Tag Archives: BBC World Service

BBC World Service annual broadcast to Antarctica

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(Thanks to Andy Sennitt for bringing this to my attention.)

This year, it’s difficult for me appreciate the annual tradition of broadcasting to the 43 scientists and technicians at the British Antarctic Survey in light of the recent BBC World Service cuts. Still, the broadcast is quirky, nostalgic and certainly DX worth catching.

Here are the times/frequencies courtesy of RNW Media Network:

This half-hour programme will be on the air at 2130-2200 UTC tomorrow (Tuesday 21 June) on the following shortwave frequencies:

  • 5950 kHz  Skelton 300 kW beam 180 degrees
  • 7295 kHz  Rampisham 500 kW  beam 180 degrees
  • 7360 kHz  Ascension 250 kW beam 207 degrees
  • 9850 kHz  Skelton 300 kW beam 180 degrees

Read RNW Media Network’s full article on the broadcast here.

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The BBC World Service to keep Hindi broadcasts

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BBC World Service - Bush House

According to MSN India, British Members of Parliament have decided that they cannot allow cuts to BBC WS broadcasts in Hindi to India as India is a growing economic power and partner with the UK. Hmmm…I wonder if the BBC WS or VOA will reconsider broadcasting to China for the same reasons?

Andy Sennitt posted the new BBC WS broadcast schedule to India:

  • 0100-0130 UTC on 6065, 9425, 11995, 13745, 15510 kHz
  • 0230-0300 UTC on 11995, 15660, 17510, 17655 kHz
  • 1400-1500 UTC on 1413, 7565, 9685, 11795, 15470 kHz
  • 1700-1730 UTC on 1413, 5910, 7460, 9605, 11740 kHz

Thanks to Kim Elliott for bringing this to my attention.

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Radio Documentary: The Wireless World of Gerry Wells

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I just discovered (via PRI’s The World Technology Podcast) a 2010 radio documentary about lifelong radio designer and repairman, Gerry Wells.

If you haven’t heard it before, I suggest you drop what you’re doing and give it a listen below. This is the most charming radio doc I’ve ever heard out of the BBC World Service.

For archival purposes, I have a full copy of the radio doc available for download by clicking here.

Again, a special thanks to Clark Boyd with PRI’s The World for bringing this to my attention.

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BBC World Service budget cut by 20%

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The BBC Bush house

This is a sad week for fans and listeners of the BBC World Service.

According to news reports, the British Foreign Office has cut BBC’s World Service budget by 20%, resulting in sweeping reductions in their shortwave service. As many as 650 jobs will be lost by 2014 and cancellation of shortwave service in five languages and several countries. It appears they are cutting SW service to China, Cuba and the Balkans, instead relying on mobile phone & internet access (note that according to Keith Perron, the BBCWS Chinese site has been blocked for 10 years and in Cuba less than 1% of the population have access to the internet).

My real fear is that listeners who rely on the BBC WS via shortwave–those who live in rural, impoverished countries, for example–will have no voice to express the loss of a lifeline of information to them. It’s quite easy for us to forget that the internet and mobile technologies have not yet penetrated these “markets” and that shortwave radio is the most effective and affordable means to receive high-quality news and information.

As The Guardian put it, the BBC WS will be “eclipsed” by Voice of America. I certainly hope that the VOA can give its markets better service stability.

More on the BBC World Service cuts:

Thanks to Kim Elliot, Keith Perron and BernieS for their commentary.

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BBC World Service using wind power

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(Thanks to Kim Elliot for this item.)

A key BBC World Service transmission site on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic has embraced on-site wind power with the assistance of sustainability consultancy AEA, which was commissioned to investigate renewable power options to replace ageing technology at the site.

The new hybrid wind/diesel power station is expected to save approximately £500,000 (US$803,000) a year on the diesel fuel that previously had to be shipped to the island, and reduce the frequency of tanker-supplied diesel fuel deliveries to 18 monthly intervals.

The location and nature of Ascension Island made the project particularly challenging – the island is volcanic and has no deepwater port.

However, since the turbines have been in operation they have generated in the region of 205 MWh of electricity a month – offsetting approximately 58,000 litres of diesel.

(Source: Power-Gen Worldwide Press Release)

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New Digital Radio Mondiale channel for South Asia

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(Source: BBC World Service International Publicity)

BBC World Service and Deutsche Welle (DW) are launching a new Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) digital radio channel for South Asia.

The channel will carry a four-hour daily broadcast that includes the best international programmes in English and Hindi from BBC World Service and Deutsche Welle. It will also bring to the audience all the advantages of DRM digital radio including near-FM quality audio, text messages, Journaline and an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).

This joint initiative between BBC World Service and Deutsche Welle has been launched using two transmitters in the region and will cover much of South Asia. The signal covers the majority of the Indian sub-continent and may reach as far as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other neighbouring countries.

The new transmission starts on 31 October 2010 and will be broadcast from 1400–1800 GMT each day. Listeners will find the new programme stream on 13590 and 5845 kHz (SW) and additionally on 1548 kHz (MW) between 1700–1800 GMT.

Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Chairman, says: “Digital radio is as much about technology as it is about content. Through DRM we hope to increase the digital radio offer to South Asia giving people access to audio and multimedia content, which should in turn convince manufacturers that digital radio brings something new worth investing in.”

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