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The 'AM death watch' thread...


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Old 19-09-2012, 18:44
BMR
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Hi guys.

I thought it might be interesting to catalogue AM transmitters as they get switched off around the UK (and across Europe)

Off the top of my head, I can think of:

BBC world Service- 648 and 1296

Gold- Devon and Croydon

Valleys Radio


I'm sure there are others. And if you live in the area of one of these transmitters, let us know if you can now hear other distant stations as a result of switch-off?
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Old 19-09-2012, 18:59
SouthCity
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The Valleys Radio one was a nonsensical decision by Ofcom.

UTV offered to run it from their Neath headquarters, Ofcom refused so UTV handed the licence back.

How does that regulatory decision benefit anyone in the valleys?
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Old 19-09-2012, 19:40
Martin Phillp
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Gold- Devon and Croydon
I think you mean the Reigate 1521 service for Surrey and North Sussex rather than Croydon which is served by Gold 1548 from Brookmans Park.
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:01
hanssolo
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Mountain FM on DAB is using the old Valleys radio studios, they have a grant, but when it runs out they will have to pay their own way via ads, so hope they survive?
I think you mean the Reigate 1521 service for Surrey and North Sussex rather than Croydon which is served by Gold 1548 from Brookmans Park.
Surrey and North Sussex is also served by Gold 1548 from Brookmans, so 1521 is not needed. There was some talk, before Capital Gold and Classic Gold merged, of moving 1521 to Croydon or Crystal Palace so Classic Gold could be heard in London to complete with Capital Gold,but nothing came of it and they merged anyway. I would have thought 1521, 648 and 1296 would be reused for community radio in London (Generation, Kasapah and Streetlife which have AM licences), but so far have not been reallocated.

BBC local radio in Plymouth lost it's AM transmitter to DRM tests but was never switched back on, several BBC local stations may lose AM later in 2013!
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:13
BMR
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I think you mean the Reigate 1521 service for Surrey and North Sussex rather than Croydon which is served by Gold 1548 from Brookmans Park.
I do indeed- happy to stand corrected.
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:18
Victorian
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ILR AM transmiers in Hereford and Worcester have also gone (ex Sunshine most recently.) 954 (or was it 945?) and 1530.
IoW Radio moved from 1242 to FM some years ago.
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:19
Genesys
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I wouldn't call it a death watch.... AM is actually doing very well, given people like you seem to have written it off.

I mean, 5Live, Gold, Talksport and Absolute all have healthy AM audiences.
Sure people are migrating to digital, thats progress but there are a huge number of people who choose to listen to radio on AM.
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:21
BMR
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Maybe 'death watch' was a bit dramatic, although long-term I do think AM will be replaced by a combination of FM and DAB
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Old 19-09-2012, 20:30
hanssolo
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I wouldn't call it a death watch.... AM is actually doing very well, given people like you seem to have written it off.

I mean, 5Live, Gold, Talksport and Absolute all have healthy AM audiences.
Sure people are migrating to digital, thats progress but there are a huge number of people who choose to listen to radio on AM.
There were reports Absolute will give up AM, but has renewed it's licence to 2019, Absolute is still pushing for listeners to move to DAB and internet radio (FM in London), so may still exit AM before the end of the licence!
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1052098/
Global may give up some Gold AM licences in the bid to takeover GMG?
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Old 19-09-2012, 21:17
happyradio
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I believe that the BBC are grooming 5 live listeners in preparation for an AM switch off in the future. In their regular announcements of how you can listen to 5 live, they list several digital platforms but no mention of medium wave, where the majority of its listeners are tuned in. I listen every day in the car and do not wish to listen any other way, thank you.
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Old 19-09-2012, 21:19
richie wild
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Although Gold is available on DAB in Manchester, I heard the AM blasting out of some old music centre speakers in a second hand shop in Piccadilly. Even a speaker out the door. Would sound much more authentic coming from the Bush VTR103 in the window
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Old 19-09-2012, 21:26
BMR
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Global may give up some Gold AM licences in the bid to takeover GMG?
But would anyone be interested in taking them over? I doubt it, except maybe in London, and (less likely) Manchester
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Old 19-09-2012, 21:32
Martin Phillp
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Global may give up some Gold AM licences in the bid to takeover GMG?
The easiest ones to speculate going would be 1548 in London, 999 in Nottingham and Mansfield and 1458 in Manchester. These areas all have Smooth in those TSA's.

