Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pedro Andrade, who shares the following article. Note that the following excerpt has been translated by Google from Italian to English. Click here for the original in Italian at FM-World.it:
On 11 September 2022 Rai radio broadcasts in medium wave will cease (FM World)
Before the end of the summer, Rai will end radio broadcasts in medium wave .
[…]The news, already anticipated in recent months by sector magazines such as Italradio , is made known by the Easy Web section of Rai .
Everything comes from the audio description for the blind, available for some programs in the second audio track of the TV channel concerned, but also in medium wave on Rai Radio1 .
With regard to this latter service, the site (accessible by clicking HERE) specifies that “from 11 September 2022, due to the termination of Rai radio broadcasts in medium wave modulation, the audio descriptions of television programs for the blind will be available only on dedicated audio of digital terrestrial television.
The regular Rai radio programs , therefore, will continue in FM , DAB + , web and app .
Thanks for the tip, Pedro.
This is a continuation of an ongoing trend to simply shut off MW/AM broadcasters in favor of other platforms (namely DAB). I was just over in France, NL, Belgium, the UK and Germany – and all but the UK had silenced their domestic MW broadcasters. Made for some interesting DX, hearing UK stations clearly from Amsterdam, Paris, and Brussels during the daytime. As dusk wore on, in came broadcasts from Spain, Portugal, Poland and other countries. In the UK, AM stays on as it seems to be a platform that can fill in the range gaps of DAB for some broadcasters. Anyhow, it’s interesting.
The RAI is making a big push into DAB+ which is much more energy efficient than AM because there is no wasteful carrier which contains no audio. It is also more efficient than FM and cell phones. One transmitter can carry up to 25 programs. Neighbouring Switzerland is switching off all analog (AM/FM) radio in 2024.
All new radios sold in Italy must be able to receive DAB+. The European Union 2 years ago legislated all new passenger vehicles must be able to receive terrestrial digital radio.
In my humble opinion Dab + tecnology is an example to waste of time and money. In Italy the investiment began 15 years old more or less and coverage for the Rai Radio actually is not complete yet.The only advantage is the save energy from emission. But there are many cos to consider:
1) the high cost to install the Dab transmitter
2) Dab tecnology needs more transmitters to cover the same space than Fm broadcast
3) more costs to maintence the transmitters in next years
the 90 % of people has not a Dab + receiver at home and there are not interest to listen the Radio Rai offers. It’s sufficent a smartphone and internet data eventually.
Threre are few stations in Dab+ than analog offer Am / Fm / shortwawe.
For example you can’t learn a language across a Dab radio. In Sw we have Cgtn Radio and Voa with English learner radio programs
In Italy Dab+ has Bbc Ws, some German Radio channels from Trentino Alto Adige Ras and some Swiss stations
Too few for a radio listeners. I don’ t need Dab Radio
About the shutdown of Radio Rai in Am mode. Rai is making a bigger mistake. Because in many places as hill or mountain Fm and Dab couldn’t receive and Medium Wawe is only way to listen the Radio