Category Archives: International Broadcasting

Remembering Radio Beijing: 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre

A long shot of the iconic “Tank Man” on Tiananmen Square. Photographer: Stuart Franklin

Today is the 25th anniversary of the horrible events that took place in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, during which Chinese troops opened fire on unarmed student demonstrators.

In this off-air shortwave radio recording of Radio Beijing, made on June 3rd, 1989, you’ll hear the news reader/editor depart from the script and comment on the massacre of protestors in Tiananmen Square:

It’s believed this brave news editor was detained shortly after the broadcast and spent years in a detention (re-training) camp.

Rest assured, you will hear no mention of the Tiananmen Square protests on China Radio International today–even though this year marks the 25th anniversary of the event. China’s state media goes to great lengths to keep this sort of on-air protest from happening again. State media even tries to limit on-line research of the protests; last year, we posted a fascinating article which listed banned search engine terms in China.

I also encourage you to check out Jonathan Marks’ comments (from a broadcaster’s perspective) on this particular Radio Beijing broadcast.

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International Radio for Disaster Relief includes special QSL: June 5 – 6, 2014

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HFCC-InternationalRadioForDidsasterRelief

The High Frequency Co-ordination Conference’s (HFCC) test of the International Radio for Disaster Reduction (IRDR) broadcasts are on track for June 5-6, 2014.

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Mehmet Burk, who has posted the updated schedule on his website, Relief Analysis.

Mehmet also shares this message from HFCC Board member, Oldrich Cip, who mentions a special QSL card that will be issued for IRDR reception reports:

“The Trial of International Radio for Disaster Relief on June 5th and 6th during the Jakarta ABU Media Summit is approaching quickly. The last updated version of the Trial programme is available in a presentation here:
http://hfcc.org/doc/HFCC_RAD_2014-004-IRDR_Jakarta_Presentation.pdf

Let me ask all organisations taking part in the Trial to check on the Trial programme schedule and ask for any changes or additions of the technical details that might be still needed. More details about the IRDR and about the Trial and its background are here:
http://hfcc.org/humanitarian/irdrtrial.phtml

The interest in the Trial created among participants indicates that it is real to set up a world-wide system of a voluntary, disaster relief shortwave radio with tools and services that are already in place. Publicity is needed to raise awareness in the world community about it – since the on-going cuts of shortwave installations might make this increasingly difficult.

Please kindly spread the word about it and encourage people to listen to the Trial programmes. Reception reports will be confirmed by special QSL cards.”

Again, check out Mehmet Burk’s IRDR updates on Relief Analysis.

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Thailand Coup: BBC World Service increases shortwave broadcasts

BBC World Service increases broadcasts to Thailand

26 May 2014. As authorities in Thailand take key national and international channels off air in the country, BBC World Service has increased its shortwave English-language radio broadcasts to Thailand, to continue the delivery of its independent news and analysis to audiences there.

From 01:00 GMT on Monday 26 May, BBC World Service expanded its availability via shortwave to Thailand by adding [ten] hours of broadcasts to its daily shortwave schedule (all times GMT):

01:00-03:00 on 11,600 kHz
03:00-05:00 on 7,370 kHz
05:00-11:00 on 11,700 kHz

Acting Director, BBC World Service Group, Liliane Landor says: “In times of national crisis, there is an acute need for accurate, trusted and impartial news. This is why, with our international TV news channel off the air in Thailand, we have increased BBC World Service radio broadcasts in the country.”

The above transmissions add to BBC World Service’s six hours of shortwave broadcasts at peak times for Thailand.

Ends//

For more information about the military coup in Thailand, and how it affects international broadcasting, please follow our tag: Thailand Coup

[Update 27 May 2014: Number of broadcast hours corrected. HT to Dan Ferguson and Richard Cuff]

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Budget cuts threaten Radio Australia: how you can help

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The Friends of the ABC have asked for your help to support Radio Australia.

In short: the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) is trying to cope with a 60% cut in funding resulting from the loss of the Australian Network contract. There are fears that Radio Australia could be cut significantly as a result; after all, the number of Australians listening to Radio Australia domestically (either online or via shortwave) is very low.

