{"id":10297,"date":"2014-07-17T15:30:27","date_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=10297"},"modified":"2014-07-17T15:30:27","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:30:27","slug":"swra-to-end-shortwave-broadcasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/swra-to-end-shortwave-broadcasts\/","title":{"rendered":"SWRA to end shortwave broadcasts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Zimbabwe<\/a>

Zimbabwe ranks 135 out of a possible 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index.<\/p><\/div>\n

The clandestine station, Shortwave Radio Africa<\/em>, announced today<\/a> that it\u00a0will end\u00a0shortwave radio broadcasts to Zimbabwe. As we’ve posted before<\/a>, Zimbabwe is a country that does not exactly embrace free press. Indeed, Mugabe\u00a0has even been known to order the\u00a0confiscation of self-powered shortwave radios<\/a> from citizens.<\/p>\n

I have a hunch this closure\u00a0is due to financial constraints. I’ve pasted SWRA’s announcement below:<\/p>\n

SWRA shortwave broadcasts to end<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gerry Jackson
\nSW Radio Africa
\n17th July 2014<\/p>\n

It is with regret that SW Radio Africa announces that after 13 years, our shortwave broadcasts are to end on Friday 18th July.<\/p>\n

You have welcomed us into your homes since our first shortwave broadcast on 19th December 2001.<\/p>\n

Our broadcasts will continue on our website, via Channel Zim through TV decoders, and by various other forms of new media.<\/p>\n

We know how much these shortwave broadcasts have meant to our listeners in more remote areas who have so little access to news and information, and we sincerely regret that we will no longer be able to provide this service.<\/p>\n

We would like to thank our listeners who have been such loyal supporters for so many years and also for their willingness to share the stories of their lives with us on our Callback program. This has allowed people all over the world to have a better understanding of the many crises that Zimbabweans continue to face.<\/p>\n

We can only hope that one day, sooner rather than later, there is real media freedom that allows Zimbabweans, wherever they are in the country, easy access to what is a basic human right \u2013 freedom of information and expression.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The clandestine station, Shortwave Radio Africa, announced today that it\u00a0will end\u00a0shortwave radio broadcasts to Zimbabwe. As we’ve posted before, Zimbabwe is a country that does not exactly embrace free press. Indeed, Mugabe\u00a0has even been known to order the\u00a0confiscation of self-powered shortwave radios from citizens. I have a hunch this closure\u00a0is due to financial constraints. I’ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,869,960,3,43],"tags":[4109,3119,3120,135,134,136],"class_list":["post-10297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-clandestine","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-clandestine","tag-mugabe","tag-shortwave-closures","tag-shortwave-radio-africa","tag-swra","tag-zimbabwe"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-2G5","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10448,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/sw-radio-africa-to-close-down-august-10\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":0},"title":"SW Radio Africa to close down August 10","author":"Thomas","date":"August 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Only a few weeks ago we mentioned that the clandestine station, SW Radio Africa, stopped\u00a0broadcasting via shortwave. It appears now that\u00a0SWRA will\u00a0completely close down: (Source: Shortwave Radio Africa via Richard Cuff) \"It is with regret that SW Radio Africa announces that it is closing down. We recently stopped our shortwave\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SWRadioAfrica","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10472,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/sw-radio-africa-lost-donor-support\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":1},"title":"SW Radio Africa lost donor support","author":"Thomas","date":"August 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"According to Radio VOP, SW Radio Africa's closure is due to a loss of donor support. Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Richard Cuff, for the tip: (Source: Radio VOP) \"London-based SW Radio Africa has been forced to cease broadcasting after losing donor support. SW Radio Africa, a non-profit station\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SWRadioAfrica","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SWRadioAfrica.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":347,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2009\/09\/zimbabwe-needs-shortwave-radio-and-text-messages\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":2},"title":"Zimbabwe needs shortwave radio and text messages","author":"Thomas","date":"September 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"From Journalism.co.uk: \"We just need old media. We just need radio. We just need people to be allowed to listen to radio,\" explains Gerry Jackson, the founder of Zimbabwean radio station SW Radio Africa (SWRA). \"Shortwave and text messages are only real way to get into Zimbabwe...[b]ecause our focus is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"250px-sw_radio_africa_logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/09\/250px-sw_radio_africa_logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3557,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/in-zimbabwe-if-you-want-to-hear-the-truth-listen-to-shortwave-radio-africa-to-listen-to-voa\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":3},"title":"In Zimbabwe, “if you want to hear the truth…listen to Shortwave Radio Africa…listen to VOA”","author":"Thomas","date":"May 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a brilliant piece on the lack of press freedom in Zimbabwe and the importance of shortwave radio. It was broadcast yesterday on Weekend All Things Considered. Links to the show and audio are below. (Source: NPR) In Seke, a rural community 40 miles outside Harare, James Chidakwa and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/npr_logo.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5836,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/03\/zimbabwe-door-to-door-search-for-radios\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":4},"title":"Zimbabwe: door-to-door search for radios","author":"Thomas","date":"March 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: SW Radio Africa) On Friday police in Rusape went door-to-door to houses belonging to known MDC-T supporters, in search of shortwave radios. But the MP for Makoni South said they found nothing. Pishai Muchauraya said the morning raids saw police officers go in groups of three to MDC-T homes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"FR160","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/11\/FR160-300x252.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6423,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/all-africa-digital-did-not-kill-the-radio-star\/","url_meta":{"origin":10297,"position":5},"title":"All Africa: Digital Did Not Kill the Radio Star","author":"Thomas","date":"May 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a brilliant article on the importance and relevance of radio by David Smith with All Africa. \u00a0Below you'll find some quotes, but it must be read in its entirety: (Source:\u00a0All Africa) By David Smith Radio threatens many of Africa's big men. Thugs working for Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ChildSWRadioUganda","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/ChildSWRadioUganda-234x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10297\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}