{"id":199,"date":"2009-04-18T16:16:54","date_gmt":"2009-04-18T16:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=199"},"modified":"2009-11-21T12:19:01","modified_gmt":"2009-11-21T12:19:01","slug":"shortwave-radio-curtails-fiji-censorship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2009\/04\/shortwave-radio-curtails-fiji-censorship\/","title":{"rendered":"When shortwave radio is better than the Internet"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Reuters:<\/p>\n

Fiji has been plunged into a political crisis after the president reappointed military chief Frank Bainimarama as interim prime minister on Saturday, less than two days after a court ruled his 2006 coup and subsequent government illegal.<\/p>\n

\"Fiji<\/a>Bainimarama tightened media censorship on Wednesday and continued to refuse to hold elections before 2014.<\/p>\n

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said local technicians had been ordered by the military government to shut down two FM relay stations in the capital Suva and the western sugar town of Nadi.<\/p>\n

But ABC said its Radio Australia news programme was still broadcasting on shortwave transmitters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The military government has asked that Fiji reporters only publish “positive” news, or in their terms, “journalism of hope.” This censorship has also pushed Radio New Zealand International out of Fiji.<\/p>\n

Other reports<\/a> have indicated that the government is now trying to restrict internet news sources and blogs. Internet cafe owners are under threat of being shut down, as well.<\/p>\n

UPDATE (21 Nov 2009): The military-installed Fiji government has removed all broadcasting licences and given Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum the absolute power to renew or redistribute them without any compensation to those whose licences are stripped. (Source: The Australian via <\/em>RNW Media Network<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

Radio without borders<\/h3>\n

\"ABC<\/a>When people ask whether we need shortwave radio in this internet information age, events like this provide a clear affirmative answer. Once ABC and RNZI were ousted from Fiji, these broadcasters immediately reiterated to Fiji listeners that their programming can be heard all day on shortwave (see schedule below).<\/p>\n

And that’s the remarkable thing about shortwave–it penetrates borders without regard to who is in power or to restrictions placed upon local media. Even when the internet is crippled.<\/strong> Can shortwave broadcasts be jammed?\u00a0 Sure–but it’s not all that easy to do; it’s much more difficult than, say, seizing control of a country’s internet service provider, or (as in the case of Fiji) of their local broadcasters and stations. Plus, jamming usually targets a specific frequency, so if radio listeners find their broadcasts jammed on one frequency, there are often literally dozens of ways around the jam–other frequencies often carry the same or similiar programming from the same or other international broadcasters.<\/p>\n

Much of the decline of shortwave radio is attributed to the end of the Cold War. During the Cold War era, \u00a0national superpowers were obsessed with piercing borders with their respective messages; since the Cold War ended, that technology is no longer as driven. But as the Fiji story demonstrates, the need is very much ongoing, perhaps even more so, as small countries try out a variety of political options, often exercising this power along the long and twisting road to democratic governance. \u00a0Now, shortwave should have a new and broader focus: sending news, music, education and human interest programming to the developing world.<\/p>\n

For an example of an organization making a difference through shortwave radio technology, check out Ears To Our World<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

ABC Shortwave Broadcast Schedule to Fiji<\/h3>\n

Local Time 04:00 – 09:00
\nFrequencies: 5995 7240 7240 9580 9710 11650 11660 11880 12080<\/p>\n

Local Time: 09:00 – 12:00
\nFrequencies: 11650 11660 12080 12080 12080 13630 15230 15515 17785 17795<\/p>\n

Local Time: 12:00 – 16:00
\nFrequencies: 12080 12080 15240 15515 17795<\/p>\n

Local Time: 16:00 – 19:00
\nFrequencies: 12080 12080 15160 15240 15515<\/p>\n

Local Time: 19:00 – 04:00
\nFrequencies: 5995 6020 7240 9580 9590 12080 12080 12080 13630 15160 15240<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Reuters: Fiji has been plunged into a political crisis after the president reappointed military chief Frank Bainimarama as interim prime minister on Saturday, less than two days after a court ruled his 2006 coup and subsequent government illegal. Bainimarama tightened media censorship on Wednesday and continued to refuse to hold elections before 2014. The […]<\/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":[81,3],"tags":[86,83,82,87,84,85],"class_list":["post-199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-events","category-news","tag-abc","tag-censorship","tag-fiji","tag-rnzi","tag-why-shortwave-radio","tag-why-we-listen"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-3d","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":837,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2010\/08\/fiji-democracy-group-planning-pirate-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":0},"title":"Fiji democracy group planning pirate radio","author":"Thomas","date":"August 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: New Zealand Herald) In a move inspired by pirate radio stations of the 1960s, political activists in the South Pacific are planning to position a Dutch-registered merchant vessel in international waters off the coast of Fiji to defy censors in the military dictatorship. Opponents of the coup leader and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/fj-map.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":27580,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/08\/new-mediumwave-facility-for-fiji\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":1},"title":"New Mediumwave Facility for Fiji","author":"Rob Wagner","date":"August 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There's an interesting YouTube documentary released by the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation on the refurbishment of both transmitters and antennas for the mediumwave outlets of 558 and 990 kHz. This was completed with the financial and technical assistance of the Japanese government. It will be very interesting for MW DXers to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/VTLKeW-TmoQ\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3756,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/the-fiji-freedom-and-democracy-movement-carries-anti-government-message-via-shortwave-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":2},"title":"The Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement carries anti-government message via shortwave radio","author":"Thomas","date":"June 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Radio Australia) The Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement in Australia has leased half an hour a week on the World Radio Network, a shortwave broadcaster, to get its anti-government message across. Tui Savu, from the Australia-based Fiji Freedom and Democracy Movement told Pacific Beat that they have received positive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/nzheraldcartoon-300x221.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12098,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/radio-australia-closes-shortwave-service-to-asia\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":3},"title":"Radio Australia closes shortwave service to Asia","author":"Thomas","date":"January 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, David, who passes along this announcement from Radio Australia\u00a0via Pacific Beat: On Sunday, Radio Australia's shortwave signal to Asia will be turned off, another result the ABC says of recent government funding cuts. Shortwave broadcasting into the Pacific will continue, but signal strenth outside\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Radio-Australia-Banner","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Radio-Australia-Banner.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23549,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/letter-from-former-district-manager-at-radio-australia-shepparton\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":4},"title":"Letter from former District Manager at Radio Australia Shepparton","author":"Thomas","date":"January 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, who shares the following letter by Gary Baker, former district manager at Radio Australia, Shepparton--published in the Shepparton News. Here's an excerpt: Recently I heard that the HF radio transmission site at Shepparton, known as Radio Australia, is to be shut down.\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\/2015\/06\/Australia.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Australia.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Australia.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1137,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/voa-criticized-for-dropping-mandarin-service-to-china\/","url_meta":{"origin":199,"position":5},"title":"VOA criticized for dropping Mandarin service to China","author":"Thomas","date":"May 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I just noticed this article from the VOA website regarding criticism it recently received from the Heritage Foundation for shutting down VOA's Mandarin language shortwave radio service to China. It's may be once in a blue moon when I agree with a Washington think tank, but in this case, the\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\/2009\/11\/a999voalogo_2050081722-26491.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\/199","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=199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}