{"id":10412,"date":"2014-08-01T14:19:01","date_gmt":"2014-08-01T18:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=10412"},"modified":"2014-08-01T16:27:06","modified_gmt":"2014-08-01T20:27:06","slug":"bbg-publishes-report-on-the-efficacy-and-future-of-shortwave-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/bbg-publishes-report-on-the-efficacy-and-future-of-shortwave-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"BBG publishes report on the efficacy and future of shortwave radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"VOA-Greenville-Curtain-Antennas\"<\/a>Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> reader, Bennett Kobb<\/a>, who shares this downloadable Report of the Special Committee on the Future of Shortwave Broadcasting<\/a><\/em>. If you recall<\/a>, this\u00a0report was produced by a Broadcasting Board of Governors committee\u00a0and chaired\u00a0by\u00a0Matt Armstrong.<\/p>\n

Both Bennett and I believe it’s unfortunate that the committee failed to recognize\u00a0one of VOA’s\u00a0most innovative shortwave products: the VOA Radiogram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Below you can read the full press release which accompanied the report:<\/p>\n

(Source: BBG<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\n

WASHINGTON (August 1, 2014) \u2014 The Broadcasting Board of Governors today released \u201cTo Be Where the Audience Is,\u201d a report that found shortwave radio to be essential to listeners in target countries, but of marginal impact in most markets. The report\u2019s recommendations came after a comprehensive review, grounded in audience-based research, of the efficacy of shortwave as a distribution platform for U.S. international media.<\/p>\n

\u201cShortwave radio continues to be an important means for large numbers of people in some countries to receive news and information,\u201d said Matt Armstrong, who chaired the BBG\u2019s Special Committee on the Future of Shortwave Broadcasting, which issued the report. \u201cHowever, many of our networks\u2019 target audiences have moved to newer platforms including TV, FM and digital media. This report maps a way forward for U.S. international media to remain accessible for all our audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Research-based evidence of media trends suggests that the increased availability and affordability of television, mobile devices and Internet access has led to the declining use of shortwave around the world. Still, the report finds that substantial audiences embrace shortwave in Nigeria, Burma, North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Cuba and other target markets for the BBG.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the committee\u2019s recommendations make clear that the BBG will need to continue to reduce or eliminate shortwave broadcasts where there is either minimal audience or that audience is not a U.S. foreign policy priority. It also ratifies reductions that were made in redundant signals in 2013 and further cuts in transmissions that were made in 2014.<\/p>\n

Even with these recent reductions, the BBG makes programs in 35 of its 61 broadcast languages available on shortwave where there is a strategic reason to do so.<\/p>\n

The report notes there is no evidence that shortwave usage increases during crises. At such times, audiences continue to use their preferred platforms or seek out anti-censorship tools to help them navigate to the news online, including firewall circumvention tools or offline media including thumb drives and DVDs.<\/p>\n

The Shortwave Committee report will be discussed at the August 13 public meeting of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.\u00a0The report can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Bennett Kobb, who shares this downloadable Report of the Special Committee on the Future of Shortwave Broadcasting. If you recall, this\u00a0report was produced by a Broadcasting Board of Governors committee\u00a0and chaired\u00a0by\u00a0Matt Armstrong. Both Bennett and I believe it’s unfortunate that the committee failed to recognize\u00a0one of VOA’s\u00a0most innovative shortwave […]<\/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":[56,960,3,43],"tags":[406,936,3082,1528,184,1093,1094,10,182],"class_list":["post-10412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-bbg","tag-broadcasting-board-of-governors","tag-hr4490","tag-radio-liberty","tag-radio-marti","tag-rfa","tag-rfe","tag-voa","tag-voice-of-america"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-2HW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8869,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/bbg-seeking-comments-on-relevancy-of-shortwave-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":0},"title":"BBG seeks comments on relevancy of shortwave radio","author":"Thomas","date":"March 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The United States' Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)--the governing body responsible for all US international broadcasting--is asking for your comments on the relevancy of shortwave radio broadcasting today. In short, simply send the BBG an email (limited to 1,200 words or less) with your comments by March 14th, 2014. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Teacher in rural South Sudan with an ETOW radio. (Project Education Sudan Journey of Hope 2010)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/PESTeacher21-201x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":22545,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/breaking-news-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-broadcasting-board-of-governors-bbg\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":1},"title":"Breaking News: Beginning of the end of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)","author":"Thomas","date":"December 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor\u00a0Dan Robinson--former White House, Congressional and foreign correspondent for the Voice of America--who alerts us to a major development at the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). Note that the BBG supervises the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty, Radio y Television Marti, Radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"(Photo BBG)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/BBG-Broadcasting-Board-of-Governors.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/BBG-Broadcasting-Board-of-Governors.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/BBG-Broadcasting-Board-of-Governors.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/BBG-Broadcasting-Board-of-Governors.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17824,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/03\/breaking-news-oig-report-on-the-edward-r-murrow-transmitting-station\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":2},"title":"Breaking news: OIG Report on the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station","author":"Thomas","date":"March 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I've just received a copy of the Office of Inspections (OIG) report on the VOA transmitting station in Greenville, NC.\u00a0The full OIG report is now in the public domain as a PDF. Here are a few highlights... A summary of what OIG found: The Broadcasting Board of Governors Special Committee\u00a0on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fullscreen capture 3182016 51138 PM","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3182016-51138-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3182016-51138-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3182016-51138-PM.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Fullscreen-capture-3182016-51138-PM.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7705,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/bbg-changes-us-shortwave-broadcasts-under-microscope\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":3},"title":"BBG changes: US shortwave broadcasts under microscope","author":"Thomas","date":"October 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It appears the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)--the bi-partisan board who oversees all international broadcasts generated by the US government--is making some changes to its structure. One of those changes will be the formation of a special committee to examine \"the efficacy of shortwave radio transmissions.\" See full press release\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"voa logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/a999voalogo_2050081722-26491.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6991,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/08\/victor-ashe-joins-cusib-after-leaving-the-broadcasting-board-of-governors\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":4},"title":"Victor Ashe joins CUSIB after leaving the Broadcasting Board of Governors","author":"Thomas","date":"August 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Without a doubt, Victor Ashe has championed US international broadcasting on the Broadcasting Board of Governors and has voiced his support for continued funding of the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station. He will now join The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting Advisory Board: (Source: CUSIB Press Release) The Committee for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Victor Ashe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/BBG-member-Victor-Ashe.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8977,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/deadline-approaching-bbg-seeks-public-comment-on-relevancy-of-shortwave-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":10412,"position":5},"title":"Deadline approaching: BBG seeks public comment on relevancy of shortwave radio","author":"Thomas","date":"March 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Reminder: The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)\u00a0is asking for your comments\u00a0on the relevancy of shortwave radio broadcasting. In short, simply send the BBG an email (limited to 1,200 words or less) with your comments\u00a0by Friday (March 14th, 2014).\u00a0The BBG has set up the following email address:\u00a0ShortwaveCommittee@bbg.gov Click here for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Students in South Sudan listen to their favorite shortwave radio program, VOA Special English.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/DSCN2988wtmk-300x225.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\/10412","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=10412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10412\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}