DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-029, February 21, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted afterwards at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3b.html [note change] HTML version of all January issues: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3a.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2002 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid2.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS of WORLD OF RADIO 1170: RFPI: Sat 0130, 0730, 1330, 1800, Sun 0000, 0600, 1200, 1830, Mon 0030, 0630, 1230, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on 15039 and/or 7445 WWCR: Sat 0700, Sn 0330 5070, 0730 3210, Wed 1030 9475 WBCQ: Mon 0545 7415 WJIE: M-F 1300, Mon & Tue 7490 WRN: rest of world, Sat 0900, Europe only Sun 0530, N America Sun 1500 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [Low] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1170h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1170.html WORLD OF RADIO ON WJIE 7490: the program schedule link on website finally works, showing WOR as follows: M-F 1300, Mon and Tue 0700. Apparently the station is off the air 0200-0600 weeknights, but 24 hours on weekend. WJIE Update is shown M-F at 1330-1345 only --- and checked today it was still the one from early December. Expect the new WOR to start airing on Fridays (Glenn Hauser, OK, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ALL UPDATED FEBRUARY 21: DX AND MEDIA PROGORAMS: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html WOR/COM/MR SCHEDULE: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WOR/COM/MR/ENLACE MASTER TIME SCHEDULE: http://www.worldofradio.com/wormast.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS FYI ac6v.com has put the link to Nets To You back on its web site as follows: ``NETS 2 YOU HAS RETURNED THE BEST LIST OF HF NETS ON THE WEB By John Norfolk Oklahoma City OK`` I'll try not to disappoint. (John) Hi Glen[n], I’ve been listening to World of Radio ever since it was first carried on WPKN in CT many years ago. All the info has been appreciated and commentary enjoyed, you have been a major catalyst to my interest in SW. Thanks again, David Evon, Feb 20) ** AFGHANISTAN. Afghanistan Update From Martin Hadlow, NZ Radio DX League Member in Kabul. Here in Afghanistan, I have been able to help a DXer from Finland get a verification for reception of Radio Balkh in Mazar-i-Sharif. Mauno Ritola heard Radio Balkh on 1584 kHz on the 4th October, 2002 at 1547 GMT. He sent me an audio-clip by e-mail and asked if I could identify the station. Quite fortuitously, a couple of weeks ago, the Manager of Radio Balkh happened to be in Kabul and visited my office. I played the clip and he immediately recognised the announcer and the anthem played at close of transmission. The manager, Mr. Abdul Rabe Jaheed, verified reception by writing a few words on a yellow Stick-It, which I have sent to Mauno. An unusual way to get a verie, but better than nothing! Radio Balkh broadcasts with 10KW, so it was a very good catch. The Kabul FM wave-bands continue to fill with signals from both Radio- Television Afghanistan and international broadcasters on relay. BFBS now has two FM stations on the air (24 hours in English by satellite from the UK) while the Turkish ISAF contingent also has a station in the Turkish language. French and German language stations are also on- air, as is the BBC World Service, the VOA, RFA and others. The first local community FM stations should be on-air by next month, thus ensuring that Afghan voices are more widely heard. Best wishes from a very cold and snowy Kabul (Martin Hadlow, Afghanistan, Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. POLITICIAN SWAPS VOTES FOR WAR ZONE BY IAN SWANSON SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR A RADIO journalist has opted to pursue his career in war-torn Afghanistan rather than stand for the Scottish Parliament. Charles Fletcher said today he had quit as Tory candidate for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh at the elections in May because of increasing work commitments, which include helping to run a radio station in the Afghan capital Kabul. ... Mr Fletcher, a first-time candidate, is involved in several broadcasting projects. Last year he helped set up Good Morning Afghanistan, a humanitarian radio station broadcasting updates on news, international aid efforts and messages of help to remote locations. Radio Forth, where Mr Fletcher used to work, donated equipment for the project, including jingle machines, record decks and portable cassette machines. And the European Commission provided funding of £250,000. Mr Fletcher said: "We are very proud of Good Morning Afghanistan and will be celebrating the first anniversary very soon. We now also have a spin-off, Good Evening Afghanistan. "It has been an enormous success and I’ve greatly enjoyed hiring local journalists and training them up. I’m still involved in Kabul and I will continue with the project for some time." Mr Fletcher said the work in Afghanistan and his other projects made it impossible for