Editing Medium wave (section)

== Use in Europe ==
Many countries have switched off most of their MW transmitters in the 2010s due to cost-cutting and low usage of MW by the listeners. Among those are Germany,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fast alle ARD-Radiosender stellen Mittelwelle ein | publisher=heise.de |date=2015-01-06 |url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Fast-alle-ARD-Radiosender-stellen-Mittelwelle-ein-2512316.html |access-date=2015-12-31}}</ref> France, Russia, Poland, Sweden, the Benelux, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and most of the Balkans.  Other countries that have no or few MW transmitters include Iceland, Ireland, Finland and Norway.

Large networks of transmitters are remaining in the UK, Spain and Romania. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, some stations have launched{{when|date=March 2025}} low power services on the former high power frequencies. On 22 May 2017, the UK government regulator [[Ofcom]] awarded the former offshore station [[Radio Caroline]] a community licence to broadcast to [[Suffolk]] and north [[Essex]] on 648&nbsp;kHz with a power of 1&nbsp;kW.<ref name="Ofcom">{{Cite web|title=Ofcom awards five new AM community radio licences|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2017/ofcom-awards-five-new-am-community-radio-licences|access-date=19 May 2017|website=Ofcom|language=en|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222034210/https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2017/ofcom-awards-five-new-am-community-radio-licences|url-status=dead}}</ref> The frequency had formerly been used by the [[BBC World Service]]. In Italy, the government closed its high power transmitters{{when|date=March 2025}} but low power private stations remain{{which|date=March 2025}}.  As the MW band is thinning out, many local stations{{which|date=March 2025}} from the remaining countries as well as from North Africa and the Middle East can now be received all over Europe, but often only weak with much interference.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In Europe, each country is allocated a number of frequencies on which high power (up to 2&nbsp;MW) can be used; the maximum power is also subject to international agreement by the [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU).<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.itu.int
| title=International Telecommunication Union
| publisher=ITU
| access-date=2009-04-24
}}</ref>

In most cases there are two power limits: a lower one for [[omnidirectional antenna|omnidirectional]] and a higher one for [[directional antenna|directional]] radiation with minima in certain directions. The power limit can also be depending on daytime and it is possible that a station may not operate at nighttime, because it would then produce too much interference.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}} Other countries may only operate low-powered transmitters on the same frequency, again subject to agreement. International medium wave broadcasting in Europe has decreased markedly with the end of the [[Cold War]] and the increased availability of satellite and Internet TV and radio, although the cross-border reception of neighbouring countries' broadcasts by expatriates and other interested listeners still takes place.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In the late 20th century, overcrowding on the Medium wave band was a serious problem in parts of Europe{{where|date=March 2025}}, contributing to the early adoption of [[Very high frequency|VHF]] [[FM broadcasting]] by many stations (particularly in Germany).{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
Due to the high demand for frequencies in Europe, many countries set up single frequency networks; in the United Kingdom, [[BBC Radio Five Live]] broadcasts from various transmitters on either 693 or 909&nbsp;kHz. These transmitters are carefully synchronized to minimize interference from more distant transmitters on the same frequency.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}