{"id":1291,"date":"2011-07-12T06:51:59","date_gmt":"2011-07-12T11:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=1291"},"modified":"2011-07-12T06:55:08","modified_gmt":"2011-07-12T11:55:08","slug":"shortwave-plays-vital-roll-in-somalia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/shortwave-plays-vital-roll-in-somalia\/","title":{"rendered":"Shortwave plays vital roll in Somalia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I found this BBC profile on Somalia quite indicative of many countries in Africa. In light of cuts that the BBC World Service has been facing, this short article<\/a>, about Somalia’s\u00a0fragmented\u00a0media landscape, admits that shortwave plays a vital roll in domestic news.<\/p>\n

The TV and press sectors are weak and radio is the dominant medium. There are around 20 radio stations, but no national, domestic broadcaster. Many listeners tune to Somali-language media based abroad, in particular the BBC Somali service. The latter is available on shortwave, and via FM relays in Mogadishu (91.1), the Somaliland capital Hargeisa (89.0), and elsewhere.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They go on to say:<\/p>\n

The Somali diaspora – in the West, the Gulf states and elsewhere – sustains a rich internet presence. But domestic web access is hampered by practicalities such as limited access to mains electricity. There were 102,000 internet users by September 2009 (Internetworldstats).\u00a0In secessionist Somaliland and Puntland the authorities maintain a tight hold on broadcasting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Shortwave listeners in Somalia, one should note, also listen to the likes of the Voice of America<\/a>, Radio Netherlands Worldwide<\/a>, Radio France International<\/a> and many others. Most of whom are facing cuts right now as national budgets are being tightened in the economic recession. To those living in Somalia, where the media is fragmented and untrustworthy, shortwave radio represents a lifeline of information.<\/p>\n

As we mentioned in this previous post<\/a>, please consider speaking up on behalf of those without a voice. Let international broadcasters and their governing bodies know how crucial shortwave services are into impoverished regions of the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I found this BBC profile on Somalia quite indicative of many countries in Africa. In light of cuts that the BBC World Service has been facing, this short article, about Somalia’s\u00a0fragmented\u00a0media landscape, admits that shortwave plays a vital roll in domestic news. The TV and press sectors are weak and radio is the dominant medium. […]<\/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":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,81,3],"tags":[104,455,417,453,64,454,10],"class_list":["post-1291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-current-events","category-news","tag-bbc","tag-importance-of-shortwave","tag-radio-netherlands-worldwide-cuts","tag-rfi","tag-rnw","tag-somalia","tag-voa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-kP","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55478,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/01\/carlos-shortwave-art-and-recording-of-bbc-world-service-jan-27-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":0},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Shortwave Art and recording of BBC World Service (Jan 27, 2023)","author":"Thomas","date":"January 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor and noted political cartoonist,\u00a0Carlos Latuff, who shares\u00a0his radio log art of a recent broadcast from the BBC World Service (Somali Language Service). Carlos\u2019 goal is to vividly illustrate the broadcaster\u2019s message in his own unique artistic style and is not a reflection of his own beliefs\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/art-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Card.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Card.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Card.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Card.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Carlos-Latuff-Card.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1785,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/09\/bbc-world-service-launches-new-famine-aid-broadcasts\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":1},"title":"BBC World Service launches new famine aid broadcasts","author":"Thomas","date":"September 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: journalism.co.uk) The\u00a0BBC World Service\u00a0has launched special radio broadcasts on its Somalia service aimed at helping those affected by the famine in the Horn of Africa. According to a\u00a0release,\u00a0the daily 15 minute programmes, called\u00a0Gurmad (Rescue), feature news bulletins offering\u00a0practical information and expert advice \"to help people to make informed decisions\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\/2011\/06\/BBC-WorldService.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":30767,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/treasure-hunt-seeking-somali-radio-recordings-from-2010\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":2},"title":"Treasure hunt: Seeking Somali radio recordings from 2010","author":"Thomas","date":"February 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Okay SWLing Post readers:\u00a0 I need you to dig through your off-air recordings for something pretty obscure... Over at the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, I frequently receive inquiries from educators, researchers, historians, and enthusiasts looking for very specific off-air recordings, often for some worthy project or other.\u00a0 It's quite a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Panasonic-RF-2200-Dial-Angle-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Panasonic-RF-2200-Dial-Angle-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Panasonic-RF-2200-Dial-Angle-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Panasonic-RF-2200-Dial-Angle-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9145,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/bbc-world-service-longevity-vs-commercialization\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":3},"title":"BBC World Service longevity vs. commercialization","author":"Thomas","date":"March 31, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in October 2010, we learned that the BBC would take over the cost of the World Service from the Foreign Office from April 2014. 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Now April 2014 is upon us.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"(Image source: BBC)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/BBC-Headquarters-300x168.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7974,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/bbc-announces-closure-of-seychelles-relay-station\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":4},"title":"BBC announces closure of Seychelles relay station","author":"Thomas","date":"November 23, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: BBC Media Centre\u00a0via Rob Wagner) The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) announced today that the Indian Ocean Relay Station (IORS) transmitter site at Grand Anse, Mah\u00e9, will cease all shortwave transmissions on 29 March 2014. The site was established in 1988 and has been in continuous service since then, relaying\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC Seychelles Relay Station (Photo: Vijay.sc)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11449,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/11\/bbc-relay-station-handed-back-to-seychelles\/","url_meta":{"origin":1291,"position":5},"title":"BBC Relay Station handed back to Seychelles","author":"Thomas","date":"November 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Seychelles News Agency via Andy Sennitt) Tuesday November 18 marked the closure of an iconic chapter of Seychelles\u2019 history, signalling the end of an era when information was much more difficult to come by. With much of Africa joining the internet and mobile phone revolution, the times of trying\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC Seychelles Relay Station (Photo: Vijay.sc)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/BBC-Seychelles.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1291","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=1291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1291\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}