BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave

BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave

The BBC has begun an information campaign to help transition listeners of Radio 4 Long Wave (LW) to alternative BBC platforms.

This follows the announcement in May 2022 that the BBC is to stop scheduling separate content for Radio 4 LW in anticipation of the closure of the LW platform, owned and operated by a third party, which is coming to the end of its life as a technology.

Radio 4 LW is starting to run targeted on air trails from today, giving listeners plenty of advance notice of the coming changes.  

All programmes on Radio 4 LW -  Shipping Forecast, Daily Service, Yesterday in Parliament and Test Match Special – will continue to be available on other BBC platforms.

Digital listening has grown significantly over the past decade as the range of alternatives has become easier to switch to, and listeners are increasingly accessing content elsewhere on the BBC. The audiences for Radio 4 LW are small, but we know there are some who still tune in on LW for their favourite programmes.

The BBC is working with key organisations so that specific audiences will be notified how they can switch to other BBC platforms to hear programmes between now and the end of Radio 4 LW separate scheduling in March 2024.

The Shipping Forecast will cease to be broadcast four times a day, and will instead be available via the Radio 4 FM simulcast twice a day (weekdays) and three times a day (weekends) as well as on DAB and BBC Sounds.

It will also continue to be broadcast via HM Coastguard's channels. Whilst modern technology and new methods means the Shipping Forecast is no longer integral to mariners, the BBC has been working closely with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Met Office to ensure seafarers have adequate advance notice of the changes taking place next year and can prepare accordingly.

The Daily Service and the longer version of Yesterday in Parliament will also continue on LW until March 2024 and will then be available on BBC Radio 4 Extra and BBC Sounds.

Yesterday in Parliament will still be broadcast on the Today programme on Radio 4 FM/DAB.  

Test Match Special is already available uninterrupted on Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds where listeners will continue to be able to access it digitally. All scheduled cricket matches on Radio 4 LW will still be broadcast this summer, for the final time. Radio 4 LW listeners will be reminded where they can hear the cricket across the BBC going forward.

Helpful links:

BBC Weather: Coast and Sea

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast-and-sea

Maritime safety: weather and navigation

https://www.gov.uk/maritime-safety-weather-and-navigation

(BBC Press Release)

RTÉ Radio 1 will cease broadcasting on Long Wave 252 from 14th April 2023

RTÉ Radio 1 will cease broadcasting on Long Wave 252 (LW 252) from Friday 14th April 2023.

In the UK, listeners can continue to enjoy RTÉ Radio 1 on Freesat (channel 750), Sky (channel 0160) and Virgin Media (channel 917), and on their preferred audio streaming service, including the RTÉ Radio Player and Irish Radioplayer apps.

Details of how to voice search RTÉ Radio 1 on Alexa or Google smart speakers are available on rte.ie/voice

In Ireland, listeners can continue to enjoy RTÉ Radio 1 on FM, on Saorview and Saorsat and online on RTÉ.ie/radio, as well as on their preferred audio streaming service, including the RTÉ Radio Player and Irish Radioplayer apps.

Listeners can also contact the RTE Information Office on +353 12083434 or by emailing info@rte.ie for information.

You can still access religious services as follows:

- On Sunday mornings on RTÉ One television and RTÉ Radio 1 Extra at 11.00am.

- On Sundays when RTÉ One / Radio 1 Extra transmits Mass, a Protestant Service is broadcast on the RTÉ News Channel at 2.15pm (until end June).

- Similarly, when RTÉ One / Radio 1 Extra transmits Protestant worship, there is Sunday Mass at 2.15pm on the RTÉ News Channel (until end June).

- There is also Aifrinn i nGaeilge (Mass in Irish) every Sunday at 11.00am on Raidio na Gaeltachta.

- All of this content can be accessed live or on catch-up via the RTÉ Player, RTÉ Radio Player and RTÉ.ie.

- The RTÉ News Channel airs Mass every weekday at 10.30am (until end June).

Source : https://www.rte.ie/eile/2021/0301/1200837-keep-listening/

Long wave radio technology to be used to disseminate Indian Standard Time

Coming, huge towers to publicise right time

To employ long wave radio technology

Jacob Koshy

The National Physical Laboratory, an organisation charged with ensuring that Indian time stays accurate, has signed an agreement with IFR Information Dissemination Services (IFR) Ltd., which will set up the towers and employ long wave radio (LWR) technology to purvey this time to a range of users.

Full story at :

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/coming-huge-towers-to-publicise-right-time/article23377284.ece

Radio 4's long wave goodbye

Last pair of valve transmitters signal end of 198kHz, home of BBC's Test Match Special and Today in Parliament

Full story at :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/oct/09/bbc-radio4-long-wave-goodbye?INTCMP=SRCH

Denmark reactives long wave and leaves medium wave

Today the Danish national public service radio station DR has reactived long wave 243 kHz using a brand new Nautel 50 kW sender from the current transmitter site in Kalundborg on the western part of Sealand (Sjælland), Denmark.
Broadcasting on medium wave 1062 kHz (250 kW) will cease on Monday June 27 2011. From today and until Monday the programmes will be simulcast on the two frequencies. Broadcasting hours remain the same. Cf. WRTH or Euro-African MW Guide for details.
The use of 243 kHz with 300 kW was ended in February 2007, but after Turkey left the channel in October 2008, DR is the only radio station on this channel. Thus it is estimated that the coverage will be pretty good on 243 although the power utilized is only 50 kW.

Full story (in Danish) here:
http://www.radionyt.com/artikel/default.asp?id=18515

Best 73s
Stig Hartvig Nielsen

(Via mwdx list)