Licence
A licence is the permission from the authorities to broadcast radio on certain frequencies, with conditions attached.
A radio licence is an official permission to broadcast on given frequencies, usually with conditions about programming or coverage. In Switzerland the Federal Office of Communications, BAKOM, awards the FM licences.
The licences for 2027 to 2034 follow a procedure announced in 2026. Radios with a service mandate, 25 of them, and SRG follow a separate route. Other stations could apply for one of 20 frequency packages. A radio that wanted FM frequencies had to be receivable on DAB+ in its area.
For the listener a licence is invisible, but it decides which stations stay on FM and for how long.