London: BBC long wave broadcasting ended at 1 am BST on Saturday, June 27, closing Radio 4’s 198kHz service after nearly a century on the platform.
The Radio Society of Great Britain said the BBC had set the shutdown for 1 am BST (5 am PKT) on June 27. RadioToday also reported that the service closed after years of uncertainty over its future.
The BBC had first announced plans in 2022 to end long-wave services. In 2024, it stopped separate programming for Radio 4’s long-wave audience.
The corporation said long-wave technology was reaching the end of its life. It said upgrading ageing equipment would require a major investment for a platform used by a small audience.
Radio 4 will remain available on FM, DAB, BBC Sounds, smart speakers, television platforms and other digital services. The BBC said no Radio 4 programmes would end because of the closure.
Radio 4 carries long-running programmes including “The Archers” and “Desert Island Discs”. Long wave services have operated in Britain since the 1930s. The platform also served as a wartime communications platform during World War II.
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Before the shutdown, campaigners argued that long wave still offered a non-digital national communications network for remote areas and emergencies.
The BBC said it worked with groups supporting vulnerable audiences to help listeners move to other platforms.
