UK - Campaign to save longwave - The petition has now received close to 3000 signatures!
This is a quick update to let you know how things stand at the moment.The BBC has confirmed that the LW transmitters will continue to broadcast radio teleswitching time signals used for Economy7 heaters until at least March 2025, following a request from the energy companies.
We are told that 'it is a good assumption' that LW broadcasts of BBC Radio 4 will continue until this date, but this is not 100% certain yet.
However, separate LW programming is still expected to stop at the end of this month, March 2024. This means that the LW signal will be a simulcast of Radio 4 FM from April onwards.
Most programmes will not change as a result of this. But 'Yesterday in Parliament', 'Daily Service' and 'Test Match Special' are not carried by FM and will therefore become digital only, available via Radio 4 Extra, Radio 5 Extra or online. The BBC don't seem to be willing to budge on this, despite a reconfiguration of the Radio 4 schedule at the same time that could have seen 'Daily Service' at least get a new slot on FM.
The future of the LW band, and iconic Droitwich transmitter, after any potential switch-off remains unclear.
Since cost seems to be the main issue, a cheaper option of installing a 'solid state' LW transmitter at Droitwich instead of replacing the valves in the current one has been suggested to the BBC, but they are currently unwilling to pursue this.
Overall, we still have hopefully around a year to continue the campaign. It may be that a change in government, and more signatures on the petition, could help to sway things in our direction.
Do please get in touch with any ideas or questions.
Thanks again for your support,
Tobias
Dr Tobias Thornes
Campaign to Keep Longwave
https://keeplongwave.co.uk/