Category Archives: News

Media Network will be closing on Saturday 24 March 2012

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On Saturday, March 24, RNW’s Andy Sennitt will be closing down his Media Network blog. SWLing Post readers will recognize the name “Media Network” as I have referenced it many times as the source of news regarding international broadcasting. Andy posted the following message to his readers:

Important announcement to all our readers
March 8th, 2012 – 20:32 UTC by Andy Sennitt.
This Weblog will be closing on Saturday 24 March 2012.

I shall be taking early retirement from RNW at the end of April. Due to the new mandate of RNW effective on 1 January 2013, it will no longer be possible for the organisation to provide coverage of international media news.

In April I shall be writing a series of articles reflecting on the changes in international broadcasting since I started appearing on the Media Network radio show in 1981, and looking ahead to the coming decade. The articles will be published on the RNW English website.

If you have any memories of RNW or other international broadcasters that you would like to share, I will be pleased to hear from you at [email protected] and I’ll try to include them in the articles.

The Weblog contains over 15,000 media news items published since October 2003. It will remain online as a searchable archive. To prevent spam, it will no longer be possible to add comments, but nearly 14,000 comments already received will still be available.

Andy Sennitt
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/important-announcement-to-all-our-readers

Our best wishes to Andy in his early retirement and hopes that we will not completely lose him from the media scene. Andy, keep in touch!

Radio Exterior de Espana will be celebrating its 70th anniversary March 15

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(Source: Chrissy Brand)

An email below from Radio Exterior de Espana that they have asked me to share.
Please try and take part. Tune in on:

9665kHz 19.00-20.00 UTC English Monday to Fridays)

6125kHz 22.00-23.00 UTC English (Saturday and Sundays)

==================================

Dear Listener

On March 15th, Radio Exterior will be celebrating its 70th anniversary and we would love you to take part in the festivities. If you are interested in sharing your experience as a listener of the English language shortwave broadcasts, by letter or phone,- we would call you- please let us know as soon as possible.

We´ll be dedicating our March 15th broadcast to the anniversary and would like to reserve a special section to listeners — your impressions and memories as well as the importance shortwave listening, in general, has had in your life.

Please send us a note and, if appropriate, your phone number and general time availablity.

Thank you … many times over,
Alison, Frank and Justin of the English Language Broadcasts of REE
Corporación RTVE – http://www.rtve.es/

http://www.rtve.es/radio/radio-exterior/

[email protected]

WWVB conducting tests on air now through March 10

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WWV building in Fort Collins, Colorado (photo courtesy: NIST)

(Source: NIST)

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR WWVB RADIO STATION USERS
Radio Station WWVB will be conducting a test of a new broadcast format from Monday, March 5th, 2012 at 5 p.m. MST through Saturday, March 10th at noon MST.

During the test, Station WWVB will be broadcasting amplitude modulation and phase modulation simultaneously.

This test may affect WWVB timing equipment, but consumer radio-controlled clocks should work fine during this test.

You are encouraged to direct your questions to the Broadcast Manager John Lowe: 303-497-5453 or [email protected]

NIST radio station, WWVB, is located on the same site as WWV near Fort Collins, Colorado. WWVB broadcasts are used by consumer electronic products like wall clocks, clock radios, and wristwatches which sync to its unique time code broadcast stream. WWVB is also used for high level applications such as network time synchronization and frequency calibrations.

Though the tests are being conducted over 5 days, timing may be less than desirable considering the pending solar flare.

Another solar storm headed to Earth

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(photo: Spaceweather.com)

Even the Wall Street Journal picked up on the latest solar flare–the biggest in 5 years–which is headed towards Earth:

WASHINGTON—The largest solar flare in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights.[…]

“It’s hitting us right in the nose,” said Joe Kunches, a scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He called it the sun’s version of “Super Tuesday.”

The solar storm is likely to last through Friday morning, but the region that erupted can still send more blasts our way, Mr. Kunches said. He said another set of active sunspots is ready to aim at Earth right after this.

But for now, scientists are waiting to see what happens Thursday when the charged particles hit Earth at four million mph. [Continue reading at the WSJ]

And the latest update from Spaceweather:

GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE: A CME propelled toward Earth by this morning’s X5-class solar flare is expected to reach our planet on March 8th at 0625 UT (+/- 7 hr). Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, who prepared the CME’s forecast track, say the impact could spark a strong-to-severe geomagnetic storm.

Expect some major geomagnetic disturbances and don’t be surprised if the shortwave bands are very quiet while we’re being blasted with electrons. On the plus side? If you live in Northern latitudes, look for some awe-inspiring auroras in the night sky.

VOA self-censors in Russian elections

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This interesting Op Ed piece points out that VOA could be in violation of US Public Law 94-350 by adhering to Russian media law with VOA FM broadcasts in Moscow. Of course, shortwave broadcasts continue to report VOA un-censored news:

(Source: Digital Journal)

Voice of America and Radio Liberty, funded by US taxpayers to promote media freedom abroad, self-censor news on two stations in Moscow to comply with Russian media law prior to Russia’s presidential elections on March 4.

US government-funded media freedom broadcasters, Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Liberty (Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, RFE RL), have resorted to self-censorship of their news to keep broadcasting on two leased radio stations in Moscow in the days leading up to Russian presidential elections. Self-censorship affects only their radio newscasts on two AM Moscow transmitters, which are leased and paid for by the US government to rebroadcast VOA and RL programs. It does not extend to their other program delivery options, such as their websites. The newscasts on these stations were changed in response to a request from Russian operators of the transmitters who had warned that broadcasting political programming or poll results several days before the elections would violate Russian media law.

Because uncensored VOA and RL newscasts are still available online and, in the case of Radio Liberty, also through shortwave radio transmissions, a spokeswoman for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which manages and funds these two broadcasters, said that the restrictions “do not interfere with the ability of the Voice of America or Radio Liberty to cover the elections or to carry on with their other duties.” In the case of the Voice of America, however, removing news even from some broadcasts may violate Public Law 94-350[…]

Continue reading at the Digital Journal online.

Adam Long of the Reduced Shakespeare Company: Reduced History of the BBC World Service

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Enjoy this very witty and accurate take on the history of the BBC World Service:


Adam Long of the Reduced Shakespeare Company wrote this, the Reduced History of the BBC World Service, to celebrate the World Service’s 80th anniversary. It was a special commission for the BBC Newshour debate on the future of global broadcasting broadcast 29th February.

BBC World Service: Celebrating 80th birthday live on air

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BBC World Service - Bush House

(Source: BBC World Service)

BBC World Service brings you a special day of programming on 29 February to celebrate 80 years of international radio broadcasting.

We’ll begin the day with a live broadcast of the daily news meeting– which usually takes place behind closed doors – a meeting of all the language service and English news heads who decide the day’s news agenda.

Other highlights include an audience with naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough; writer VS Naipaul will be talking about his time at BBC World Service with the Caribbean service and music producer William Orbit will be guest editing our arts programme, The Strand.

Listen out for topics such as entrepreneurship in Africa, the future of international broadcasting, and the amazing abilities of an athlete’s body.

Throughout the day, you’ll be able to watch video clips of guests and staff around our current headquarters, Bush House.

We’ll also be asking you to put questions to guests and BBC World Service staff via clickFacebook, so join us if you can.

clickFor full details of Bush House Inside Out, check out the schedule.