him to stand for the Scottish Parliament. ... [full story at] http://www.news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=215932003 (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN KABUL RADIO, TV "IN DIRE NEED" OF TECHNICAL AID - NETWORK HEAD | Excerpt from report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 19 February [Presenter] Afghanistan's radio and television are in dire need of technical assistance from donor countries. The head of Kabul radio and television, Mr Ariafar, said this in an interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran's radio Dari. He said that the Afghan government's officials were trying to initiate and introduce new programmes in compliance with Afghanistan's new political and social atmosphere. They are also trying to bring about fundamental and major changes to the programmes [he said]. I would like to invite you to listen to the interview. [Interviewer] Mr Azizollah Ariafar, can you tell us about the scale of Kabul TV's programmes within 24 hours? Has any progress been made to step up Kabul TV's activities? [Azizollah Ariafar] We began broadcasting three days after the fall of the Taleban, during whose regime the transmitters and broadcasters of Afghanistan's radio and TV suffered the greatest losses. At the beginning we had a small transmitter of 10 kW, our broadcasting scale, therefore, was limited. We were broadcasting for two to two-and-half hours at night. The Islamic Republic of Iran donated a 200 kW transmitter and we doubled the TV's broadcasting time to five to six hours every 24 hours. We are also broadcasting for three-and-half hours on Fridays. [Passage omitted: radio and television is suffering from shortage of facilities] [Interviewer] Mr Ariafar, what roles have women been playing in Kabul television since the interim and the transitional governments came to power in the country? [Azizollah Ariafar] As you are aware, women have played an active role in Afghanistan's TV in the past, during Borhanoddin Rabbani's government and before that. Since the Taleban collapsed, women have been playing an active role in all programmes of radio and television, including artistic, acting, presenting and producing programmes. No limits have been put on women's activities in radio and television, apart from broadcasting songs by the Afghan female singers. [Passage omitted to end: radio and television networks have been damaged during the wars in the country and need assistance - donor countries have not fulfilled their pledges] Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 1330 gmt 19 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. RADIO NACIONAL DE ANGOLA (Gov) + CP 1329, Luanda, Angola (+244 (2) 321638 2+244 (2) 391234 E-mail: asousa@rna.ao Web: http://www.rna.ao LP: D.G.: Manuel Rabelais; Dir. Info.: Alberto de Sousa; Dir. Tech.: Candido R. Pinto. MW: Luanda 945kHz, 25kW SW: Cazenga (G.C. 15.56E 08.53S) 15kW; Luanda Mulenvos (G.C. 13.20E 08.53S) 100kW kHz: 945, 3375, 7245 Winter [sic] Schedule 2002-2003 English 2200-2300 daily Af 945, 3375, 7245 French 2100-2200 daily Af 945, 3375, 7245 Lingala 2300-2400 daily Af 945, 3375, 7245 Portuguese 0000-0100 daily Af 945, 3375, 7245 ANN: Eng: "This is Luanda, the International service of the Angolan National Radio" (WRTH 2009 update #1, Jan, just released in Feb, via DXLD) Anyone ever hear them in English? (gh, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Logs of some traffic all on 9032 kHz: 1005 Skier 96/Mac Centre checks Pole One at 1004, block 200/240, looking for Willy Field next at 1030. Endurance 2 hours. JC 0348 Ice 33 requests Pegasus (runway) Wx from Mac Centre. JC 1013 Mac Centre clears Skier 94 to Willy Field via Pole 3, BRAVO track. JC 1043 Skier 91/Mac Centre checked Kalva 1041, block 200/230, estimating BYRD 1112. 4 hours fuel, -45 1 D4C, wind 818/36, Wx 03. JC 10325 [sic in the time column] Mac Weather gives expected Christchurch Wx to Ice 36. JC 0946 South Pole/Mac Centre (JC = John Charlton, Greymouth, New Zealand, Kenwood 5000 with 30 m wire, Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. BAGHDAD RADIO COVERAGE from Radioinfo http://www.radioinfo.com.au/ 21 Feb 2003 Foreign Correspondent Peter Arnett has joined 2UE's coverage of Iraq. Arnett is based in Baghdad and will give listeners ongoing accounts as a possible war draws closer. Arnett became a household name for his coverage of the 1991 Gulf War for CNN, when he was the only TV correspondent broadcasting live from Baghdad. His earlier coverage of the Vietnam War won him a Pulitzer Prize. Arnett can be heard regularly on 2UE at 7.15am and 3.20 pm, and will also be filing for the Southern Cross News Service. 