After leasing Hubbard Radio’s 1050 WBQH/93.5 W228DI Silver Spring MD/Washington DC for the past fifteen years, United Media Communications has ceased operations on its Regional Mexican “La Mera Mera”
The station is currently simulcasting Freeform “The Gamut” WTOP-HD3 Washington/98.3 W252DC Reston VA, which is also heard on digital only AM 820 WSHE Frederick as well as 107.7 WWWT-HD3 Manassas VA and 103.9 WTLP-HD3 Braddock Heights MD.
WBQH rose to a 1.6 share in the July 2025 Nielsen Audio ratings, marking a high for the Spanish format. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/307749/

Lance Venta, Radio Insight (2025-09-02)

Japanese 6 commercial AM radio stations will transit completely to FM.
From September 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026, the period designated by Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as the “Second Phase of Special Measures Period for Suspension of AM Station Operations” begins. During this period, AM commercial stations can suspend their AM operations. If no significant issues happen, they will be permitted to switch to FM broadcasting starting in the autumn of 2026 or later. 22 commercial AM stations have applied for this phase. The details are shown at 
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/001028011.pdf  in Japanese 

In these 22 stations, 6 stations, shown below, have already declared the complete FM transition, by suspending all AM broadcasting. The date indicates the suspension of AM broadcasting.

　Aomori Hoso (RAB), Aomori  JOGR 1233kHz 5kW +5 AM relay stations  February 1, 2026  to  91.7MHz 1kW + 3 FM relay stations
　Tochigi Hoso (CRT), Utsunomiya  JOXF 1530kHz 5kW +2 AM relay stations  December 1, 2025  to  94.1MHz 1kW + 3 FM relay stations
　Yamanashi Hoso (YBS), Kofu  JOJF 765kHz 5kW +1 AM relay station  March 1, 2026  to  90.9MHz 1kW + 4 FM relay stations
　Fukui Hoso (FBC), Fukui  JOPR 864kHz 5kW +2 AM relay stations  March 16, 2026 to 94.6MHz 1kW +5 FM relays stations
　Shikoku Hoso (JRT), Tokushima  JOJR 1269kHz 1kW +2 AM relay stations March 23, 2026 (reducing power from January 16, 2026) to  93.0MHz 1kW +3 FM relay stations
   Nankai Hoso (RNB), Matsuyama  JOAF 1116kHz 5kW +5 AM relay stations  February. 10, 2026 (reducing power from December 1, 2025)  to 91.7MHz 1kW +11 FM relay stations

Most of other commercial stations will preserve AM broadcasting in parallel with FM broadcasting, suspending all or part of AM relay stations, and/or reducing AM transmitting power.

Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan to WOR iog (2025-09-02)

CANADIAN RADIO NEWS –Jon Pearkins 
jon@pearkins.com

 All times are Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT). 

 880 MB Brandon CKLQ Off the air forever, verified at 0745 on September 1st but noted still on the air at 0840 on August 31st. At the station’s request, the AM license expired at 0100 September 1st, to avoid the at least $325,000 in upgrades to the transmitter site required to renew the AM broadcasting certificate. 

990 NL Corner Brook CBY The CBC has applied to the CRTC to move this station to FM. A Public Hearing will be held on October 30th to consider the matter. The transmitter site’s “advanced age and timeworn condition” is the sole justification provided. 

 +If the CRTC approves CBY abandoning AM, the CBC could sight the decision as a precedent in yet another attempt to win approval to shut down CBU-690 Vancouver BC. In the past, the CRTC has required CBU-AM to remain on the air to provide coverage for remote areas out of range of CBU’s many FM repeaters. On the other hand, the CBC French language CHFA-680 Edmonton AB was allowed to move to 
FM, eliminating coverage to many rural areas. If CBU-AM is silenced, next to go silent could be CBX-740 Edmonton AB, CBR-1010 Calgary AB, CBK-540 Watrous SK, CBW-990 Winnipeg MB and CJBC-860 Toronto ON. It has been over three decades since the CBC stated its goal of eliminating all AM broadcasting. 

1440 AB Wetaskiwin CKJR — When All Sports CFRN-1260 Edmonton AB went off the air, the on-air Sports staff split into two, with one moving to CKJR, where they were responsible for selling their own commercials, using the revenue to pay for the airtime and their own salaries. CFRN’s morning show hosts moved on-line instead but are now expanding to FM on September 3rd from 0800-1100. Their new home, CKEA-FM (Cruz FM), will continue their mainstream rock format for the rest of their broadcast week. Given CHED-880s heavy emphasis on Sports, including play-by-play broadcast rights, weekday mornings will now be a three-way fight for Edmonton Sports fans, though CHED’s morning Sports strength has been diminished since the retirement of Sports Director Bryan Hall in 2023 at just shy of 90 years old! 

Tips from Shawn Axelrod and Marty Forbes.
IRCA DX Monitor Sept 6, published Sept 1 via WOR iog (2025-09-01)

Re.: https://mediumwave.info/2025/08/15/canada-206/

Confirmation from Shawn Axelrod via radiowest.ca that CKLQ 880 Brandon MB has closed (Sept. 1)

Andy Reid (2025-09-01)

License Cancellations
Pines Broadcasting has requested the cancellation of 1430 KHBM/98.9 K255AM Monticello and 860 KWRF/92.5 K223BM Warren AR. No reason was given as the company retains its four FMs in the area.

Silent Notifications
Donald Jennings Evangelistic Association’s 760 WURL Moody AL (Lightning damage)
Terminal Radio’s 770 KCHU Valdez AK (Tower issues)
Radio Amor Inc’s 690 WADS Ansonia CT (Loss of tower site)
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/307718/

Lance Venta, Radio Insight (2025-08-31)