Category Archives: International Broadcasting

Download the 1923 “first Wireless Christmas” edition of The Radio Times

RadioTimes1923

(Source: BBC Genome Blog via Mike Barraclough)

The much-loved Christmas edition of the Radio Times made its first appearance in 1923.

It was all very different to today’s multi-channel, on-demand world. There was only radio, and London station 2LO had a meagre five-and-a-half hours of programmes on Christmas Day.

But to some extent, the first Christmas issue set many traditions which have prevailed for decades in various guises. The cover was a warm splash of colour and very festive in tone, while the publication’s austere masthead was festooned with snow and holly.

John Reith, who went on to become the BBC’s first director general, was given the first page to deliver a message to listeners, in which he deliberated the meaning of Christmas and then inevitably talked about the joy of broadcasting and the “first Wireless Christmas”.

“The loud speaker is such a convenient entertainer,” he wrote. “He doesn’t feel hurt if a cracker is pulled in the middle of a song, or offended if the fun grows riotous during his performance”.

While Reith was keen to talk up the virtues of broadcasting, the magazine was packed with adverts for radio sets and cartoons about the joys of consuming radio programmes.

But Christmas is all about giving, and we’d like to offer you the chance to download the first Christmas issue. It’s a fascinating document and we hope you will enjoy it. Happy Christmas fromBBC Genome!

Download a PDF version of the 1923 Christmas Radio Times by clicking on this link

BBG Watch: BBG hit with $400M employee contractors suit

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(Source: BBG Watch via Dan Robinson)

A $400 million class action lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the Broadcasting Board of Governors over personnel and contracting practices overseen by top agency officials in recent years. The plaintiffs, several Voice of America (VOA) workers, allege that the U.S. government-funded, international news broadcaster’s Board of Governors denied proper pay and benefits to VOA employees intentionally misclassified as independent contractors by agency officials, Law360 website reported.

As reported by Law360, plaintiffs in the latest class action lawsuit allege that the Broadcasting Board of Governors has implemented a system of using “Purchase Order Vendors” (POVs) “for services indistinguishable from those of direct employees, to avoid a 30 percent budget increase from providing the lawful wages, paid leave, workers compensation, and tax contributions the workers are owed.”

“The BBG put the plaintiffs and class members on purchase orders so it could extract their faithful service to the United States while avoiding payment of the more substantial compensation that is owed to federal employees,” the complaint states.[…]

Continue reading on the BBG Watch website…

Castro wants an end to US broadcasts directed at Cuba

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Havana, Cuba (Photo: Wikimedia)

(Source: VOA News)

Cuban President Raul Castro is urging the U.S. government to stop radio and television broadcasts that Cuba considers harmful, while also saying that his government is willing to keep improving relations with the United States.

In a speech broadcast on state television Friday, Castro said that his government will “continue insisting that to reach normalized relations, it is imperative that the United States government eliminate all of these policies from the past.”

He noted that the U.S. government continues to broadcast to Cuba, including transmissions of Radio Marti and TV Marti, despite Cuba’s objections. Radio Marti and TV Marti are overseen by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which is also the parent organization of the Voice of America.

Castro also criticized U.S. immigration policy that allows Cuban migrants to live in the United States if they reach U.S. territory.

“A preferential migration policy continues to be applied to Cuban citizens, which is evidenced by the enforcement of the wet foot/dry foot policy, the Medical Professional Parole Program and the Cuban Adjustment Act, which encourage an illegal, unsafe, disorderly and irregular migration, foment human smuggling and other related crimes, and create problems to other countries,” Castro said.

Continue reading on VOA News online…

Video: The Skelton HF Transmitting Station

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Many thanks to Jonathan Marks, who shares this short video about the history of the Skelton HF Transmitting Station:

History of Gerald Marcuse G2NM, founder of Empire Broadcasting

November 28, 2015: Tune to “Rockin’ with Raoul”

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Radio producer and SWLing Post friend, Raoul van Hall, writes:

Hello fellow shortwave and music fans. I am very excited to be broadcasting via PCJ International, a one-hour music special on November 28th. It’s called “Rockin’ with Raoul,” and it will feature some very rare rock tracks that you have probably never heard before. If you ever listened to The Rockpile on Global 24, and liked it, you will love this special program.

Plus we have special QSL cards for all these PCJ specials.

Thanks to Keith Perron and to everyone committed to keeping shortwave fun.

Many thanks for the heads-up, Raoul!

Rockin’ with Raoul will broadcast on 11580 khz on November 28, 2015 at 09:00 UTC.

More changes to this PCJ broadcast series

Please note that, Keith Perron posted the following on PCJ’s Facebook page:

I will be canceling the remainder of the PCJ Special Broadcasts after next weeks program. There is just not a sufficient audience to continue with the rest.

Last week and this week it was the same people. So it’s not justified to keep it going for fewer than 20 people.

Apologies to those who did tune in.

In other worlds, Rockin’ with Raoul, will be the last show in this broadcast series, so make sure you tune in! Contact PCJ with your reception reports.

BBC World Service receives funding increase

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(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