AM Radio fading into history

[Dude111]

Thats sad.... Why cut off listeners??

[Rillington]

Indeed, and of course Bauer are also closing down their local MW outlets, albeit gradually, and I would imagine that Bauer will no longer be transmitting anything on MW by the middle of the decade.

And I wonder for how much longer any BBC Local Radio stations will continue on MW and the BBC stated that it sees the transmission of 5 Live on MW ending later in the decade. However, they have not indicated a possible closedown timeline of Radio 4 on 198 LW.

I wonder if Ofcom will look to re-advertise 1215 AM for another station, thereby giving a national station an analogue outlet and if so, I guess a station like LBC might consider it especially as Global seems to be much more AM-friendly as they haven't closed down any MW transmitters unless there were extenuating circumstances.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by Rillington

Indeed, and of course Bauer are also closing down their local MW outlets, albeit gradually, and I would imagine that Bauer will no longer be transmitting anything on MW by the middle of the decade.

And I wonder for how much longer any BBC Local Radio stations will continue on MW and the BBC stated that it sees the transmission of 5 Live on MW ending later in the decade. However, they have not indicated a possible closedown timeline of Radio 4 on 198 LW.

I wonder if Ofcom will look to re-advertise 1215 AM for another station, thereby giving a national station an analogue outlet and if so, I guess a station like LBC might consider it especially as Global seems to be much more AM-friendly as they haven't closed down any MW transmitters unless there were extenuating circumstances.

198 Long Wave is currently still being used by the Radio Teleswitch service. One of the reasons the BBC still maintain it. The current agreement ends in march, but as some electricity meters still depend on the signal it may be extended further.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_teleswitch

[heero_yuy]

The LW frequency is atomic controlled and used by (some) frequency measuring equipment as a reference. It also has a far reach hence the use of it to broadcast the shipping forecast.

[Rillington]

I'd also imagine that before long the remaining BBC Local AM transmitters in England will soon be switched off.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by Rillington

I'd also imagine that before long the remaining BBC Local AM transmitters in England will soon be switched off.

Its unlikely to be long before 1, 2 & 3 below are closed. The others are likely to remain for a while longer.

1) BBC Radio Cumbria AM - Local DAB now available to the entire region having been delayed due to COVID.

2) BBC Radio Jersey/Guernsey AM - Likewise.

3) BBC Radio Somerset Taunton AM - DAB coverage now extended but FM remains poor.


4) BBC Radio Derby AM - used part time for the BBC Asian Network services, so may stay until the other AM sites at Langley Mill, Sedgely, Freemans Common & Gunthorpe are closed.

5) BBC Radio Norfolk West Lynn AM - Remains as FM & DAB reception continues to be poor in this area.

6) BBC Radio Gloucestershire Berkeley Heath AM - Likewise.

[Media Boy UK]

Bauer Radio did axe Clyde 2 for Greatest Hits Radio on April 3rd here in Central Scotland.

[Rillington]

and I would imagine that Bauer will soon start closing down its remaining AM frequencies as GHR appears on FM and DAB in more and more parts of the UK.

---------- Post added at 13:07 ---------- Previous post was at 13:05 ----------

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Its unlikely to be long before 1, 2 & 3 below are closed. The others are likely to remain for a while longer.

1) BBC Radio Cumbria AM - Local DAB now available to the entire region having been delayed due to COVID.

2) BBC Radio Jersey/Guernsey AM - Likewise.

3) BBC Radio Somerset Taunton AM - DAB coverage now extended but FM remains poor.


4) BBC Radio Derby AM - used part time for the BBC Asian Network services, so may stay until the other AM sites at Langley Mill, Sedgely, Freemans Common & Gunthorpe are closed.

5) BBC Radio Norfolk West Lynn AM - Remains as FM & DAB reception continues to be poor in this area.

6) BBC Radio Gloucestershire Berkeley Heath AM - Likewise.

It is slightly surprising that BBC Radios Jersey and guernsey still broadcast on MW.

Shutting down BBC Radio Cumbria on AM is less easy due to the rural nature of many parts of the county which won't have satisfactory FM coverage.

I was slightly surprised that some of the AM transmitters which carried BBC Asian Network during the evening were closed down. It might have been more logical for those AM transmitters to have been switched to broadcasting BBC Asian Network full time, like is the case in Leicestershire.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by Media Boy UK

Bauer Radio did axe Clyde 2 for Greatest Hits Radio on April 3rd here in Central Scotland.

They rebranded 7 Scottish heritage networks to GHR. On-air they call it Greatest Hits Radio Scotland but there are 7 optouts. On DAB my local one is GHR Tayside.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/01/bau...st-hits-radio/

[Rillington]

From what I can gather those opt-outs consists of daytime news bulletins lasting 90 seconds consisting of a mixture of international, national and local news plus a localised weather forecast at the end of that bulletin, travel information at peaktime and localised commercials.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by Rillington

From what I can gather those opt-outs consists of daytime news bulletins lasting 90 seconds consisting of a mixture of international, national and local news plus a localised weather forecast at the end of that bulletin, travel information at peaktime and localised commercials.

There are DJs for Scotland at certain times of day e.g. Breakfast and Afternoon sandwiched between Ken Bruce and Simin Mayo. So not Tayside-level local, in my case, but not UK-wide either.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

They rebranded 7 Scottish heritage networks to GHR. On-air they call it Greatest Hits Radio Scotland but there are 7 optouts. On DAB my local one is GHR Tayside.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/01/bau...st-hits-radio/

Northsound 2 closed on AM in 2018, so only existed on DAB. The lease on the Nigg site was terminated by the owner & I assume Bauer had no interest in moving to the nearby Redmoss site.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Northsound 2 closed on AM in 2018, so only existed on DAB. The lease on the Nigg site was terminated by the owner & I assume Bauer had no interest in moving to the nearby Redmoss site.

Thanks. I recall reading about that, I think. Didn't know which stations it affected though, other than not my local area.

[Rillington]

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Northsound 2 closed on AM in 2018, so only existed on DAB. The lease on the Nigg site was terminated by the owner & I assume Bauer had no interest in moving to the nearby Redmoss site.

Thanks for that information regarding by Bauer closed won Northsound 2 on AM.

I seem to recall that the small number of AM transmitters that Global has switched off were for similar reasons as I don't think that Global has switched off any AM transmitters because they want to, like Bauer has done.

[Hom3r]

When I worked I listened to Radio 5 Live on DAB, mainly because Niahl use to go to my school, and was in the same house as my cousins wife.


But I can only get it on 909 on my dads car.