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Global to cut back Gold output on AM
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 20 June 2023
Global Radio has announced that it is turning off some of the AM transmitters used by its oldies station Gold.
The Gold station began life as Capital Gold back in the 1990s when commercial radio stations started broadcasting different services on their AM and FM frequencies.
The station subsequently expanded to other local AM frequencies that were operated by what was then the Capital Radio Group. Rival radio firm GWR was doing something similar with its AM frequencies using the brand Classic Gold. And after Capital and GWR merged, the two golden oldie radio brands became one, known simply as Gold.
The network of Gold stations was subsequently cut back somewhat when a bunch of its frequencies were switched over to Smooth Radio, which – like Gold – by that point was owned by Global Radio. However, the Gold service was then added to the national DAB network in 2019, as well as continuing to operate on a number of local AM and DAB channels.
But, it was confirmed last week, Gold’s local AM transmissions in Cambridge, Peterborough, Derby, Nottingham and Northampton will all cease at the end of the month. Meaning it will only be available on the AM dial in Manchester and London.
A statement on Gold’s website reads: “From 30 Jun, we’ll no longer be available on AM in certain areas of the UK. So to continue listening in your area, you might need to re-tune your radio. You can keep listening to us on DAB digital radio, on Global Player, or by asking your smart speaker to ‘Play Gold’”.
Although it has taken a lot longer than some anticipated and/or hoped to move UK radio listeners off AM/FM and onto digital channels, a 2021 government report estimated that only 3% of radio listening now takes place on AM.
Given most AM services are also available through other channels, it’s no surprise radio companies are keen to get rid of the cost of operating those AM transmissions.
That 2021 report noted: “In recent years, both the BBC and commercial radio have already switched off a number of AM transmitters in areas where AM listening was particularly low or significant investment was required to continue to broadcast AM, making continued transmission uneconomic”.
“Given the steady decline in AM listening generally”, it added, “further retirement of AM services and decommissioning of AM sites is likely to continue irrespective of any regulatory intervention”.