2UE Program Director Sandy Aloisi told radioinfo: "Peter was the last western journalist to interview Saddam Hussein. He can provide our listeners with a rare insight into exactly what's happening in Baghdad as the crisis unfolds." Also covering the conflict for 2UE are Malcolm Stewart in London, Richard Arnold in America and Jay Bushinsky in Israel. ABC Radio has also sent a reporter into Iraq to cover the looming conflict. ABC Current Affairs department told radioinfo Mark Willacy is currently south of Baghdad. Speaking about the difficulty of gathering information in Iraq the Current Affairs spokesperson said: "Their movements are monitored and if they get too close to something they are politely but firmly told to move on." ABC reporters underwent basic military and first aid training before leaving to cover the Gulf situation so that they have a better chance of remaining safe. Also in the Middle East for the ABC are Foreign Affairs Editor Peter Cave and Jane Hutcheon, both in Jerusalem (via Tim Gaynor, Qsld., Feb 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. CAMPAIGN TO SAVE RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL From ukradio.com Thursday, 20 February 2003 pressetext.com is reporting that there is a global initiative to save Radio Austria International from closure. Short wave associations around the world have joined in a common initiative to protest the shutting down of Austria's world service Radio Austria International (ROI). In an open letter to the founding council of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), the listener associations in German-speaking countries, Europe, North America, Asia, East Africa and the South Pacific are demanding that the committee prevent ROI's scheduled closing by the end of March 2003. They say the arguments presented by the Austrian government and the ORF head office for taking ROI off the air are wrong, and that financing is possible and should be secured. The letter requests that the members of the committee vote against the closing and confirm this by e-mail. Up to now, none of the 35 council members has reacted to the initiative. Should ROI be forced to shut down, Austria would become the only country in Europe (with the exception of Andorra, San Marino and Liechtenstein) without its own short wave voice [how about Slovenia, Macedonia...??? gh]. The letter also asserts that short wave is not an old-fashioned medium - instead it offers listeners a free, mobile, dependable and widely available medium that cannot be replaced by the Internet. Critical voices from NGOs such as the development organizations "Horizont 3000" or "Doctors without Borders" have affirmed this point of view. There are many regions of the earth with poor Internet access, yet radio is a mass medium in Africa, where mobile devices are readily available. The existence of ROI has become threatened because the government has refused to provide financing, and the ORF does not consider ROI part of its core competence. But many listeners abroad enjoy the services of ROI, and listener associations say Austria is the only country in the world whose world service is not publicly financed. As a solution, they have proposed that the costs of running the station be divided between the ORF and the government. Plans to shut down ROI have already provoked criticism from many NGOs and Austrians living abroad, as well as Austria's opposition parties (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** BIAFRA [non]. See NIGERIA [non] ** BRAZIL. The Ministry of Communications of the new Brazilian government will revise all concessions of radio and TV stations (deleting it if necessary) issued by the last government during 2002. CRM (Cláudio R. Morães, via Thord Knutsson, Arctic Radio Club LA News Desk, Feb via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Amigos, tem emissora acreana em ondas tropicais além da Difusora Acreana, dia 20 de fevereiro sintonizei a Rádio Alvorada, 2460 kHz, às 0415 UT com programas evangélicos; não tenho certeza, mas acho que é uma emissora evangélica pertencente à Igreja Assembléia de Deus Minist. Madureira. espero que a sintonizem! (Saulo Gomes de Sousa, Porto Velho - Rondônia, Brasil, Feb 21, radioescutas via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [and non]. Hi Glenn, I was reading a printout of DXLD 3-026 around 0900 on 20 February, when I came across the mention of Radio Nacional da Amazônia resuming use of 6180. So, I checked them, and found them booming in, nice and strong, with Brazilian pop vocals, DJ with long chat and ID cart. Some QRM from a Portuguese religious program on 6175 [WYFR?]. At recheck around 0930, both 6175 and 6180 were much weaker, but 6185 was audible, presumably R. Educación [MEXICO], with classical harp music, M talk with mention of Education in passing. