BBC ends Long Wave broadcasts after a century of iconic radio

The BBC has switched off its main Long Wave transmitter at Droitwich. This marks the end of more than a century of broadcasts in the Long Wave band. The decision follows ongoing technical challenges with the equipment. Long Wave broadcasting began in the 1920s, using frequencies between 153 and 279 kHz. Over the decades, the BBC transmitted its National Service, Light Programme, and later Radio 4 on this band. The Shipping Forecast, one of the BBC’s most famous programmes, was also originally broadcast on Long Wave.

The frequency itself changed over time, shifting from 187.5 kHz to 198 kHz. For many listeners, Long Wave held nostalgic significance. A child in an Oxfordshire farmhouse first heard The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on the service in the 1970s.

The shutdown was prompted by a shortage of spare parts for the high-power transmitter tubes. The BBC confirmed the 198 kHz transmitter at Droitwich is now off air, ending Radio 4’s Long Wave broadcasts. The closure of the Droitwich transmitter ends an era for BBC radio. Long Wave carried iconic programmes and reached audiences across the UK for generations. Without replacement parts, the service could no longer continue.