Those of you who followed the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation‘s cuts in 2012 will remember that Radio Canada International was consequently dealt an unfair and crippling budget cut. I believe the Friends of the ABC’s fears are not unfounded.

Below, you’ll find the message from Friends of the ABC with contacts to send your letters of support:

Please take a few moments to write to the Managing Director of the ABC in support of the staff of Radio Australia, who are facing a 60% cut in funding, not by the government directly, but by ABC management!

-Mal Hewitt – President, Friends of the ABC NSW

Message from Jemima Garrett, Pacific Economic and Business reporter, ABC Radio Australia:

“As a long term member of ABC staff I am writing to you now because of a new and urgent threat to Radio Australia. As I am sure you know Radio Australia is a vital service in the Pacific Islands reporting on and covering issues that no other media outlet covers. It has huge audience ratings but is often forgotten in Australia because it is not heard here. The cuts to Australia Network are now set to affect Radio Australia as well. In tough time[s,] radio is an inexpensive and effective way of maintaining our expertise so that we are ready to rise like a phoenix when the political environment improves. It is also able to report on more issues, in more depth and more quickly than TV and therefore is an important source for and method of keeping our online offering as rich and varied as possible.”

Please send you views to:

Managing Director [email protected],

Director of News [email protected],

Director of International [email protected],

Head of ABC News Content [email protected],

Editor ABC Asia Pacific News Centre [email protected] and

staff elected Director Matt Peacock [email protected].

Background:

ABC management is looking at how to cope with the budget cuts resulting from the cancellation of the Australia Network contract. This doesn’t just affect Australia Network but may result in substantial cuts to Radio Australia as the ABC tries to use some of the money it still has for radio to keep some TV programs, contracts in Asia, the mobile and online services connected with Australia Network going too. The scale of the cut is huge – 60 per cent of our budget has been lost ($21 of $35 million a year). This is for broadcasts to a geographic area ranging French Polynesia in the east to India in the west and FSM and China in the north. (Jemima Garrett, Pacific Economic and Business reporter, ABC Radio Australia)

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Radio Thailand: no mention of military coup

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This morning, I was able to catch the first thirteen minutes of Radio Thailand‘s English language service on 9,390 kHz shortwave. I was curious if RT would mention the Thailand military coup or at least broadcast a sanctioned message from the military authorities. Yet I heard no mention of the coup whatsoever. And why not? Yesterday, General Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered all domestic TV and radio outlets to halt normal broadcasting and only include content the military provides.

I was only able to record the first 13 minutes of the RT evening news as we had a powerful thunderstorm that forced me to unplug my external antenna. You’ll note the static crashes in the recording.

The format sounds like a typical RT broadcast, save the lack of national news; instead, the hosts jump straight into global news, mentioning Nigeria, the Philippians, and the economy. Here’s the recording:

As a contrast, here is a recording SRAA contributor, Frank, made of Radio Thailand on May 14th, prior to the coup:

It will be interesting to hear how the nature and content of RT’s news changes with time while the country is under martial law.

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BBC: Thailand TV and radio remains blacked out under military control

Thailand military suspends TV and radio programming

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Thailand’s army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, declared a coup today (Thursday, May 22), and detained key party leaders while suspending the constitution in “a bid to restore order” after nearly six months of ant-government protests.

General Prayuth Chan-ocha has also ordered all domestic TV and radio outlets to halt normal broadcasting and only include content the military provides until further notice. Only yesterday, a group of Thai media bodies accused the Peace and Order Maintaining Command (POMC) of violating the constitution when the POMC banned 14 satellite TV outlets. Now that the constitution is suspended, I suppose it is no longer an obstacle.

I’m curious if Radio Thailand will be on the air today–if so, I assume broadcasts will contain military sanctioned content. I would encourage you to tune to Radio Thailand and, if possible, even record a broadcast to archive if they are indeed on the air.

The following is Radio Thailand‘s English broadcast schedule per Shortwave.am: