Category Archives: International Broadcasting

RFI: “The power of radio during British-mandated Palestine”

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Radio engineer Moshe Rubin transmits the special broadcast during the opening of the Palestine Broadcasting Service, Ramallah, March 30, 1936. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, via RFI

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who writes:

There is an interesting article/podcast by R France Int
entitled “The power of radio during British-mandated Palestine”.

“On 30 March 1936, the British High Commissioner of Palestine, Arthur
Wauchope, inaugurated the Palestinian Broadcasting Service, the PBS. It
was the second broadcaster to be established in the Middle East, after
Radio Cairo in 1934, and featured programmes in Arabic, Hebrew and English.

It covered the region of Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, as well
as parts of Egypt. The new transmitter was in Ramallah and the
broadcasting offices were in Jerusalem.”

Full article and pictures at:

http://en.rfi.fr/middle-east/20190329-power-radio-during-british-mandated-palestine

Fascinating! Thank you for sharing this with us, Alan!

Radio World: “Australia Still Has Shortwave Voices”

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(Source: Radio World via Michael Bird)

HANS JOHNSON ? APR 23, 2019

SYDNEY — Radio Australia shortwave services may be dead, but the medium is alive and well on the continent.

Reach Beyond Australia is on shortwave, but with its Christian programming largely in foreign languages, it really isn’t seen as representing Australia on the shortwaves. But there are other private Australian stations that are broadcasting and more are planned.

And while these stations are not a replacement for Radio Australia’s international transmissions or the defunct (for the moment) Australian Broadcasting Corp. domestic service, they do have various goals and share certain characteristics.[…]

4KZ is a shortwave relay of an Innisfail, Queensland, medium-wave station with the same call sign. It is part of the NQ Radio network. 4KZ plays a variety of music and is heavily involved in the community. The shortwave serves remote areas of north Queensland. “We are planning a 90-or 120-meter service for evenings local time, from station 4AM in Mareeba,” explained Al Kirton, NQ Radio’s general manager.

Unique Radio has been on three years and currently broadcasts from Gunnedah in New South Wales. Its owner, Tim Gaylor, has a background in community radio. “We like a station to inform people about alternative subject matters not currently on mainstream media,” he said. Unique Radio also plans to add a night frequency in the 90-meter band.

There are also future stations in the works from New South Wales.[…]

Click here to read the full article at Radio World.

Radio Tamazuj introduces English news via shortwave

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jochen, who shares this announcement via Radio Tamazuj:

Radio Tamazuj launches English news bulletin

The independent broadcaster Radio Tamazuj has launched its English news bulletin today to help expand its listenership in South Sudan and Sudan.

Broadcasting daily in colloquial Arabic and Juba Arabic from 6:30-7:30 a.m. [3:30 – 4:30 UTC] and 5:30-6:30 p.m., [2:30 – 3:30 UTC] Radio Tamazuj focuses on providing listeners with uncensored news and programmes.

Morning frequencies are 7315 on the 41 meter band and 11650 on the 25 meter band. Evening frequencies are 15150 on the 19 meter band and 15400 on the 19 meter band.

Enjoy listening to our English news every Tuesday and Friday on shortwave frequency. Also, enjoy listening to us on our social media handles on Facebook Live @tamazuj and on Twitter @RadioTamazuj from 18: 00 hrs every Tuesday and Friday.

Listen to today’s English news:

Many thanks for the tip, Jochen! Click here to read this news item on Radio Tamazuj.

“Managing SW Broadcasts From Ascension Island”

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Location of Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post contributors who share the following story from Radio World magazine (this summary via Southgate ARC):

Managing short wave broadcasts from Ascension Island

Radio World reports on the remote Atlantic Relay Station that transmits critical radio broadcasts to millions in Africa and beyond

A six-mile stretch of volcanic rock in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean is home to the BBC’s Atlantic Relay Station.

Now managed and operated by Encompass Digital Media on behalf of the BBC World Service, the stations’ six powerful shortwave transmitters on Ascension Island beam program in a dozen or more languages to some 30 million listeners in north, west and central Africa.

The shortwave transmitters include two 250 kW Marconi BD272 transmitters originally installed in 1966 (and still in daily use) and four 250 kW RIZ K01 transmitters, which are also capable of transmitting in Digital Radio mode.

Read the Radio World story at
https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/managing-sw-broadcasts-from-ascension-island

Video: WAGM visits WBCQ and interviews Allan Weiner

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Photo by Lee Reynolds

(Source: WAGM)

The skyline in Monticello looks a lot different now. A 260 foot tower that will be soon be home to one of the largest short wave radio stations in the world is nearing completion. News Source 8’s Ashley Blackford has the story.

Allan notes that transmitter tests may be taking place within a month.

[Note: If the embedded video function with WAGM does not function, click here to view at WAGM.]

Voice of Korea announces new English language schedule effective March 31, 2019

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, DanH, who writes:

For SWLing Post readers here is a YouTube reception video of VOK announcing a new shortwave schedule for the English Language Service.

Click here to view on YouTube.

The schedule is effective beginning 03:00 UTC, March 31, 2019.

Southeast Asia:

  • 05:00 – 06:00 UTC: 13650 and 15105 kHz
  • 10:00 – 11:00 UTC: 11735 and 13650 kHz

Middle East and Northern Africa:

  • 16:00 – 17:00 UTC: 9890 and 11645 kHz
  • 19:00 – 20:00 UTC: 9875 and 11635 kHz

Southern Africa:

  • 19:00 – 20:00 UTC: 7210, 11910 kHz

Central and South America:

  • 04:00 – 05:00 UTC: 11735, 13760 and 15180 kHz
  • 10:00 – 11:00 UTC: 11710 and 15180 kHz

Good luck if you like chasing VOK!

DanH

Thanks for the tip, DanH!

BBG Watch: Former Analyst Challenges USAGM Audience Measurement Methods, Claims of Sharp Increases

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As a follow-up to our previous post featuring Kim Elliott’s commentary, check out the following article by Dan Robinson in BBG Watch:

Former Analyst Challenges USAGM Audience Measurement Methods, Claims of Sharp Increases

By Dan Robinson

A former analyst for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees taxpayer-funded broadcast and online media directed at overseas audiences, has publicly challenged the methods used by the agency in making audience size claims.

An audience research analyst for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (formerly the Broadcasting Board of Governors) for many years, Kim Elliott, Ph.D., is the first former official to raise questions about USAGM figures.

His views, published online by the University of Southern California Center for Public Diplomacy blog, also appeared first in a small circulation subscription journal published by NASWA (North American Shortwave Association). This article is based on both pieces.[…]

Click here to read the full article.

Dan also points out the following BBG Watch article which focuses on Twitter polls:

http://bbgwatch.com/bbgwatch/twitter-poll-voa-and-radio-farda-usagm-iran-audience-claims-are-false/