Author: mw

New Zealand

mw

Sanctuary NZ leaving AM
Major fallout appears to be looming as of the end of July… as far as what Rhema Media have decided for both their Rhema and Sanctuary brands.

NZME carried out a major re-alignment of its Gold Sport brand, with a pile including 774, 1557 and others dropping away to become Newztalk ZB, from a newly-named iHeartCountry New Zealand network — the ‘music’ format had already changed months ago to country.

How it all settles… the final line-up from Radio New Zealand’s new/singular mast at Henderson/Auckland still hasn’t solidified… remains to be seen.

Theo to IRCA iog (2026-05-22)

Slovenia

mw

Radio Capodistria on 1170khz from Beli Križ is back up again.

As I was informed the transmitter broke and it works with half power for now, but I cannot verify that myself (the signal is a bit lower then Koper on 549khz, but this might also be cuz 1170khz os higher frequency then 549khz.

Mitja Kocjančič (2026-05-20)

United Kingdom

mw

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)

United States

mw

El Dorado Broadcasters continues to shed signals as it has shut down Conservative Talk “Talk 960” KIXW Apple Valley/Victorville CA.

A notice on the station’s website says “Talk960 has signed off the air. We are grateful for your years of loyal listenership.” It also provides links to the syndicated shows it had been carrying.

The sign-off of KIXW follows El Dorado’s shutdown of co-owned 560 KBLU Yuma AZ at the end of February coinciding with the sale of its two Yuma FM’s to K-Love Inc.

The company retains five FM signals in the Victorville CA market.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/353002/kixw-signs-off/

Radio Insight (2026-05-19)

United Kingdom

mw

Radio Caroline North 20th-21st June.
“Radio Caroline North’s May broadcast from our radio ship Ross Revenge has now concluded.
Many thanks to our listeners, sponsors, presenters and Manx Radio for use of their AM transmitter.
We hope to see you for our next broadcast from Ross Revenge over the weekend of 20th-21st June.”

Kari Kallio to nordx iog (2026-05-18)

New Zealand

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The project to retire the 2 aging AM transmission masts in Auckland New Zealand was completed last week.   There were 15 AM signals available in New Zealand’s largest city until 15 April.  As at 15 May, only 8 stations remain on air, transmitting from the new 110 metre mast at the northern site in Selwood Road, Henderson.

Stations now operating:
603 Waatea, 756 RNZ Radio National, 882 Parliament/Sanctuary, 990 Apna, 1080 NewsTalk ZB, 1251 Rhema, 1386 Radio Tarana and 1593 Radio Samoa.

The following stations have ceased AM operations as a result of the loss of transmission facilities:
531 – 531pi (moved to FM), 702 Humm (now only on FM), 810 BBC World Service, 936 Chinese Voice, 1179 Ake, 1332 Gold Sport and 1476 Sport Nation.

Bryan Clark, Broadcast News Editor, NZ DX Times (2026-05-17)

China

mw

According to “Xiaolin Broadcasting Station” (https://kbysradio.wordpress.com/2026/05/17/), China recently ceased the following high-power MW transmissions:

Over NRTA No.623 transmitter site –  Changzhou, Jiangsu province
   CNR1 Voice of China  1593kHz 400kW
Over NRTA No.641 transmitter site –  Quanzhou, Fujian province
   CNR5 Cross-Strait Radio (to Taiwan)  837kHz 1000kW
   CNR6 Easy Radio  909kHz 600kW
Over NRTA No.741 transmitter site – Nanping, Fujian province
   CNR5 Cross-Strait Radio  (to Taiwan)  1116kHz 600kW

I myself monitored using remote Kiwi SDR in Taiwan in the night hours on May 17.  No signal was detected on 909kHz. On 1593, 837, 1116kHz some Chinese stations were detected but with weak signal strength. 

Takahito Akabayashi to WOR iog (2026-05-17)

Monaco / France

mw

A future for the 1467 kHz of Roumoules?
Six years after RMC left the longwave band, only a few hours of nighttime broadcasting on medium wave remained in Roumoules for TWR.

Under the leadership of Jean-Charles Allavena, the center began to attract new clients, and the initial trials targeting the United Kingdom were successful, extending to the far north of Europe.

The center enables large-scale broadcasting on medium wave throughout Europe and North Africa. Its antenna directs the waves in five directions to focus them on the chosen target.
The initial potential clients were broadcasters who wanted to offer their international listeners a superior listening experience compared to shortwave.
A second clientele is now eager to use the service. This group consists of professionals, associations, and individuals who want to launch a widely broadcast program.

This broadcasting is completely legal, without the administrative hassles and licensing, installation, and operating costs. Furthermore, the transmitter offers a transmission power of 500 or 1000 kW, unmatched in Europe.
Ideally, several clients would ensure regular daily broadcasts at the same time, thus establishing a listening habit among listeners. Currently, Radio Six Internationale’s program, MIDNIGHT RENDEZVOUS, hosted by Tony Currie and Allis Moss, is broadcast on 1467 kHz at 11:00 PM UK time (midnight in France).
Reception reports are welcome. Please send them to letters@radiosix.com.
For airtime rentals, please contact Monaco Medias Diffusion via the online form at https://www.mmd.mc/en/contact
or by mail to: Monaco Media Diffusion – M.M.D.
10-12 Quai Antoine 1er (5th floor)
MC – 98000 Monaco
Tel. +377 97 97 47 00

Radio Magazine Facebook page (2026-05-14)