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, Feb 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. SOUNDS LIKE BIG CHANGES TO CBC RADIO MORNING SHOW IRATE LISTENERS SPARKING COMPLETE REDESIGN OF MAJOR NATIONAL PROGRAM, NETWORK SAYS By MICHAEL POSNER, ARTS REPORTER, Thursday, February 20, Page A24 TORONTO -- Sounds Like Canada, CBC Radio One's flagship morning show, will undergo "a fundamental redesign" effective immediately, it was announced yesterday. CBC spokeswoman Ruth-Ellen Soles said the redesign, to be spearheaded by training department executive Havoc Franklin, aims to "better showcase Shelagh Rogers and her strengths as a host and interviewer. It's being redesigned around Shelagh." Ms. Rogers, who has been on medical leave for the past month, had voiced repeated complaints to management about the structure of the show, which made its debut last fall. Relegating her to a marginal role, it drew scores of angry listener protests. Ms. Rogers welcomed the news. "I hope my blood pressure goes down a few points . . .," she said. The decision to effectively scrap the present structure and content of the show was announced at a meeting of middle managers yesterday afternoon by CBC vice-president of radio Jane Chalmers and Mike Karapita, executive producer of Sounds Like Canada. Ms. Chalmers told the meeting that as a result of "ongoing evaluation," the show would be "totally revamped" and would become "host-centred." The redesign process will begin immediately and the newly reformulated show is expected to make its debut later this spring. Ms. Rogers is not expected to return to the show before the middle of April. What the revised version will sound like is not yet clear. However, the CBC said that Out Front, C'est La Vie and Workology, which now function as mini-shows within the program, will all be moved elsewhere on the schedule from the three-hour weekday morning programming block. In making these changes, the CBC is effectively abandoning a key element of its plan to redesign Radio One. That plan, inspired by Ms. Chalmers' now-retired predecessor Alex Frame and executed by Adrian Mills, envisaged producer-driven shows that minimized the importance of the host. With the decision to restore the primacy of Ms. Rogers to Sounds Like Canada, and to rebuild the show around her, the radio service is signalling an acceptance of the importance of stars. It's a lesson that CBC Television learned last year during its contentious contract negotiations with Hockey Night in Canada moderator Ron MacLean: Audiences grow deeply attached to their broadcasting stars and voice displeasure when they are perceived as being mistreated (Globe & Mail via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) Well it`s about gosh-darned time they realized their mistake!!! What took them so long? And what's this about a "three-hour weekday morning programming block"??? Does this mean they will go back to a nine o'clock start? Speaking of my own listening habits since they changed over to the Current/Sounds Like Canada, I ended up shutting off the radio or changing stations a half and hour earlier, so instead of going to 940 at 9, I'd switch at 8:30 -- if I'm up that early, that is. There's something about the Current that doesn't sound right... (This isn't to say that Anna-Maria Tremonti is a bad host, journalist or interviewer.) The theme music is abrasive, the Voice of Satire at the start of the program seems out of place, and the discussions aren't always as timely (to the news) as they advertised. Essentially, they tried to fix something that wasn't really broken (Ricky Leong, QC, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Venezuela. Fe de erratas: hago la corrección de los indicativos de Radio Melodía. Después de una escucha más detallada el pasado 15/02, para 730 es HJCU y para 6140 es HJQE. Sin duda, la frecuencia de Radio Melodía es 6139.82 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Hola amigos, les envío un enlace al Diario El Tiempo donde reseñan a la nueva directora de la Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia y algunos proyectos que tienen. Lamentablemente no mencionan nada sobre la onda corta. http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/cult/20defebrerode2003/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-2\84929.html (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, Feb 19, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. Hi Glenn, Here's a piece from the Independent newspaper in Britain concerning US military actions in Djibouti and the Horn of Africa. Nothing about US broadcasting from Djibouti, though. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: WITH LITTLE FANFARE, AMERICA OPENS A NEW FRONT IN THE WAR ON TERROR By Frank Gardner in Djibouti, 20 February 2003 Largely unseen by the rest of the world, America has opened up a new military front in the so-called war on terror. From a warship off Yemen, and from a heavily guarded base in East Africa, the Pentagon is running the "Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa".... http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=379889 (via Westenhaver, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Hello to all you there at HCJB! I am hoping that you could discuss on the air (if you haven't already) the way it seems that the same program is being broadcast a week after it was broadcast before. I listen to DXPL, Ham Radio Today, and Book & Spade, mainly, plus the Música del Ecuador and Classical music programs. But it sure seems that I am hearing some of these repeated the following week. The main two examples I noticed were Ham Radio Today and the latest Book & Spade. I try to listen to HCJB on both 9745 kHz and 12040 kHz, since both of these services are audible here in the central US, but I do not think it is just that I hear the same program one night