Long Wave radio era set to end with Droitwich switch-off

6 hours ago

Two large 700ft Wychbold Masts in Worcestershire, used since 1934 for Long Wave radio transmission, will stop broadcasting with the BBC's LW service switch-off at 00:01 BST on Saturday.
The masts played key historical roles, including blocking Luftwaffe transmissions during World War Two, aiding the French Resistance, and coordinating D-Day communications, leading to calls from local experts and the Twentieth Century Society for listed status due to their historical and architectural importance.
The BBC cited declining listener numbers for LW, with most shifting to FM and DAB, and deemed upgrading the aging equipment not cost-effective for licence fee-funded services, despite the masts' legacy being preserved in a Droitwich heritage centre exhibition.
Historic England previously decided against listing the site in 2025, as much of the original buildings were demolished, but there are suggestions to repurpose the area as a museum or national centre for broadcasting history to honor its past.

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