{"id":41948,"date":"2020-02-11T08:26:35","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T12:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=41948"},"modified":"2020-02-11T08:33:11","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T12:33:11","slug":"listener-reactions-to-loss-of-bbc-hindi-shortwave-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/02\/listener-reactions-to-loss-of-bbc-hindi-shortwave-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Loss of BBC Hindi shortwave service and listener reactions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

(Photo by Elle via Unsplash)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the following story from The Print<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Emotional emails & offers to crowdfund \u2014 how fans tried to keep BBC Hindi radio on air<\/h3>\n

The service fell silent last month with its last transmission on 31 January. The BBC management now plans to boost its digital and TV presence.<\/p>\n

New Delhi:<\/b>\u00a0It was the BBC\u2019s Hindi radio on shortwave that slowly carved an identity for the British broadcaster in India after its launch 80 years ago.\u00a0With an estimated audience of 40 lakh across India, the radio service was the first choice for consumers of serious news and entertainment alike, particularly in the remote and far-flung parts of the country.<\/p>\n

But the service fell silent last month, on 31 January, with the BBC management citing a dwindling audience and plans to boost digital and TV presence as reasons to call time on this chapter of history.<\/p>\n

It came as a rude shock for its loyal audience and the dismay was evident, according to BBC insiders.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was heartbreaking to see the kind of emotional emails and letters we received on the days preceding the shutdown and after that,\u201d an insider told ThePrint. \u201cThey (the audience) pleaded to keep the service afloat. Some even said they were willing to crowdfund it. But it seems the management was interested in the numbers and the BBC Hindi radio service on shortwave was not giving them adequate numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another insider in the BBC said audience numbers for the radio service had come down from 1 crore a few years ago to about 40 lakh now, even as its presence on platforms such as YouTube thrived. The service has also established its presence on television with a tie-up with news channel NDTV.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in our experience the quality of news consumers is poor in digital as compared to the loyal audience that BBC Hindi radio service in shortwave enjoyed,\u201d the second insider said, basing the assessment on feedback received from both sets of audiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say the management was insensitive to the millions of listeners in the remote corners of India who banked on the service as their daily source of news,\u201d the insider added.<\/p>\n

The decision to switch off BBC Hindi radio is part of the British broadcaster\u2019s global cost-cutting efforts. It had planned to end the BBC Hindi radio service in 2011, but changed plans owing to massive outrage\u00a0and a high-profile campaign<\/a>\u00a0supported by eminent journalist and author Sir Mark Tully, a former bureau chief of the BBC.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the BBC Hindi radio service that has suffered on account of this twin push to cut costs and go digital. Even BBC Urdu\u00a0announced<\/a>\u00a0in December last year that it will end the radio broadcast of its popular news and current affairs programme,\u00a0Sairbeen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In India, BBC also has internet broadcasts in other Indian regional languages, but no associated radio services. […]<\/p>\n

Continue reading the full article at The Print<\/em>.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the following story from The Print: Emotional emails & offers to crowdfund \u2014 how fans tried to keep BBC Hindi radio on air The service fell silent last month with its last transmission on 31 January. The BBC management now plans to boost its […]<\/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":[104,418,327,4895,34,4655],"class_list":["post-41948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-bbc","tag-bbc-hindi","tag-bbc-world-service","tag-david-iurescia-lw4daf","tag-shortwave","tag-why-shortwave"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-aUA","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1216,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/06\/hague-giving-bbc-world-service-2-2-million-to-save-hindi-shortwave-broadcasts\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":0},"title":"Hague giving BBC World Service \u00a32.2 million to save Hindi shortwave broadcasts","author":"Thomas","date":"June 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"This is fantastic news for BBC World Service's Hindi shortwave broadcasts. The allocated funds will be given to BBC WS over a 3 year period.Kudos to Foreign Secretary, William Hague, for recognizing the impact of BBC Wold Service's Hindi language service. Sadly, the cuts in funds earlier this year will\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\/William_Hague-204x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39028,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/bbc-world-service-steps-up-shortwave-broadcasts-in-kashmir-during-media-shutdown\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":1},"title":"“BBC World Service steps up shortwave broadcasts in Kashmir during media shutdown”","author":"Thomas","date":"August 15, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: BBC Media Centre via @George53419980) The BBC World Service has extended output on shortwave radio in Indian-administered Kashmir to provide reliable news and information. The Director of the BBC World Service, Jamie Angus, says: \u201cThe provision of independent and trusted news in places of conflict and tension is one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"(Image source: BBC)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/BBC-Headquarters.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/BBC-Headquarters.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/BBC-Headquarters.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30892,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/radio-taiwan-international-petition\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":2},"title":"Radio Taiwan International petition","author":"Thomas","date":"February 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who writes: The Mexican Diexist Group has created a petition on the Change.org platform to ask that Radio Taiwan International don't finish broadcasting their programs on the shortwave. Those who want to add their signature, can do so by following this\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\/2013\/04\/RadioTaiwanInternationalLogo-215x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65198,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/rtis-spanish-japanese-programs-ranking-among-shortwave-broadcasters\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":3},"title":"RTI\u2019s Spanish & Japanese programs ranking among shortwave broadcasters","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia, who shares this article from Radio Taiwan International highlighting how RTI\u2019s Spanish and Japanese shortwave programs have placed in global listener polls, with the Spanish service especially popular across dozens of countries and the Japanese service recognized at Japan\u2019s largest amateur radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","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\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2025-08-08_RTI-DE_QSL_r.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39039,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/bbcs-shortwave-service-to-kashmir-an-important-lifeline\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":4},"title":"BBC’s Shortwave Service to Kashmir: “an important lifeline”","author":"Thomas","date":"August 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: CNN Business) London (CNN Business) As a communications blackout continues in Kashmir, the BBC is using one of the only ways to reach listeners in the Indian-controlled state: shortwave radio. The BBC is extending its Hindi radio output by 30 minutes, launching a 15-minute daily program in Urdu, and\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\/2017\/07\/Allied-2682-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Allied-2682-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Allied-2682-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58556,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/12\/kbs-shortwave-frequency-and-time-change-notice\/","url_meta":{"origin":41948,"position":5},"title":"KBS Shortwave Frequency and Time Change Notice","author":"Thomas","date":"December 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia, who shares the following news from KBS: Shortwave Frequency & Time Change Notice Due to a technical issue, KBS WORLD Radio\u2019s English Service will make an inevitable adjustment in the shortwave frequency and time as follows as of January 1, 2024. We\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\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Screenshot-2023-12-23-at-06.16.12.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41948","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=41948"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41948\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}