Keep AM Alive

Today, 30th June 2026, was a momentous day for British radio broadcasting, and sadly not in a positive sense. Transmissions on the longwave band were finally brought to a close after 102 years, truly marking the end of an era. Yet, even as hope remains alive for longwave to be revived one day, campaigns are beginning to ensure the future of mediumwave – and therefore AM radio as a whole – in the UK.

Whilst BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service ceased transmissions on 198 kHz longwave last Saturday 27th at 0100 BST, the BBC continued to transmit on the frequency for three more days, albeit only a looped message that the service on this waveband had been discontinued. Arqiva, who own the transmission stations at Droitwich, Burhead and Westerglen, switched off all three longwave transmitters soon after midday today, bringing to an end over a century during which longwave was a stalwart carrier of news, information and entertainment to the entire nation and beyond.

Now there is only crackle, on a waveband that was such a reliable stalwart for so long. It brought us news of war and peace, happiness and sorrow. It entertained us through dark nights with its warm glow, and was the sound of sunny summer days with Test Match Special. It carried the monarch’s annual message to the nation, celebrated as the home of the ‘National Programme’ and its successors. And yet, today there is only silence.

To mark the occasion, last night I visited the Droitwich transmission station – or, at least, its near environs – to record a video of the longwave transmitter while it was still on air. I don’t think it was my imagination that I could feel the radio waves emanating from the UK’s most powerful transmitter – and once its tallest structure – still blasting out on 198 kHz as I approached. You can see the video via YouTube below:

The manner in which the BBC has abandoned its longest-standing listener base is to many people shameful, with thousands suddenly finding that their older radios which they have cherished for many decades no longer work. Furthermore, it leaves people in remote areas, those living on the Continent and those at sea without access to Radio 4 or the Shipping Forecast.

The actual moment of the switch-off was recorded by Ringway Manchester: The Radio 4 Long Wave Transmitter Was Just Switched Off For The Last Time

Hope remains alive that transmissions could be resumed on the longwave channel, given its unique ability to travel large distances and its unique place in British history and culture. Many, many people were very sad to see it go, over and above those who had signed the petition to retain it. This petition remains live, calling on the BBC to reinstate longwave transmissions, perhaps using the BBC World Service which is particularly well-suited to the medium, given that longwave transmissions from Droitwich reach as far as Russia and Ukraine.

There are also proposals to start a new station designed for longwave, using a newer solid-state transmitter and the existing Droitwich masts, though nothing has been confirmed regarding this at the moment. Both this and the BBC World Service options would enable RTS meters to resume working. At the moment, hundreds of thousands of households may be left without control of their heating as a result of the longwave closure.

Droitwich, Burghead and Westerglen also remain very much active, as three of the network of medium-wave transmission sites still employed by the BBC for Radio 5 and Radio Scotland (and by TalkSport). No shut-down date for these transmissions has yet been announced, and a new campaign is being launched to encourage the retention of essential AM services of some sort in the absence of longwave – more on this to come. For now, we can be grateful that these historic broadcasting stations will not be demolished at least for the time being. Plans are afoot to have the unique Droitwich transmitter listed and preserve it for the nation even in the absence of active transmissions.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Campaign to Keep Longwave, and for all those who continue to support us under our newly branded campaign to Keep AM Alive in the UK.

A Requiem for Longwave

My dear, dear BBC,
How was it that you ceased to be
The paragon of education, information, joy?
How could you, who without peer
Brought music once to every ear,
Decide your oldest friendships to destroy?

I, indeed, I was your friend
When oft' a listening ear I'd lend
From near or far, wherever I might roam -
And winter nights, in its warm glow
We gathered round the radio
And heard your gentle voices, and know ourselves at home.

You sent your beams across the land
To scale the highest mountain grand;
There was no rill or valley out of reach.
What wind and rain and storm might be,
You cast your waves across the sea
And brought the ships to safety by your speech.

Your lofty, vaunted towers tall,
The envy once of one and all,
We see them still across the verdant plain;
And heard them late, from far away -
A light by night, a friend by day,
Who never failed - yet never will again.

And day by day, the service prayed,
The news was read, the cricket played,
A gentle pulse to mark a nation's stride;
How could you now abandon he,
The triumph of a century,
The prize you once exalted with such pride?

He served us well, he failed us not;
How could he be so soon forgot,
That signal sole to join us all in one?
Did you even shed a tear,
His musical farewell to hear,
Before you pulled the plug? And he was gone.