Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who writes:
ABC anxious to annihilate HF as soon as possible. (ABC is Broadcast Australia’s largest customer by far, BAs income from Auntie is the ABCs largest sink of funds after salaries – several hundred million bucks per year)
http://www.sheppnews.com.au/2017/05/11/88161/radio-australia-for-sale
Radio Australia for sale
For sale, one large semi-rural 229ha block. Key features include large-scale grazing potential, two irrigation channels and a shortwave antenna that can broadcast to all over the globe.
The former shortwave broadcasting station that for decades sent the Radio Australia broadcast around the world was quietly put on the market a couple of weeks ago.
[…]The sale could throw into jeopardy any move to restart shortwave broadcasting, as it is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country.
South Australian NXT senator Nick Xenophon visited the site earlier in the year, and later introduced a bill to the senate to restart shortwave broadcasting.
The bill was sent to a senate inquiry and was due to report by August.
Former radio engineer at the site Gary Baker has been campaigning for the resumption of shortwave, and was not happy the site was on the market.
‘‘If the ABC has to start broadcasting internationally again this could cost taxpayers millions of dollars, which would be stupid,’’ Mr Baker said.
A sign in front of the property indicates that the closing date for expressions of interest in the property is in June.
Click here to read the full article at The Shepparton Times.
Sounds like an inside job to me. Some politician or in-law has their hand in the till. Why is it being sold so quickly. The transmitter has not even a chance of cooling off before it is being sold.
After your car is retired or house of course you sell it asap. Taxes and rents are going OUT and the debt is growing ! Obviously the site is now for cows and roos as it should be.
In times of emergency shortwave and AM radio becomes essential for speedy communication.
It’s going to take a real disaster for the people in canberra to realise the importance of analogue radio but by then it will be too late.
Unfortunately there is no “fight city hall” mentality in Australia. We are all pretty apathetic about the changes our elected representatives make, until election time when all the come to the fore and we vote on it.
So many people here want to define this reduction because of its operating costs or “profit/loss” model. But it is not a business Radio Australia( government) is in. It’s duty for its existence is to make an impact on its people, not a return on investment for shareholders .
In case of emergency, shortwave will be the way only to reach people in areas that no internet, FM of low power AM works. A wind up radio with SW, AM, FM is on the market. In mass evacuations how do the government do to reach people ?? Keep SW running by some national radio news radio in the meantime in case of disasters or whatever will happening.
If the other non ABC services are a priority, the sale of the site would boost the budget or close some debts.
It is very dubious Shortwave is an effective way or cost effective method in 2017–? Future.
OMG! What does the government plan on doing with the millions they will collect upon the sale of this approximately 500 acres of land mass? Cut each good tax paying Australian their piece of the pie? Or will it all go into a big bank account, to pay each politician a bonus; or perhaps split it among welfare recipient?
The government does not own this land. The property is owned by a private company. They can do whatever they like with the land.
Hi, Baker do not be stupid hypocrites, wanting to fool people with excuses that it is not profitable to maintain a global radio station and in the meantime they keep wasting thousands of hundreds of millions in weapons that surely is healthier for people’s health, World is being ruled by a gang of psychopaths, ¿which would happen if the internet were shut down and satellite communications?
Think a bit Mr Baker
The weapons part I agree with. But please tell me how Air India can keep 500kw transmitters booming while its people are hungry, poor and can’t even afford a Hindu cremation.