{"id":14002,"date":"2015-07-11T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2015-07-11T12:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=14002"},"modified":"2015-07-11T08:00:54","modified_gmt":"2015-07-11T12:00:54","slug":"bbc-world-service-as-a-lifeline-and-making-radio-as-a-symbol-of-resistance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/bbc-world-service-as-a-lifeline-and-making-radio-as-a-symbol-of-resistance\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC World Service as a lifeline and making radio as &#8220;a symbol of resistance&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Burundi.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14003\" src=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Burundi.jpg\" alt=\"Burundi\" width=\"650\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Burundi.jpg 650w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Burundi-300x148.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a>Many thanks toSWLing Post contributor, \u00a0Richard Cuff, for sharing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/culture\/2015\/07\/governments-shut-down-radio-bbc-world-service-lifeline\" target=\"_blank\">this article from the NewStatesman<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>In the week when Apple\u2019s Beats 1 radio station was launched \u2013 \u201cWorldwide. Always on . . . It broadcasts 24\/7 to over 100 countries from our studios in Los Angeles, New York and London\u201d \u2013 there was also discussion of the BBC\u2019s latest global audience measurement figures. The most striking thing in the report, which tracked listening habits and how they had changed over the past year, was how short-wave radio \u2013 in rural and poorer areas where there is no FM, no cable and no electricity, it\u2019s still the only way of tuning in \u2013 is under increasing threat from something as basic as jamming.<\/p>\n<p>Apple\u2019s idea of radio as digital and impermeable never felt more breezily First World. Listeners to the English-language programmes on the BBC World Service, for example \u2013 in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, in particular \u2013 have almost halved in number because of deliberate disruption on the short-wave signal, apparently from China, forcing stations to rotate frequencies on the same band to at least attempt a slot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTune around . . . You\u2019ll find us. We will be there,\u201d advised a technician on Over to You (4 July, 5.50pm). It conjured that most antiquated and urgent of images: a person clutching their temples, coaxing a dial, trying and trying to find a signal.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI grew up with short-wave radio,\u201d insisted a caller to the show, \u201cand I got to understand the world, got to understand life. If you don\u2019t know short-wave radio, you don\u2019t know life.\u201d Only moments later, there was talk of the closure of all the non-state-run radio stations in Burundi (one of the poorest and least connected countries in the world). Before the recent coup attempt, independent radio stations played a huge role in holding the government to account but many radio journalists are now forced to report using what social media is available.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe exercise of making radio matters,\u201d said a caller. \u201cIt\u2019s a symbol of resistance.\u201d And another, with some disdain, said: \u201cDoing it on the internet is just a way of keeping it on record.\u201d The more than century-long act of turning a dial and finding a signal, with a human voice hitching a ride on electromagnetic energy through space, is something it seems our species now feels in the bones. But worldwide? Always on? Only for some.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/politics\/2015\/07\/leader-blind-faith-bbc\" target=\"_blank\">Read the full article at the NewStatesman.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many thanks toSWLing Post contributor, \u00a0Richard Cuff, for sharing this article from the NewStatesman: In the week when Apple\u2019s Beats 1 radio station was launched \u2013 \u201cWorldwide. Always on . . . It broadcasts 24\/7 to over 100 countries from our studios in Los Angeles, New York and London\u201d \u2013 there was also discussion of [&hellip;]<\/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":[3,43,1167],"tags":[104,327,3833,1012,84],"class_list":["post-14002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","category-whats-on-shortwave","tag-bbc","tag-bbc-world-service","tag-burundi","tag-richard-cuff","tag-why-shortwave-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-3DQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6783,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/bbc-world-service-audience-increase\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":0},"title":"BBC World Service audience increase","author":"Thomas","date":"June 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Richard Cuff shares this information regarding the BBC World Service: Shared link: http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/10139865\/World-Service-triumphs-in-the-face-of-adversity.html An article in the Daily Telegraph reflecting on the BBC's\u00a0recently-released audience figures, showing a year-over-year increase-- attributed to Persian and Arabic TV. Note the hopeful tone - the World Service budget is actually slated to\u00a0increase as of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC-World-Service-007","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/BBC-World-Service-007-300x180.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9743,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/thailand-coup-bbc-world-service-increases-shortwave-broadcasts\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":1},"title":"Thailand Coup: BBC World Service increases shortwave broadcasts","author":"Thomas","date":"May 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Richard Cuff, for forwarding this press release from the BBC World Service Group Communications: \u00a0BBC World Service increases broadcasts to Thailand 26 May 2014. As authorities in Thailand take key national and international channels off air in the country, BBC World Service has increased\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Original Image by Zuanzuanfuwa via WikiMedia Commons","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/1000px-Thailand_orthographic_projection.svg_.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/1000px-Thailand_orthographic_projection.svg_.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/1000px-Thailand_orthographic_projection.svg_.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8834,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/richard-voices-his-opinion-about-bbc-world-service-commercialization\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":2},"title":"Richard voices his opinion about BBC World Service commercialization","author":"Thomas","date":"February 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Richard Cuff--noted SWL and festmeister for the Winter SWL Fest--sent a message to the BBC World Service listener feedback program\u00a0Over To You deploring the BBC's decision to incorporate limited advertising\u00a0on the World Service as of April 2014. Over To You\u00a0contacted Richard and invited him to an interview where he discussed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC-OverToYou","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/BBC-OverToYou-300x281.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65489,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/bbc-world-services-emergency-radio-programme-for-iran\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":3},"title":"BBC World Service&#8217;s Emergency Radio Programme for Iran","author":"Thomas","date":"March 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who writes: Also spotted this at the BBC Press information website -- it's been in effect, apparently, since early in February: BBC launches emergency lifeline radio programme for Iran (BBC Media Centre) 4 February 2026 The programme will air daily for 30\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;International Broadcasting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Kenwood-R-1000-Encoder-Dial-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8821,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/bbc-world-service-to-further-reduce-shortwave\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":4},"title":"BBC World Service to further reduce shortwave","author":"Thomas","date":"February 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I appears the BBC World Service is cutting shortwave broadcasts even further in an attempt to meet tighter budget numbers. Not many details, at the moment, in terms of what language programs will suffer the most. Many thanks to Richard Cuff for the tip: (Source: The Guardian) The BBC World\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"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":12622,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/03\/bbc-plans-north-korean-news-service\/","url_meta":{"origin":14002,"position":5},"title":"BBC plans North Korean news service","author":"Thomas","date":"March 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Richard Cuff, for sharing this news from The Telegraph: \"The BBC is planning a new North Korea service to give the totalitarian state\u2019s 25 million people an alternative to Kim Jong-un\u2019s propaganda. In a move that could plunge the corporation into confrontation with the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NorthKorea-Map (2)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/NorthKorea-Map-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/NorthKorea-Map-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/NorthKorea-Map-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14002","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=14002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14002\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}