Tag Archives: Nick Xenophon

Nick Xenophon champions review of ABC shortwave broadcasting to Pacific

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ian P, who shares the following via ABC News:

ABC shortwave broadcasting to the Pacific to be reviewed

The decision to end Australian shortwave broadcasting to the Pacific earlier this year could be revisited.

There’s to be a review of Asia Pacific broadcasting services, as part of a wide ranging package of reforms to the country’s media laws agreed to by independent Senator Nick Xenophon.

The Department of Communications and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are to conduct a review, including examining whether shortwave radio technology should be used.

The review will include public consultation and the report will be made public.

Senator Nick Xenophon has been strenuously opposed the decision by the ABC to end shortwave services, and he was a key crossbench figure in negotiations over the media reforms.

Click here to download the interview.

Click here to read and listen to the interview via ABC News.

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ABC scolded for cutting shortwave service

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(Source: news.com.au via Trevor R)

The ABC has been slammed by all sides of politics over its “foolish” decision to cut the transmission of shortwave radio to remote Australia and the Pacific Islands.

The Senate debated a private bill on Thursday by crossbench senator Nick Xenophon to force the ABC to restore transmission after it was cut earlier this year.

“It seems a terrible decision that’s been made by the ABC board,” Senator Xenophon told parliament, accusing the public broadcaster of ignoring the bush and Australia’s neighbours.
The ABC insists listeners can still tune in via FM and AM frequencies, the viewer access satellite television (VAST) service and online.

But senators say the ABC fails to understand those alternative methods are not available to everyone in the bush and the information people are missing out on can be life threatening, such as weather warnings.

Senator Xenophon said the ABC had miscalculated how many people relied on the service.
“There are some question marks over the methodology used by the ABC in relation to this.”

Continue reading the full article at news.com.au…

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Senate rejects bill to restore Australia’s shortwave services

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(Source: Radio Info)

Bill to restore shortwave rejected by Senate Committee

A Senate Committee inquiring into the possibility of restoring ABC Shortwave services has rejected proposed legislation to restore the international radio service.

Several members of the committee presented dissenting reports.

The ABC ended its shortwave transmission service in the Northern Territory and to international audiences from 31 January 2017, in line with the national broadcaster’s commitment to dispense with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings.

On 16 February 2017, the Senate referred the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Restoring Shortwave Radio) Bill 2017 to the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report in May but an extension of time to report was granted, until yesterday, 9 August.

Read more at: https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/bill-restore-shortwave-rejected-senate-committee

UPDATE: Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who also shares an informative link to the Parliament of Australia’s website.

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Senate Hearing: ABC & HF broadcasting

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First thing I tuned to with my Elecraft KX2 in August 2016 was Radio Australia on 9,580 kHz. Radio Australia is no longer on shortwave.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who shares the following link to the ABC & HF broadcasting Senate Hearing and notes:

http://parlview.aph.gov.au/mediaPlayer.php?videoID=355749

3 hours in total.

Three quality options for streaming/download – Hi 1400 MB, Med 675 MB & Lo 250MB

Witnesses in order
1. DFAT (Foreign Affairs & Trade)
2. 52′ Gary Baker (ex-Broadcast Australia) and NH (ex-ABC/RA)
3. ABC
4. 2h22′ Graeme Dobell (ex-ABC/RA journalist & ABC Pacific correspondent) (By far the most interesting testimony, a tutorial in South Pacific geopolitics. Who knew the Australian Constitution refers to the S Pac in the External Affairs Powers area??!!)

I was tickled by Sen. Xenophon’s retort, “What, they don’t have ears?!” to ABCs assertion that letters of support (for HF b’casting) from the hobbyist fraternity were irrelevant. Sen. Xenophon could have added, “What, they don’t vote, pay taxes or are entitled to have a view of ABC?!”

A couple of you had trouble locating the submissions to the enquiry, they’re found here:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Shortwaveradio/Submissions

Many thanks, Nigel, for sharing this and for your regular updates from the Senate.

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Future of ABC Shortwave Service: Nigel Participates in Senate Committee Hearing

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes–formerly of Radio Australia–for the following update regarding Nick Xenophon’s bill to resume ABC shortwave services:

Last Friday I travelled to Canberra and fronted the Senate Committee hearing testimony on the matter of HF broadcasting & Senator Xenophon’s Bill to compel ABC to resume HF domestically & for RA. I was grilled like a breakfast kipper. It went well.

Another witness was Graeme Dobell, a legendary radio & print journalist who has travelled & worked all over the Pacific region. Graeme has written some good articles on the current subject. See here:

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/abc-gets-wrong-south-pacific-service/ and here

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/smart-stuff-shortwave-south-pacific/

Interestingly another ex-RA journalist & RA senior executive Geoff Heriot wrote a recent piece critical of ABCs degradation of RA specialist programming. See here:

The crowded Pacific: re-considering the sharp edge of broadcasting’s soft power

Thank you, Nigel. We appreciate your updates and are certainly thankful that you have been representing the interests of those who believe in ABC maintaining a presence on shortwave.

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ABC Amendment Billl Submissions & State Emergency Service

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Front gate of the Shepparton Transmission site.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, for sharing a link to the public submissions for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Amendment (Restoring Shortwave Radio) Bill 2017.

Click here to read submissions.

On a separate note, Nigel also sent info about the SES (State Emergency Service) in Australia. I didn’t know about this service. Nigel notes:

SES is State Emergency Service, we provide volunteer responses to storm, flood, land search, vehicle accident response (in rural areas).

All AUS emergency response services use HF–ditto sailors, private pilots, bushwalkers (hikers).

Individuals can get an Outpost license (400 W PEP) or Land/Marine Mobile license (125 W PEP) for $20 a year to use HF across the country for private or commercial communications. Cheaper than an amateur license ($60 /yr)!

Click here for more info about the SES.

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Sale of Radio Australia site pushed before senate report

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who writes:

ABC anxious to annihilate HF as soon as possible. (ABC is Broadcast Australia’s largest customer by far, BAs income from Auntie is the ABCs largest sink of funds after salaries – several hundred million bucks per year)

http://www.sheppnews.com.au/2017/05/11/88161/radio-australia-for-sale

Radio Australia for sale

For sale, one large semi-rural 229ha block. Key features include large-scale grazing potential, two irrigation channels and a shortwave antenna that can broadcast to all over the globe.

The former shortwave broadcasting station that for decades sent the Radio Australia broadcast around the world was quietly put on the market a couple of weeks ago.

[…]The sale could throw into jeopardy any move to restart shortwave broadcasting, as it is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country.

South Australian NXT senator Nick Xenophon visited the site earlier in the year, and later introduced a bill to the senate to restart shortwave broadcasting.

The bill was sent to a senate inquiry and was due to report by August.

Former radio engineer at the site Gary Baker has been campaigning for the resumption of shortwave, and was not happy the site was on the market.

‘‘If the ABC has to start broadcasting internationally again this could cost taxpayers millions of dollars, which would be stupid,’’ Mr Baker said.

A sign in front of the property indicates that the closing date for expressions of interest in the property is in June.

Click here to read the full article at The Shepparton Times.

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