(Source: Radio Today UK)
Ten BBC local radio stations will lose at least one AM transmitter in January 2018 as part of the BBC’s Delivering Quality First plan.
BBC Radio Sussex, Surrey, Humberside, Wiltshire, Nottingham, Kent, and Lincolnshire will no longer be accessible on medium wave, whilst BBC Radio Devon, Radio Lancashire and BBC Essex will reduce their frequencies.
The BBC says it knows the changes will have an impact on some listeners but encourages them to listen on FM, DAB, Freeview or online instead.
I actually don’t have an issue with this as long as they redirected the money to shortwave broadcasts, but they won’t. DAB/FM cover the UK quite well apart from the odd remote/blackspot areas, which is not a major issue as virtually anyone in the UK can tune to alternative mediums such as Satellite (except for the car…yet, but chances are you will receive some BBC MW transmitter broadcast).
Some other countries do not have the advantage of having such a good local radio delivery infrastructure or where people cannot afford or do not have access to Satellite Radio/TV, this is where shortwave comes into its own.
Shortwave radios are now cheap, pretty reliable and can run on renewable power with shortwave still playing an important part in this internet world at delivering information/news to remote communities.
I don’t know what SWL’s are sad to see MV going. Do you have a B&W TV? Do you use a gramophone? Digital radio numbers have way passed MV numbers as per an Ofcom report.
Heh heh heh! Says the fellow who *this decade* built from scratch and operated a shortwave transmitter of all things, as a business!!!!! I know this is why you always comment on DRM, shortwave, DXers, MW, et. etc. articles, especially those where others are waxing nostalgic. Your comments are so predictable and we all realize they are typically intended to put others down so as to make you feel like a bigger person. Reckon I feel a little sorry for you even. If you don’t like what you see here, go play elsewhere! It’s OK and it’s that simple. It’s a big internet out there mate. Explore!
Hey Mark,
I’m interested in a copy of the report you mentioned. How my I be able to obtain a copy?
Thanks,
LocalRadioListener
NOOOO…WTF
This has been going around for quite some years now. Remember when they sold off BBC-R3’s AM spectrum to Virgin? It’s nothing new and is all about cutting costs. How can they fund BBC-HipHop of they keep paying out for huge AM TX’s?
Take a listen to Peter Day’s report from XM Radio a few years back. They model is about keeping you in the mall even though you may not be buying the Koolaid from them. BBC are trying the same thing. No more “so you know” radio. I have a copy if anyone is interested
Hmmm.. narrowing your audience access and reducing your ratings? In the business of going out of business.
Exactly.
They also want to abandon the mp3 format for some
technically better but obscure one.
Soon their audience will be two or less.