The 300 kW BRTF transmitter on 621 kHz carrying the programs of La Première and Viva Cité, and which is also known as RTBF International, will be shut down in the coming months as was previously rumoured. Hours of transmission have already been reduced. The official announcement is here:
https://www.rtbf.be/radio/actualite/detail_evolution-des-modes-de-diffusion-radio-la-rtbf-prepare-la-fin-de-la-diffusion-en-ondes-moyennes-am-de-la-premiere-et-de-vivacite?id=9948700
and an unedited Google translation of it follows:
Evolution of radio broadcasting modes: RTBF prepares the end of the broadcast on medium waves (AM) of La Première and VivaCité
Posted on Monday June 18th, 2018 at 10:45
In preparation for the upcoming mass arrival of DAB + digital radio in Belgium, RTBF is continuing its process of extinction of the medium wave by reducing the hours of daily broadcast of its transmitter Wavre 621 kHz.
Since 31 May, this transmitter that covers all over Belgium and beyond, operates every day between 6 am and 8 pm (instead of 5 am to midnight previously). This reduction is part of a plan to phase out amplitude modulation (AM) emissions at RTBF, as in all of Europe.
The mode of diffusion in amplitude modulation (which includes the medium waves, the long waves and the short waves) was the first mode of diffusion of the radio in the last century, before being gradually replaced by that in modulated frequencies ( FM) from the 60s.
Over the past ten years, with the gradual development of DAB + digital broadcasting technology, which is taking over from AM and then FM broadcasting , most of the large radio stations that broadcast in amplitude modulation have decided to stop old technology. This has been the case for some time now with our neighbors VRT and Radio France for example. Just like the British BBC World Service broadcaster stopped a few years ago, we can now listen in DAB + in Brussels. It must be said that all these transmitters that operate in this old analog technology are extremely greedy electricity.
The RTBF, which is the last one to be transmitted on medium wave in Belgium, has established a progressive policy of the stop of its transmitters in amplitude modulation (AM) : the short waves first of all there are about ten years, followed by two transmitters on the medium wave in the province of Liège and Luxembourg. There is currently a medium-wave regional transmitter at Houdeng in Hainaut (relay of Viva Cité on 1125 KHz - 20 kWatts) and the very powerful national transmitter of Wavre (621khz - 300 kWatts) which relays the programs of La Première and sports broadcasts of Viva Cité in the evening and on weekends.
In anticipation of the massive launch of digital radio DAB + in Belgium next year , the RTBF has decided to start a process of gradual extinction of the broadcasting of its emissions on medium wave: first of all a reduction of 5 hours by day of broadcasts at low listening hours (before 6 am and after 8 pm) of its strongest transmitter emitting on 621 kHz since Wavre, before the complete shutdown of its last two transmitters in the medium waves in the coming months.
The strategy is to turn off the oldest technology (AM) at the time of the massive launch of a new one (the DAB +), while continuing the simultaneous broadcast in FM for several years before the shutdown also of the latter technology of analog broadcast to switch to the full digital DAB + / IP as did Norway last year.
Listeners are already finding it increasingly difficult to find AM / FM receivers. They are replaced by receivers (FM) / DAB + / internet because the future of radio broadcasting is at all digital hybrid coupling DAB + and Internet (IP) . DAB + for massive listening to broadcasts and live broadcasts, the internet for listening to more specialized programs, or on demand or outside the main broadcasting area (Brussels and Wallonia for RTBF), as well as abroad.
And it is in this strategy that RTBF is fully committed by proceeding in successive stages out of respect for its audience in order to give it time to equip itself with new technologies.
An important information campaign will precede in the coming months the shutdown of the last two AM transmitters of La Première and Viva Cité at the time of the launch of DAB + (already tested by RTBF and thus audible since 2012 almost everywhere in Brussels and France). Wallonia for Classic 21 and La Première in particular).
Lastly, it is also possible to listen to RTBF's radio programs, live and on demand, all over the world from the websites of the six RTBF channels and from the mobile sites and applications rtbf.be , Auvio and Radioplayer.be .
Small lexicon of radio broadcasting modes
Amplitude Modulation (AM) : This is the first broadcast technology of the radio, launched a hundred years ago. There are three frequency bands (depending on the wavelength): short waves (OC or SW), medium waves (OM or MW) and long waves (OL or LW).
Modulated Frequency (FM) : This is the second broadcast technology of radio, which developed from the 60s and is still today the most widely used way to listen to radio.
DAB + digital radio : this is the latest technology developed for radio broadcasting, in DAB (compression in MPEG 2) first in the 80s and then in DAB + (compression in MPEG4) since the end of the years 2000 and is becoming widespread in Europe. Unlike the first two technologies that are analog, the DAB + is digital. Its massive launch throughout Belgium is planned for next year.
Digital radio by internet : it is a completely different means of digital broadcasting, which uses the IP (internet protocol) as transmission technology and which, unlike the other three technologies called "broadcast" (free reception for the listener), requires an internet connection.
(Richard Langley via WOR io group)
