(Source: BBC)
We are closing a number of BBC Local Radio’s medium wave transmitters in January 2018. This will not affect listeners who use FM, digital radio, digital TV, or the internet to listen.
Why is the BBC switching off these transmitters?
We know how much our listeners value BBC local radio – and have invested significantly in this area through our commitment to funding Local DAB expansion and adding all English Local Radio services to Freeview. The savings from these closures will allow the BBC to continue to modernise its infrastructure in order to meet our listeners’ changing needs.
Why have these particular transmitters been chosen?
We assessed the coverage of each BBC Local Radio station on FM, MW and digital radio which highlighted stations where medium wave transmitters duplicated good FM or digital radio coverage. Following this process, we trialled the switch off of a number of medium wave transmitters and asked for audience feedback.
Taken together, the audience feedback and the coverage data have informed which medium wave transmitters are unlikely to be value for money in the longer term.
More information on why we are doing this can be found on the BBC blog.
Listeners can also use the interactive transmitter tool to see how they can receive their local radio service on other radio and television platforms or use iPlayer Radio to access their local radio service.
You’d think some enterprising individual would approach BBC to “buy the license” and buy/lease the transmitter and go on air with commercial promo on some of these freqs.
I see Brighton is to shut down. That is a lively town, you’d think there might be some format that would do well on AM. That station is on 1485 at 1 KW with a seafront transmitter site andcovers that area quite well.