Seven BBC local radio stations are losing their AM frequencies on January 15th, with three more stations losing at least one service.
BBC Surrey, Sussex, Humberside, Kent, Lincolnshire, Nottingham and Wiltshire will turn off their medium wave transmitters altogether, whilst partial closures all affect BBC Radio Devon, Essex and Humberside.
Here are the details:
BBC Surrey is closing 1368 kHz AM – but will remain on 104 and 104.6 MHz FM
BBC Sussex is closing 1161 and 1485 kHz AM – but will remain on 104.8, 104.5, 95.3, 95.1 and 95 MHz FM
BBC Radio Humberside is closing 1485 kHz AM – but will remain on 95.9 MHz FM
BBC Radio Kent is closing 1602 and 774 kHz AM – but will remain on 104.2, 97.6 and 96.7 MHz FM
BBC Radio Lincolnshire is closing 1368 kHz AM – but will remain on 94.9 and 104.7 MHz FM
BBC Radio Nottingham is closing 1584 kHz AM – but will remain on 95.1, 95.5 and 103.8 MHz FM
BBC Radio Wiltshire is closing 1332 and 1368 kHz AM – but will remain on 103.3, 103.5, 103.6 and 104.3 MHz FM
BBC Radio Devon is closing 1458 kHz AM – but will remain on 801 and 990 kHz AM along with 104.3, 94.8, 103.4, 96.0, 95.7 and 98.5 MHz FM
BBC Essex is closing 1530 kHz AM – but will remain on 765 and 729 kHz AM along with 95.3 and 103.5 MHz FM
BBC Radio Lancashire is closing 1557 kHz AM – but will remain on 855 kHz AM along with 95.5, 103.9 and 104.5 FM.
Kieran Clifton, Director, BBC Distribution & Business Development said: “We conducted detailed assessments of the coverage of each BBC local radio station on FM, MW and DAB. Following this process, we trialled the switch-off of a number of medium-wave transmitters and asked for audience feedback. Taken together, the audience feedback and the coverage data have informed which medium wave transmitters are unlikely to represent value for money in the longer term.”
The BBC has trialled the switch-off of a number of medium-wave transmitters over the past few years and made the decision to turn off the above 13 transmitters following audience feedback.
