{"id":51305,"date":"2021-12-28T08:04:05","date_gmt":"2021-12-28T12:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=51305"},"modified":"2021-12-29T08:48:21","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T12:48:21","slug":"a-look-inside-the-worldwide-listening-guides-tenth-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/a-look-inside-the-worldwide-listening-guides-tenth-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"A look inside: The Worldwide Listening Guide’s Tenth Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As I’ve mentioned many times here on the SWLing Post<\/em>, I’m something of a \u201ccontent DXer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clearly, I enjoy chasing obscure programming\u2013\u2013news, documentaries, music, variety shows, anything the broadcasting world has to offer.\u00a0 \u00a0Even though my favorite medium for doing this has been shortwave radio, these days, I often turn to Wi-Fi or over-the-internet radio. \u00a0Wi-Fi radio offers the discerning listener the ability to track down fascinating regional content from every corner of the globe\u2013\u2013content never actually intended for an international audience<\/em>.<\/p>\n

If you, too, like the chase, The Worldwide Listening Guide (WWLG)<\/em><\/strong> will be your go-to, and this recent edition\u2013\u2013the tenth!\u2013\u2013is the latest in a long line of handy volumes that help the listener catch what’s out there, noting that with each passing year there’s more content to catch.<\/p>\n

Cornucopia of content<\/h1>\n

The variety of content from online broadcasters today is surely orders of magnitude more than any one individual has ever<\/em> had via over-the-air (OTA) radio sources.<\/p>\n

Though my WiFi radio offers an easy and reliable way to \u201ctune\u201d to online content\u2013\u2013both real-time station streams and on-demand podcasts\u2013\u2013the content discovery<\/em> part is actually quite difficult. I liken it to browsing a large public library looking for a new and interesting book to read, but without the guidance of a librarian. The options are so plentiful that even with superb indexing and organization, one simply doesn’t know where to begin.<\/p>\n

On the other hand\u2013\u2013and I’m speaking from very recent experience here\u2013\u2013if you find a good local independent bookstore, you might actually discover more meaningful titles because the bookstore selections are curated<\/em> by both the proprietor and the local community.<\/p>\n

With this analogy in mind, The Worldwide Listening Guide <\/strong><\/em>is essentially my local bookstore for online content and programming.<\/p>\n

I recently received a review copy of the new 10<\/strong>th Edition of the Worldwide Listening Guide <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0by John Figliozzi and, as always, I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover.<\/p>\n

The WWLG<\/em> speaks to the types of programming I enjoy as an SWL because the author, John Figliozzi, is a devoted shortwave radio and international broadcasting enthusiast.<\/p>\n

And while the bulk of the WWLG<\/em> is a detailed and beautifully organized programming guide, it’s also so<\/em> much more…<\/p>\n

“The Many Platforms of radio”<\/h1>\n

As I’ve so often said, the WWLG<\/em> is a unique guide; there\u2019s nothing quite like it on the market because it truly takes a deep<\/em> dive into the world of broadcasting and content delivery both from a technology and programming point of view. <\/span><\/p>\n

Each media delivery platform, whether on AM, Shortwave, FM, Satellite Radio, Internet (WiFi Radio), and Podcasting, has a dedicated section in the book where Figliozzi explores each in detail. He also speaks to the state of each platform both from the broadcaster’s and the listener’s perspective.<\/p>\n

Indeed, each chapter dedicated to these topics very much reminds me of the old Passport to Worldband Radio<\/em> that I first picked up in the 1990s. The WWLG<\/em> serves as a primer, but also speaks to the health and potential longevity of each platform.<\/p>\n

I appreciate the fact that Figliozzi also addresses the nuts-and-bolts side of both over-the-air and online broadcasting.\u00a0 For while I’d like to think that I’m reasonably knowledgeable about the world of radio, I find I always<\/em> discover something new in each edition.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a surprising amount of information packed into this slim, spiral-bound volume. The Worldwide Listening Guide <\/em>is enough to keep even a seasoned content DXer happy for years…or at least, until the latest edition comes out!<\/p>\n

In short? The WWLG<\/em> is a bargain for all it offers, and I highly recommend it.<\/p>\n

The 10th edition of The Worldwide Listening Guide<\/em> can be purchased here:<\/strong><\/p>\n