Category Archives: International Broadcasting

Fire at Radio France building in Paris

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, @K7al_L3afta, for sharing news that the top floors of the Radio France broadcasting house were on fire this morning:

@SWLingDotCom @LondonShortwave fire in Radio France!! pic.twitter.com/EWoIWsyLEq

— ????? ????????? (@K7al_L3afta) October 31, 2014

You can read more about the fire, in English, via Reuters:

A fire broke out at France’s public radio headquarters in Paris on Friday, forcing live programmes off the air as staff evacuated the vast Paris complex where major building work has been underway.

“The fire is not put out but it is under control,” said Paris fire brigade spokesman Gabriel Plus, adding that there were no victims and that there was no longer any risk of the fire spreading to other parts of the building.[…]

Fortunately, it seems all staff were evacuated and there have been no casualties noted at this point. Time will tell if this has a temporary effect on Radio France International programming.

UPDATE: Jonathan Marks comments, “Unlikely that RFI will be affected as they have moved out of the Maison de la Radio and into the same offices as France 24 a little bit further down the river.”

Thanks, Jonathan!

Global 24 Program List

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Many thanks to the Global 24 Radio team for notifying me that they’ve posted their initial programming. I posted the full list below, but you should also check the Global 24 website as they’re making frequent additions.

As a reminder: Global 24 Radio begins broadcasting tomorrow, October 31, 2014, beginning at 2300 UTC on 9,395 KHz.

(Source: Global 24 Radio)

Programs

News:

Feature Story News – Top of the Hour News
European News Network – Top of the Hour News, Breaking News, Weekly News Review
Global 24 Breaking News – Top of the Hour News, Developing News, Live News Feeds
Focus Asia Pacific – Daily News from the Pacific

International Relays:

Radio France International
Channel Africa
Voice of Russia
World Radio Network

Music:

Jazz from the Left – 3 Hours of Weekly Jazz with Raoul van Hall
The Rock Pile – 2 Hours of Weekly Classical with Raoul van Hall
Jazz for the Asking – 1 Hour of Weekly Jazz with Keith Perron
Blues Radio International – 30 Minutes of Weekly Blues with Jesse Finkelstein
Song of India – 1 Hour of Weekly Music for the Indian Subcontinent
Global Music & Turkish Talent Box – 1 Hour Weekly of International “Trending”
Global Music
Classical Worldwide on Shortwave – 3 Hours of Weekly Classical Music with Jeffrey Bowman

Easy Listening:

The Rendez-Vous – 3 Hours Weekly of Music, News & Information
The Happy Station Show – 1 Hour Weekly of Music & More with Keith Perron
Switzlerland in Sound – 30 Minutes Weekly with Bob Zanotti
Old Time Radio Favorites – Comedy

Drama:

Global 24 Present’s Shakespeare on Shortwave

Perspective:

The Kelly Alexander Show – 1 Hour Weekly of Current Events & Issues for Women
Peace Talks Radio – 1 Hour Weekly of Content from Peter Ingles (NPR)
Sons of Liberty – Daily Syndicated Broadcast with Bradlee Dean
The Stuph File – 1 Hour Weekly of Odd, Off-the-Wall fun stuff with Peter Anthony Holder

Science:

Exploration – 1 Hour Weekly with Dr. Michio Kaku

Radio:

Global 24 Daily Mailbag – 30 Minutes Daily of Listener Comments, Feedback and
Reception Reports
This Week in Ham Radio – 30 Minutes Weekly of Ham Radio “On Air” Events
World of Radio – 30 Minutes Weekly of Radio News with Glenn Hauser
Survival Radio – 30 Minutes of Weekly of Radio Information for Preppers & Planners
Viva Miami – 30 Minutes Weekly of Listener Comments and More with Jeff White, GM of WRMI
Media Network Plus – 30 or 60 Minutes Weekly with Keith Perron

Survival, Homesteading & Off the Grid Living

(Announcements Pending)

The Guardian: BBC broadcasts banned over Rawanda genocide documentary

ERT Open (former Voice of Greece) moves to 9,415 kHz

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View from the town of Litochoro, in the foothills of Mount Olympus, Greece. (Source: Public Domain via Wikimedia)

Many listeners have noticed that the former Voice of Greece (ERT Open) has moved from 9,420 kHz to 9,415 kHz. This must be due to interference from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) who has been transmitting on 9420 kHz as well.

