{"id":62575,"date":"2025-04-16T10:29:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=62575"},"modified":"2025-04-16T10:29:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:29:45","slug":"a-message-about-politics-on-the-swling-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/a-message-about-politics-on-the-swling-post\/","title":{"rendered":"A Message About Politics on the SWLing Post"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Dear Readers,<\/p>\n

Over the 17 years I\u2019ve been running the SWLing Post<\/em>, I\u2019ve done my best to make this space a safe haven from divisive politics. This site has always aimed to bring people together through a shared love of shortwave listening, international broadcasting, and radio communications \u2014 no matter where they live or how they vote.<\/p>\n

That said, the very nature of international broadcasting means that political topics will occasionally surface. When governments decide to decommission transmitters, reduce funding for public broadcasters, or overhaul agencies involved in international communication, the decisions are often political in nature \u2014 frequently tied to elected officials or broader geopolitical shifts. As such, they become newsworthy for our community, and I believe we have a responsibility to acknowledge and explore them.<\/p>\n

In the past, we\u2019ve covered major changes in international broadcasting \u2014 from the shutdown of Canada\u2019s RCI Sackville site<\/a>, to Australia\u2019s complete withdrawal from shortwave<\/a>, to Greece\u2019s repeated (and eventually permanent) closure of their shortwave services<\/a>. We\u2019ve also reported on the disappearance and sometimes return of broadcasts in various regions around the world. In nearly every case, I\u2019ve been heartened by the civil and insightful conversations these stories sparked here on the SWLing Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This year, however, we\u2019ve seen a notable increase in news items that carry a heavier political weight. For instance, the recent \u201cBloody Saturday<\/a>\u201d shakeup in U.S. international broadcasting under the DOGE initiative caught many off guard \u2014 even critics of the agencies in question were surprised by the suddenness and execution of the changes. Since many of our readers live in the U.S. or closely follow American policy, the stakes feel especially high right now.<\/p>\n

As a result, we\u2019ve had to moderate more comments than usual, and in some cases, we\u2019ve chosen to disable comments entirely on certain posts. This is never a decision we take lightly \u2014 but we do so when we feel that an external news item already has its own space for public discussion and when the likelihood of unproductive venting here outweighs constructive dialogue.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not going to shy away from reporting on these important developments. In fact, to ignore them would be to make a political decision in itself.<\/p>\n

Instead, our goal is to present information as clearly and objectively as we can, linking to sources that provide both context and multiple perspectives. While it may be impossible to find purely objective news sources, we do our best to choose reporting that is fair and fact-based.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, I kindly ask that when you comment on these types of posts, you do so with respect for others \u2014 even (and especially) when you disagree.<\/p>\n

Share your viewpoint, provide evidence where you can, and aim to add to the conversation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Refrain from name-calling, personal attacks, or using the comment space as a venue to vent political frustrations. We have five trusted moderators who review comments daily, and they may choose to remove inappropriate remarks or close comments altogether if things get off track.<\/p>\n

Thank you for helping us keep the SWLing Post<\/em> a welcoming space for everyone \u2014 a place where thoughtful discussion, curiosity, and mutual respect still prevail.<\/strong> Let\u2019s continue promoting practical actions and shared solutions that strengthen the global community of international radio listeners and broadcasters alike.<\/p>\n

