Translated from Dutch:
The BBC has announced that BBC Radio 4‘s longwave broadcasts will be terminated on the night of Friday, June 26 to Saturday, June 27. This marks the disappearance of one of the broadcaster’s oldest national distribution platforms, more than a hundred years after longwave was introduced for national broadcasts.
The announcement was made last Monday. Previously, a termination later in 2026 was anticipated, meaning the shutdown is now taking place several months earlier than expected.
An international campaign to advocate for the preservation of the longwave broadcasts has been underway since March 2023. According to the activist group, more than 7,500 people have now signed a petition to save Radio 4 Longwave. Additionally, 25 British MPs signed a so-called Early Day Motion calling for the closure to be discussed in Parliament. Several members of the British House of Commons have also sent letters to both the BBC and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to draw attention to the situation. In June 2025, the BBC also received the report Still Speaking to the Nations, which lists various arguments for continuing longwave broadcasts. The document also includes responses from listeners explaining why reception via longwave remains important to them. According to the campaign organization, the BBC has not yet provided a substantive response to the report.
The action group states that listeners in rural areas, users at sea, and listeners outside the United Kingdom will be particularly affected by the disappearance of the longwave transmitter. In this regard, they point to the wide range of the signal, which can be received not only in the United Kingdom but also in large parts of Europe.
The activists also point out that the BBC has not yet published a public impact study on the consequences of switching off the longwave service. According to the campaign, there is simultaneously an increasing focus on digital distribution and online listening options, while a portion of the current longwave audience has limited access to these.
Acting Director-General Rhodri Talfan Davies has reportedly been asked for a comment, but according to the campaign organization, he has not yet responded.
https://www.radiotrefpunt.nl/entry/9994-actievoerders-blijven-strijden-tegen-sluiting-bbc-langegolf/
Nico (2026-05-19)