Historic Woofferton Boasts a Modern Twist

Woofferton, England (wikipedia)

At 75, U.K.’s last public shortwave site provides essential info to listeners globally via analog and digital broadcasts

NEALE BATEMAN

WOOFFERTON, England — Nestled in the beautiful Shropshire countryside, just a few miles from England’s border with Wales, is the tiny village of Woofferton. That name is synonymous with shortwave radio for millions of listeners around the world as just a short distance from the village itself, lays the United Kingdom’s last remaining public service shortwave transmitting station.

Now owned and operated by Encompass Digital Media, Woofferton recently celebrated its 75th birthday. Additional story at Radio World: https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/historic-woofferton-boasts-a-modern-twist

A Brief History
The Woofferton transmitting station is owned and operated by Encompass Digital Media, as one of the BBC’s assets which were handed over as part of the privatization of World Service distribution and transmission in 1997. It is the last remaining UK shortwave broadcasting site, located at Woofferton, south of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. The large site spreads across into neighbouring Herefordshire.

The station was originally built by the BBC during World War II to house additional shortwave (HF) broadcasting transmitters. When it officially started broadcasting on 17th October 1943 it had six 50 kW RCA transmitters, obtained by lend-lease. The site has been modernised many times over the years and is now DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) capable providing daily digital radio programmes. Woofferton is used to broadcast shortwave radio programmes on HF 4 MHz - 26 MHz to Europe, Russia, North/Central Africa, Middle East and South America for BBC World Service , Deutsche Welle, Voice of America, Voice of Vietnam just to name a few key international broadcasters. The site is also used for satellite communications and monitoring.

Cold War
During the Cold War, the station was equipped with six Marconi BD272 250 kW shortwave transmitters. Much of the capacity was leased by the BBC to the Voice of America (VoA) in order to enhance the latter’s coverage in the Eastern bloc. It provided a stronger shortwave broadcast signal into the Eastern Bloc than any other western shortwave broadcast transmitter during the years of Soviet jamming.

Privatisation
All the BBC’s transmitting facilities were privatised in the 1990s. The shortwave sites were sold to Merlin Communications, which was acquired by VT Group plc trading under the name VT Communications until acquired by Babcock International Group in March 2010. Subsequently, Babcock's Media Services was acquired by global technology services company Encompass Digital Media in September 2018.

Transmitters
Woofferton Transmitting Station currently has ten HF transmitters. There are 3 x Riz 250 kW (installed 2007-2008), 1 x Riz 500 kW (installed 2006), 4 x 300 kW Marconi B6124s (installed 1980) and 2 x 250 kW Marconi BD272s (installed 1963). The Riz transmitters are DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) capable and transmit digital programmes on a daily basis for BBC World Service, NHK & KBS. It also has a 300-watt mediumwave (MF) transmitter for BBC Hereford and Worcester (formerly used by BBC Radio Shropshire), as well as a 1 kW VHF FM transmitter for local Ludlow commercial station Sunshine Radio.
(Wikipedia)

Introduction to Woofferton Transmitting Station - Part 1 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QovPkM35aF0

Woofferton Transmitting Station Part 2 - Modernisation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGk7djV6VxY

Encompass to acquire Babcock Media Services

Engineering/defence contractor Babcock, which owns UK's last remaining shortwave transmitting station (Woofferton) and operates BBC shortwave and medium wave relay stations in Ascension Island, Cyprus, Oman and Singapore, is selling its media operations
(https://twitter.com/ChrisGreenwayUK)
(WWDC Top News 1354/07 Set 2018)

Posted on August 29th, 2018 by juliett
Press Release

"Global technology services company has reached a definitive agreement to purchase Babcock International Group’s Media Services business"

LONDON/ATLANTA (August 29, 2018) – Encompass Digital Media, a global technology services company delivering end-to-end video playout and distribution solutions to broadcast and digital media companies, announced today it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Babcock International Group’s (Babcock’s) Media Services business. This deal expands Encompass’ scale in EMEA and extends the company’s combined channel playout, transmission and digital products portfolio while adding international radio distribution to its suite of services.

“Acquiring Babcock’s Media Services business increases our presence in the EMEA region, expands our video services offering, specifically in the live streaming sports arena, and bolsters our collective relationships with some of the most important media companies and public service broadcasters around the world,” explains Chris Walters, Encompass CEO. “We are thrilled to be adding a large number of highly regarded industry professionals to the Encompass team.”

The amount of technical complexity required to generate and deliver content to viewers continues to grow exponentially, and the acquisition of Babcock’s Media Services business represents a continued push to offer end-to-end, highly reliable and scalable services to media companies. With combined resources, Encompass will offer enhanced solutions to capture, process and deliver video content from any source, in any format, to any destination in the most efficient manner possible.

“I am delighted that Babcock’s Media Services business is becoming a part of one of the leading global providers of managed video services. The combination of Encompass’ significant international presence and prestigious customer base, together with Babcock’s growing capabilities in the rapidly expanding live streaming market and our market-leading position serving many of the world’s leading international radio broadcasters, will further cement Encompass’ global reputation as THE provider of choice,” states Nick Thompson, Managing Director of Babcock’s Media Services business.

Encompass has existing facilities in the UK, US, Singapore, Argentina, Latvia and India; this acquisition will grow its operations in the UK and Singapore and add operations in Oman and Ascension Island.

About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass is a global technology services company focused on supporting TV networks, broadcasters, sports leagues and digital leaders with the delivery of their linear/nonlinear video content across television and digital platforms. Services include: global transmission and connectivity, channel playout, OTT/TV streaming and VOD, live events and disaster recovery. For more information, please visit www.encompass.tv, and follow us on social media – LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Babcock’s Media Services business
As the trusted media partner to the world’s leading broadcasters and content owners we provide the complete range of fully-managed solutions to deliver channels and content to global audiences across any platform. For more information, please visit: www.babcock.media
(August 29th, 2018)