1260 in Wrexham could also go, although it's likely if Heart moves onto Real's Welsh frequencies (88.0 in Wrexham) and 105.4, it may be sold to a group such as UTV who could relay Signal 2 from Stoke on it (with a 4 hour Welsh show to meet the current national AM requirement) with 103.4 becoming another Signal FM station.
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Old 19-09-2012, 21:50
spanners
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The Valleys Radio one was a nonsensical decision by Ofcom.

UTV offered to run it from their Neath headquarters, Ofcom refused so UTV handed the licence back.

How does that regulatory decision benefit anyone in the valleys?
I'm not sure the OFCOM decision was non-sensical presumably they had good reason not to allow it particularly since there was an awful lot of support from politicians and business in favour of the move.
OFCOM also carried out and completed an investigation into moving Valleys onto FM in many areas only to have UTV throw it all back. It's a shame that UTV were allowed anywhere near Valleys Radio. I'm still amazed at their bare faced cheek in applying a few years back to run the news operation for Wales - thankfully their reputation went before them and a huge deal of opposition was put against them before the whole idea was ditched.
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Old 21-09-2012, 20:53
PDMB
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LBC News 1152 which simulcasts LBC's FM output for several hours a day and is also broadcast on DAB... must be a strong candidate for the next AM outlet to fall silent.
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Old 21-09-2012, 21:53
deepfroat
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There were reports Absolute will give up AM, but has renewed it's licence to 2019, Absolute is still pushing for listeners to move to DAB and internet radio (FM in London), so may still exit AM before the end of the licence!
For pirate radio nostalgia freaks, I reckon Absolute 60s would work well on their AM frequencies with crossover appeal to other audiences too.
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Old 21-09-2012, 21:56
deepfroat
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I'm not sure the OFCOM decision was non-sensical presumably they had good reason not to allow it particularly since there was an awful lot of support from politicians and business in favour of the move.
OFCOM also carried out and completed an investigation into moving Valleys onto FM in many areas only to have UTV throw it all back. It's a shame that UTV were allowed anywhere near Valleys Radio. I'm still amazed at their bare faced cheek in applying a few years back to run the news operation for Wales - thankfully their reputation went before them and a huge deal of opposition was put against them before the whole idea was ditched.
It was just the wrong regulatory climate - broadcasting Valleys Radio from Neath wouldn't seem so outlandish today, when you have Radios Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion all presented from a studio in Narberth.
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Old 21-09-2012, 22:01
RadioRob
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The European and African Medium Wave Guide shows known closing dates for stations. Seems there are some Bulgarians (but not all) going off at the end of September.

If there are more closedowns planned for the new year we'll hopefully see them indicated there soon.

Such a pity that Andy's Media Network has closed as he kept us well-informed on impending European switch-offs, including the high-powered German regionals last January.

