(Source: BBC Media Centre via Jonathan Marks)
Statement on newly announced Government funding of the World Service
Tony Hall, the Director-General of the BBC, said:
“I warmly welcome today’s announcement. It’s fantastic news.“This new funding is the single biggest increase in the World Service budget ever committed by any government.
“The millions announced today will help the BBC deliver on our commitment to uphold global democracy through accurate, impartial and independent news reporting.
“The World Service is one of the UK’s most important cultural exports and one of our best sources of global influence. We can now further build on that. The funding will also help speed us on to our target of reaching half a billion people globally.”
- Enhanced TV services for Africa
- New radio services for audiences in North Korea; radio and digital services for Ethiopia and Eritrea
- Additional language offers via digital and TV in India and Nigeria
- More regionalised content to better serve audiences to the BBC Arabic Service
- Dedicated TV output for Somalia and a fully digital service for Thailand
- Enhanced digital and TV services for Russian speakers, both in Russia and surrounding communities
- A video-led digital transformation of Languages services
- To expand the impact and future-proof World Service English
I read somewhere that it cost BBC £500K a year to provide SW coverage for North America. The relay for N. America was the Caribbean Relay Station, Antigua which BBC used jointly with Deutsche Welle and sometimes, VOA. The relay station still exists and is own by Caribbean Relay Company, LTD. The towers, dishes and buildings are still visible on Google Earth.
The only dependable BBC SW relay available to me in California on a daily basis is the one hour transmission to Southern Africa from the Atlantic Relay Station, Ascension Island. This is 7445 kHz, 0500-0600 UTC only. I’m listening to it right now.
I know there are thousands of ways to receive information today but as I was reading the list of enhanced services from the increased funding I was hoping to see plans for the BBC to target North America via shortwave again. Could it really be that expensive given the programing for the most part is already being produced?