Editing Absolute Radio (section)

=== End of AM broadcasting ===
On Wednesday 4 January 2023, [[Bauer Media Group#Bauer Media brands|Bauer Media Group]] announced that all the station's remaining AM transmitters would be turned off and that it would be no longer broadcasting on AM from Friday 20 January,<ref>{{cite web |title=How you listen to Absolute Radio could be changing |url=https://planetradio.co.uk/absolute-radio/music/news/how-you-listen-to-absolute-radio-is-changing/ |website=Planet Radio |publisher=Bauer Media Group |access-date=5 January 2023 |ref=AMJan23}}</ref><ref name="MWShutdown">{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Roy |date=4 January 2023 |title=Absolute Radio to switch off all AM transmitters across the UK |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/01/04/absolute-radio-to-switch-off-all-am-transmitters-across-the-uk/ |access-date=4 January 2023 |website=Radio Today}}</ref> turning Absolute Radio into a digital-only station.<ref name="National 1"/>

For the last few weeks, taking advantage of the separate satellite feed to the AM transmitter sites, the commercial breaks split-linked, being replaced on AM by the presenter of the show that was on reading the pending closedown script, then Leona Graham reading the same script as the station voice, then part of a radio-themed song being played before programming cut back in. On Leona's own show, to avoid duplicating her announcement, she introduced the radio-themed songs, even fulfilling requests.

The station closed on AM at midnight on Friday 20 January 2023, with "[[Absolute Beginners (David Bowie song)|Absolute Beginners]]" by [[David Bowie]] being the last ever song being broadcast on its AM frequencies. Ten minutes before going off air, the station played a tribute to their former AM frequencies, introduced by Jay Lawrence (the presenter of the last normal show that had just been on), and starting with clips from [[BBC Light Programme]] (up to 1967), [[BBC Radio 1]] (1967-1978) and [[BBC Radio 3]] (1978-1992), through its life as Virgin 1215 (1993-2008) and ending with the relaunch as Absolute Radio (late 2008) and the aforementioned song.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.digitalradiochoice.com/news/absolute-radio-ends-am-broadcasts/ |title=Absolute Radio ends AM broadcasts  |date=2023-01-20 |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Digital Radio Choice |language=en-GB}}</ref> The last words the announcers said were, "...and to 1215 AM: Thanks. You were brilliant."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8gEaS_Q1bc] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq2vNHAtHo0] During this split link, the digital version of Absolute Radio ran an Elton John-related segment.

From midnight on Friday 20 January 2023, a closedown loop (read by Leona Graham as the station voice) carried information advising listeners stating that Absolute Radio "is no longer available on AM" and redirecting listeners to [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]], and the Absolute Radio mobile and smart speaker applications.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8gEaS_Q1bc Absolute Radio 1215 Closure]</ref>

