ARLA/CLUSTER: Reino Unido tenciona acabar com todas as emissões em Onda Media (AM) em 2016

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

AM Radio on the way out in the UK

UK Government reports indicate an intention to abandon AM broadcast
radio for emergency communications and to phase-out AM broadcasting
from 2016.

The report Impact of a Radio Switchover on the Government’s Emergency
Communications Policy says:

The coverage of AM services are near universal across the UK,
delivered by a small number of transmitters which could more easily be
restored in the in the event of a national disaster.

However, while AM services are universally available, the number of
households which both have access to and choose to access such
services is on the decline.
...
The declining value of the AM platform is best displayed in the case
of the National Attack Warning System (NAWS).

The use of the BBC Radio 4 LW frequency to broadcast emergency
information nationally in the case of a nuclear attack or similar
disaster was formalised through the NAWS arrangements between the BBC
and the Cabinet Office. However, as a result of the limitations of
this system in the present day, from the falling numbers of LW
receivers in homes, to the delay incurred from having to restore
transmitters following an attack, the Cabinet Office has since
cancelled their NAWS arrangements with the BBC.
...
While a radio switchover will result in the closure of AM services,
which had historically been important to the Government’s protocols in
this area, the diminishing value of this platform means it is
increasingly less relevant as a universal communication platform.

Impact of a Radio Switchover on the Government’s Emergency Communications Policy
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/136351/Emergency_Communications_1_.pdf

A separate paper Switchover Communications Plan indicates that the
radio switchover will commence in 2016.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/136359/Switchover_Communications_plan.pdf

Digital Radio Action Plan reports 2013
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-radio-action-plan-reports-2013