Here in North America, even when IRIB was broadcasting simultaneously on 9420 kHz, VOG always overpowered their signal. In other parts of the world, though, it was not the same case.

I’m happy VOG/ERT is still on shortwave and broadcasting to the world–though no one really knows for how much longer.

I recorded about one hour of VOG on 9,415 kHz, starting around 0045 UTC today. Enjoy:

Introducing Shortwave’s Newest Broadcaster: Global 24 Radio

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This is one of the most exciting developments I’ve seen in international broadcasting in ages: an around-the-clock, fixed-frequency, commercial shortwave radio broadcaster, transmitting via WRMI.

The new Global24 will begin broadcasting on Friday, October 31, 2014 at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC November 1st) on 9395 kHz.

Below, you’ll find Global24’s first press release:

(Source: Global24Radio.com)

(Hollywood, FL) Oct. 21, 2014 – Global 24 Radio LLC announced today that its inaugural broadcast will go live at 7:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31 (0000 UTC November 1), with a line-up of new and well-known programs and around-the-clock English language programming. The broadcast can be heard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 9395 kHz on WRMI broadcasting from Okeechobee, Florida.

“We’re very excited about launching Global 24 and the important contributions it will make to shortwave radio listening – as both a medium worth preserving and a vital part of the modern media mix for so many listeners around the world,” said Phil Workman, general manager of Global 24. “Our broadcast will appeal to dedicated shortwave listeners (SWL) all over the world looking for breaking news, opinion and music.”

Global 24 aims to revitalize the shortwave medium by bringing general interest news and entertainment into sharper focus for listeners looking for high quality programming on a daily basis. Regular listeners will be informed, entertained and engaged in an ever more complex world.

According to Jeff White, general manager of WRMI, “Global 24 represents another step in the long overdue commercialization of shortwave radio. We are excited to be working with them on their ambitious program to engage and entertain a global audience.”

Additional press releases in coming days will announce our broadcast schedule, our Listeners’ Club, contests, sponsors, our web store, staff and much more. Follow us on Twitter at @Global24Radio or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/global24radio. Visit our website: http://www.global24radio.com to join our email newsletter for the most current updates.

I’m in contact with Global24 and will continue to post updates as they become available.

Simply follow the tag: Global24

Radio Exterior de España petition

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SWLing Post reader, David, comments:

Please, sign the petition to save Radio Exterior de España
Thank you !!!!

Click here to sign the petition.

Many thanks, David. As I post this, I’m listening to the final mailbag show of REE’s English broadcast on 6,055 kHz. The hosts have actually mentioned this petition twice. Apologies to everyone as I meant to post a link to the petition this past weekend.

I will miss hearing REE on the shortwaves, I’ve always enjoyed their English language broadcasts.

VOA Reduced TV to China during Hong Kong protests

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The website BBG Watch recently posted a guest commentary from an anonymous VOA reporter regarding the loss of VOA Weishi TV during the Hong Kong protests. Here is an excerpt from BBG Watch:

“On Monday, September 29, the loyal viewers of Voice of America (VOA) “Weishi,” the VOA Mandarin TV program, were surprised to see their TV screen turned into a blue graphic during some hours when the original program previously aired was repeated. In the place of the professionally produced VOA TV broadcast, audiences received radio signals from Radio Free Asia (RFA).

Audience surveys, although underestimating the viewership because many Chinese are reluctant to share sensitive and potentially dangerous information with strangers, show that the popularity of the 2-year-old VOA “Weishi” is growing by leaps and bounds in China. Some of its segments, including “History’s Mysteries,” “Pro&Con” and “Issues and Opinions,” already also attract many millions of viewers on YouTube. The management’s decision to take away some of the repeat hours from the “Weishi” programs will be devastating to VOA’s Mandarin broadcasting. Meanwhile, it will not help RFA, since very few people listen to radio via TV. If they do, there are existing channels leased by the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) to broadcast radio programs via satellite to China and Tibet. IBB reports to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency and the bipartisan Board in charge of all U.S. taxpayer-supported media for audiences abroad.”

Read the full commentary on the BBG Watch website.

I listened to China Radio International a few times during the peak of the protests and–no surprise–there was absolutely no mention or even hint of an uprising. Indeed, China has been actively blocking international TV news outlets like CNN and social media sites like Instagram.

China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world in terms of press freedoms–175th out of a possible 180 countries on the 2014 World Press Freedoms Index.