On Monday 23 January 2023, the transmitters for its AM service began to be switched off. Transmission of the closedown loop that carried information about Absolute Radio's other platforms stopped at 2:15{{nbsp}}pm on Thursday 26 January 2023 from the station's last AM transmitter to be switched off, in Lisnagarvey, Northern Ireland (with the very last words being "thanks for listening to Absolute Radio-") [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TGmQSd3zIAg&feature=youtu.be] but the loop remained playing on the satellite feed to the AM transmitters for many months afterwards, until that was finally removed.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Transmitter Name !! Coverage !! Frequency (kHz) !! EMRP (kW) !! Grid Reference !! Air date
|-
| ** Boston<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Boston | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/boston.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083153/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/boston.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Lincolnshire || 1242 (off air) || 2 || {{OS coord|TF260448|TF260448}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1994|9|2}}
|-
| ** Brighton (Southwick)<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Brighton (Southwick) | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/brighton-southwick.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 11 April 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190411115539/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/brighton-southwick.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Sussex || 1197 (off air) || 1.1 || {{OS coord|TQ234051|TQ234051}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|11|9}}
|-
| ** [[Brookmans Park transmitting station|Brookmans Park]]<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Brookmans Park | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/brookmanspark/index.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 11 January 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200111140624/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/brookmanspark/index.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || London, Hertfordshire, Essex, South Bedfordshire || 1215 (off air) || 125 || {{OS coord|TL259050|TL259050}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|8|3}}
|-
| ** Chesterton Fen<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Chesterton Fen | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/chesterton-fen.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516221853/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/chesterton-fen.php| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || South and Central Cambridgeshire || 1197 (off air)|| 0.2 || {{OS coord|TL477608|TL477608}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1994|9|2}}
|-
| ** Dartford Tunnel || [[Dartford Tunnel]] || 1215 (off air) || 0.004 || {{OS coord|TQ571769|TQ571769}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|8}}
|-
| ** [[Droitwich transmitting station|Droitwich]]<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Droitwich | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/droitwich/index.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083124/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/droitwich/index.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || West Midlands || 1215 (off air) || 105 || {{OS coord|SO929663|SO929663}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|8}}
|-
| ** Fareham<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Fareham | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fareham.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083144/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fareham.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || South Hampshire and Isle of Wight || 1215 (off air) || 1 || {{OS coord|SU546058|SU546058}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|9}}
|-
| ** Fern Barrow<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Fern Barrow | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fern-barrow.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083153/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/fern-barrow.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Dorset || 1197 (off air) || 0.25 || {{OS coord|SZ070926|SZ070926}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|11}}
|-
| ** Gloucester<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Gloucester MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gloucester-mf.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083221/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gloucester-mf.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Gloucestershire || 1197 (off air) || 0.3 || {{OS coord|SO841230|SO841230}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|14}}
|-
| ** Greenside Scalp<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Greenside Scalp | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/greenside-scalp.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182150/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/greenside-scalp.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || East Tayside || 1242 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|NO431290|NO431290}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|9}}
|-
| ** Guildford (Pirbright)<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Guildford MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/guildford-mf.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182526/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/guildford-mf.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || West Surrey and North East Hampshire || 1260 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|SU959541|SU959541}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|12|24}}
|-
| ** Hoo<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Hoo | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/hoo.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001142731/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/hoo.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || North and West Kent, South and Central Essex || 1197 (off air)|| 2 || {{OS coord|TQ790720|TQ790720}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|15}}
|-
| ** Hull<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Hull MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/hull-mf.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110614174902/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/hull-mf.php| archive-date= 14 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || East Riding of Yorkshire, Northern Lincolnshire || 1215 (off air) || 0.32 || {{OS coord|TA169258|TA169258}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|15}}
|-
| ** Kings Heath<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Kings Heath | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1531 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || Northamptonshire || 1233 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|SP740633|SP740633}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|11|7}}
|-
| ** [[Lisnagarvey transmitting station|Lisnagarvey]]<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Lisnagarvey | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/lisnagarvey/index.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110614180657/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/lisnagarvey/index.php| archive-date= 14 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || Northern Ireland || 1215 (off air) || 16 || {{OS coord|IJ258619|IJ258619}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|8}}
|-
| ** Lydd<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Lydd | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1539 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || South East Kent and South East Sussex || 1260 (off air) || 2 || {{OS coord|TR049208|TR049208}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1995|4|2}}
|-
| ** Manningtree<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Manningtree | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1126 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || South East Suffolk and North East Essex || 1233 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|TM123295|TM123295}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|11|6}}
|-
| ** [[Moorside Edge transmitting station|Moorside Edge]]<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Moorside Edge | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1465 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || North West and Yorkshire || 1215 (off air) || 200 || {{OS coord|SE070154|SE070154}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|8}}
|-
| ** [[Oxford transmitting station|Oxford]]<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Oxford | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/oxford/index.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516213800/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/oxford/index.php| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || Oxfordshire || 1197 (off air) || 0.25 || {{OS coord|SP567105|SP567105}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|12}}
|-
| ** Plymouth<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Plymouth MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/plumer-barracks.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516215648/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/plumer-barracks.php| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || Devon || 1215 (off air) || 1.1 || {{OS coord|SX490585|SX490585}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|15}}
|-
| ** Postwick<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Postwick | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/postwick.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516221929/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/postwick.php| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || East Norfolk and North East Suffolk || 1215 (off air) || 1.2 || {{OS coord|TG303086|TG303086}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|16}}
|-
| ** Redmoss<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Redmoss | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/redmoss.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182306/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/redmoss.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Aberdeen and East Grampian || 1215 (off air) || 2.3 || {{OS coord|NJ942024|NJ942024}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|25}}
|-
| ** [[Redruth transmitting station|Redruth]]<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Redruth MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/redruth/redruth-mf.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083145/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/redruth/redruth-mf.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Cornwall || 1215 (off air) || 2 || {{OS coord|SW709403|SW709403}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1997|7|28}}
|-
| ** Sheffield<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Sheffield MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1622 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || South Yorkshire || 1233 (off air) || 0.3 || {{OS coord|SK348849|SK348849}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|11|6}}
|-
| ** Sideway<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Sideway | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sideway.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110516221342/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sideway.php| archive-date= 16 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || Staffordshire || 1242 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|SJ876434|SJ876434}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|7|9}}
|-
| ** Stockton<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Stockton | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/stockton.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083113/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/stockton.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Cleveland || 1242 (off air) || 1 || {{OS coord|NZ420218|NZ420218}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|15}}
|-
| ** Swindon<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Swindon | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/swindon/index.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182240/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/swindon/index.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Wiltshire || 1233 (off air) || 0.1 || {{OS coord|SU129859|SU129859}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|11|11}}
|-
| ** Torbay<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Occombe (Torbay MF) | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1546 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || Devon || 1197 (off air) || 1 || {{OS coord|SX878630|SX878630}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|19}}
|-
| ** Trowell<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Trowell | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/trowell.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083213/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/trowell.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Nottinghamshire || 1197 (off air) || 0.5 || {{OS coord|SK506398|SK506398}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|27}}
|-
| ** Wallasey<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Wallasey | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/wallasey.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 1 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182602/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/wallasey.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Merseyside || 1197 (off air) || 0.4 || {{OS coord|SJ305926|SJ305926}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|27}}
|-
| ** [[Washford transmitting station|Washford]]<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Washford MF | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=629 | access-date  =30 May 2011}}</ref> || South Wales, Avon, Somerset || 1215 (off air) || 100 || {{OS coord|ST058410|ST058410}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|11}}
|-
| ** [[Westerglen transmitting station|Westerglen]]<ref>{{Citation| title = The Transmission Gallery: Westerglen | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/westerglen/index.php | access-date  =30 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110614175941/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/westerglen/index.php| archive-date= 14 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> || Central Scotland || 1215 (off air) || 100 || {{OS coord|NS868773|NS868773}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|10}}
|-
| ** Wrekenton<ref>{{Citation | title = The Transmission Gallery: Wrekenton | url = http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/wrekenton.php | access-date = 30 May 2011 | archive-date = 15 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180915083127/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/wrekenton.php | url-status = dead }}</ref> || Tyne and Wear || 1215 (off air) || 2.2 || {{OS coord|NZ274598|NZ274598}} || {{dts|format=dmy|1993|3|18}}
|}