Millions of people every day listen to transmissions intended for other areas of the world. Australian listeners should be able to receive many of the transmissions beamed to the South Pacific, which will remain on air. The answer is a four letter word - cost. Those who listen to international broadcasts generally contribute nothing towards maintaining them. Those costs are borne by the broadcasters, which in most cases get their finance from their respective governments.
Expenditure has to be constantly assessed and justified.
It costs a lot of money to operate a high power shortwave transmitter. There comes a point at which the proportion of listeners relying on shortwave falls below the level at which the service can be economically justified. Of course, if you have no alternative, you carry on. The apparent belief of some listeners that other broadcasters will fall over themselves to follow the BBC's lead is, in my view, misplaced. Certainly in the case of Radio Netherlands, decisions here are made on the basis of what's right for our listeners and our organisation.