With appreciation,
\nThomas
\nSWLing Post<\/em> Editor<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Readers, Over the 17 years I\u2019ve been running the SWLing Post, I\u2019ve done my best to make this space a safe haven from divisive politics. This site has always aimed to bring people together through a shared love of shortwave listening, international broadcasting, and radio communications \u2014 no matter where they live or how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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],"tags":[755],"class_list":["post-62575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-swling-post"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-ghh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":55644,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/carlos-shortwave-art-and-recording-of-radio-romania-international-february-8-2023-turkey-syria-earthquake\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":0},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Shortwave Art and recording of Radio Romania International (February 8, 2023\u2013Turkey\/Syria Earthquake)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 8, 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 Radio Romania International broadcast. Carlos notes: Part of Radio Romania International news bulletin: Romanian rescue teams sent to Turkey to assist earthquake victims. Shortwave broadcasting in Spanish. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil. https:\/\/youtu.be\/2ZazuO0KewQ\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\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-2.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-2.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-2.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3513,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/the-link-talks-about-the-politics-of-saving-rci\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":1},"title":"The Link talks about the politics of saving RCI","author":"Thomas","date":"May 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday's edition of The Link, Mark Montgomery spoke with Amanda Pfeffer about how international radio is being cut around the world and, more specifically, Canada. They discuss how this happened, who is aware of it and if there is any way to save the service. It's an informative segment\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\/2012\/05\/BBG-Organizational-Chart.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/BBG-Organizational-Chart.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/BBG-Organizational-Chart.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/BBG-Organizational-Chart.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55640,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/carlos-shortwave-art-and-recording-of-voice-of-turkey-february-7-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":2},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Shortwave Art and recording of Voice of Turkey (February 7, 2023\u2013Turkey\/Syria Earthquake)","author":"Thomas","date":"February 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor and noted political cartoonist,\u00a0Carlos Latuff, who shares\u00a0his radio log art of this recent broadcast of the Voice of Turkey. Carlos notes: Part of Turkey\/Syria earthquake news coverage via shortwave broadcasting of Voice of Turkey, in French. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil. https:\/\/youtu.be\/zepAgposZ3Q Click here to view\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\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Carlos-Latuff-Radio-Romania-International-Turkey-Syria-Earthquake-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9919,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/the-state-of-the-broadcasting-board-of-governors-bbg\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":3},"title":"The state of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)","author":"Thomas","date":"June 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Lyle, for sharing this article from Radio World which takes an in-depth look at the state of US International Broadcasting and poses the question, \"How effective is the BBG in 2014?\"","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"View of the Capitol Building from the roof of the Voice of America on 330 Independence Ave., S.W.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52410,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/carlos-shortwave-art-and-recording-of-china-radio-international-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":4},"title":"Carlos\u2019 Shortwave Art and recording of China Radio International","author":"Thomas","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor and noted political cartoonist,\u00a0Carlos Latuff, who shares\u00a0his radio log art of a recent China Radio International broadcast. Carlos notes: China Radio International, 9525 kHz, broadcasting in Russian from Beijing, China. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil. April 9, 2022, 20h (UTC). Part of news bulletin, war in\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\/2022\/04\/Carlos-Latuff-China-Radio-International-CRI.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Carlos-Latuff-China-Radio-International-CRI.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Carlos-Latuff-China-Radio-International-CRI.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Carlos-Latuff-China-Radio-International-CRI.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Carlos-Latuff-China-Radio-International-CRI.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65306,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/radio-bulgaria-marks-its-90th-anniversary-with-a-new-qsl-card-series\/","url_meta":{"origin":62575,"position":5},"title":"Radio Bulgaria Marks Its 90th Anniversary with a New QSL Card Series","author":"Thomas","date":"February 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet, who shares the following update and QSL card images related to Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and Radio Bulgaria. As Radio Bulgaria looks ahead to its 90th anniversary in 2026, Bulgarian National Radio has announced a new commemorative QSL card series for listeners\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\/2026\/02\/Radio-Bulgaria-Sofia-QSL-Paul-Jamet-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Radio-Bulgaria-Sofia-QSL-Paul-Jamet-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Radio-Bulgaria-Sofia-QSL-Paul-Jamet-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Radio-Bulgaria-Sofia-QSL-Paul-Jamet-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Radio-Bulgaria-Sofia-QSL-Paul-Jamet-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62575","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=62575"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62593,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62575\/revisions\/62593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62575"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62575"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}