Ydun's Medium Wave Info currently shows a report from the Kiev Post that Radio Liberty will cease medium-wave broadcasts in Russia on Nov 10. That page also has some detail on the recent mast failure at Europe1.
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Old 21-09-2012, 22:02
Martin Phillp
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LBC News 1152 which simulcasts LBC's FM output for several hours a day and is also broadcast on DAB... must be a strong candidate for the next AM outlet to fall silent.
And yet has 355,000 listeners in London and a 3% share. Not bad considering.
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Old 21-09-2012, 22:25
spanners
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LBC News 1152 which simulcasts LBC's FM output for several hours a day and is also broadcast on DAB... must be a strong candidate for the next AM outlet to fall silent.
Surely that scenario is assuming that most listening to LBC 1152 in London is done in the home? I would say from my experience when working in London is that most listening to 1152 is done in the car which would mean that the AM switch off for this station is years away.
Thankfully when I'm not in London I can listen via satellite which was an excellent move by Global!
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Old 21-09-2012, 22:30
spanners
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I know it's a bit off post but I was just thinking of how many stations currently only on DAB in London (and elsewhere for that matter) would benefit from an AM frequency. I would say French Radio London, WRN, Voice of Russia as well as the oft quoted Radio Caroline. It seems to me that a dual DAB / AM set up would suit these stations at least until DAB in cars became the norm.
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Old 21-09-2012, 22:41
hanssolo
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I know it's a bit off post but I was just thinking of how many stations currently only on DAB in London (and elsewhere for that matter) would benefit from an AM frequency. I would say French Radio London, WRN, Voice of Russia as well as the oft quoted Radio Caroline. It seems to me that a dual DAB / AM set up would suit these stations at least until DAB in cars became the norm.
Ofcom want to DAB to become the norm now DAB car sets are available below £80, and listening to digital plaforms in London is now 41%!
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1143...CMP=ILC-SEARCH
In London, a boost to the DAB signal in April helped digital surge from 35.7% in the first quarter to 40.8% this quarter, according to Rajar statistics
Putting the stations on AM will hold back the increase in digital listening and other than low power AM or FM community stations no new analogue licences are being issued, Ofcom want Radio Caroline to go on DAB, but they say they can't afford it (as they don't get enough income as no one wants to advertse on it, and also have old AM transmitters gathering dust, but used for occasional RSLs, although none this year). they are still chasing a full time medium power AM licence on 648 for 2014, which might encourage more listeners, but goes against the current policy of promoting digital platforms, so chances are slim!
http://radiocarolineonair.co.uk/
February 2012

Ofcom are hopeful that they will soon be in a position to draft a consultation document regarding any possible future use for 648 kilohertz. Until last year the frequency was used to transmit the programmes of the BBC World Service but they have now confirmed to Ofcom that they have no intention of using the frequency for any purpose in the future.

The regulator is now in discussion with the company who own the transmitting infrastructure for this channel and whilst this process may take some time, they have confirmed that their intention is to proceed with drafting the document which will invite the public to make Ofcom aware of how they would wish the channel to be used.
No sign yet of this public consultation?
And yet has 355,000 listeners in London and a 3% share. Not bad considering.
A lot of these may be listening to LBC news on digital platforms rather than AM?
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Old 22-09-2012, 10:44
happyradio
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If the powers that be will not allow any new high power stations on AM, then is it not time to do it again without authority?
Wavelengths should be used, to be left empty is a waste of RF spectrum.
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Old 22-09-2012, 20:38
Colin_London
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If the powers that be will not allow any new high power stations on AM, then is it not time to do it again without authority?
Wavelengths should be used, to be left empty is a waste of RF spectrum.
[sarcasm mode on] Wow - what a great investment opportunity. I am sure there will be loads of willing punters willing to throw money at such a sure fire winning concept for this day and age [/sarcasm mode]
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Old 22-09-2012, 21:34
Hybrid tellies
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The empty AM channels that I notice here are 648Khz ex BBC W/S, 666/954 Khz which I think should be offered to Gold for the east Devon area and 1530/954Khz which I think should also be offered to Gold for coverage of the Worcester/Hereford areas. I use to get a commercial station clearly on 603Khz which I think was from Cheltenham but that went silent some years ago. I was able to hear Valleys radio on 1116Khz but now that transmitter is silent I can hear BBC local radio from the Channel Islands instead.
I would love to see 648Khz used for high powered use as it would offer excellant coverage from one of the higher powered transmitters.
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