviour, shifts in the wider audio market and the impact of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
It will also consider how any future decision on Digital Terrestrial Television could affect radio services.
A previous Radio and Audio Review in 2021 concluded FM should continue until at least 2030, recommending that government and industry revisit the question in 2026. This new work follows that timetable and coincides with World Radio Day on 13 February, which focuses this year on radio and AI.
Media Minister Ian Murray said: “In the midst of the media revolution, radio remains a powerful and popular medium that holds a special place in people’s lives.”
Radiocentre chief executive Matt Payton said it was “vital to ensure that distribution and access to radio is secure for the future” as audiences listen across smart speakers, radio sets and connected cars.
BBC Sounds Director Jonathan Wall said the industry shared a “common objective to secure and protect the future of radio for our listeners”.