later; I'm sure that I hear the program from the week before. In the case of HRT, I am next to positive that the same program was on *three* weeks in a row. This seems a waste of expensive transmitter time and a disappointment to the staff that spend a lot of time and effort putting together an enjoyable program, which then is not aired when it was expected to go out. I notice and approve of the way DXPL starts each program with the actual date it is supposed to be broadcast. This helps avoid inadvertent repetition. Could you start doing that for HRT too? It would also help for you to add an audio dated intro to Book & Spade programs (I believe that you don't actually produce those there at Quito). The other thing I've noted about Book & Spade is that every now and then, maybe once a month or so, it isn't aired at the half- hour when it is supposed to be on, but the creationism or other program that is supposed to follow it comes on instead, and then Book & Spade follows at 45 minutes past the hour. I am guessing that this is due to tape or other media mixup in the control room. In any case, I do enjoy these programs and listen regularly. These minor glitches won't affect that. Regards, (Will Martin, Saint Louis, Missouri USA, Feb 20, to HCJB, cc to DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Some off-frequency MW stations: 1329.85, HC.. R Sideral, Quito, note frequency 1369.98, HC.. R El Rocio, Biblián, note frequency [Rocío?] 1398.98, HCEA5 R Tropicana, Cuenca, note frequency (Björn Malm, Quito, ARC LA News Desk Feb via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 6940, R. Fana, Addis Ababa. QSL card (full data) and schedule of time and frequencies. Card signed by Mr Woldu Yemessel (General Manager) who sent it to me as registered mail. I also sent my package as registered mail that included: 1 CD with a 30 min recording of the transmission, reception report in English, post card of New York and US$ 2. Got the reply in 36 days. Radio Fana, P.O Box 30702, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Marcelo Toníolo, NY, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Radio Ethiopia is heard in English with news and spoken features at 1600 UTC daily on two regular channels, 7165 & 9560 kHz. He states also that he hears this same programming on a third channel, 6255 kHz in parallel with the other two channels (African DX Report - Livinus Torty, now living in Chad, AWR Wavescan Feb 23 via DXLD) ** GEORGIA. Clandestine: Escuchada ayer día 20-2-03 la emisora Radio Khara por la frecuencia de 4875 Khz, de 1713 a 1730 UT que finalizó la emisión con la identificación de la emisora. La identificación es Radio Hara [sic]. En el momento de la escucha había un hombre y una mujer hablando alternativamente en un idioma que no reconocí; probablemente seria Abkhaz. Seguidamente se pasa a escuchar la pieza operística conocida por todos como "O SOLE MIO". Después siguieron hablando OM y la YL y después se pasó a otra pieza de opera; la emisión finalizó a las 1730 con la identificación de la emisora (José Hernández, Madrid, EA-5-0819 AER, RX: Yaesu FRG-100 ANT: Dipolo 32 metros en V, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Dear Glenn, Here are two listening recommendations which I would like to pass along to you and readers/listeners. [other: WBCQ] Deutsche Welle, African Service, in English, 15275, 1900 UT. For those who can listen during the day, this is an excellent one hour program of typical D.W. stuff, especially useful to hear the German/ European point of view during these weird times! I do not know where it is transmitted from, but reception is excellent here in Alabama. If you tune in a bit early, they have Hausa (Tim Hendel, Huntsville AL, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Rwanda, 310 degrees. Tho intended for West Africa, it so happens that this beam crosses the Atlantic and enters North America around Washington DC, then somewhere between Enid and Huntsville. Naturally, we are hoping that Kigali/310 will continue to be used for some English after the demise of intentional DW English to North America. It`s only half a sesquihour --- apologies to Rachel (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. V. of Guyana, 3290, 0210-0311 Feb 20, Up-beat S. American music. Announcer, in English, with interviews. Audio quality just weak and noisy enough for rough copy, but the subjects seemed to center on this weekend`s events; parade route, live remote; for Guyana's National holiday Sunday, Feb. 23. Announcement "Feb. 23, 2003, United are we!". "G.B.C." IDs and local TC, "It`s 11 past 9". Poor. I haven't seen any logs posted, or heard this myself, in a month or so; I assume they were off the air yet again? (Scott R Barbour, Jr., NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Guyana heard on 20 Feb after a long absence on 3291.25 kHz. Tuned at 0320 UT with live coverage of local carnival events, which were said to be leading up to "Mash (?) Day" on Sunday (2/23), and local music. ID at 0330, then death notices with somber music bridges. Very good S9 signal (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAITI. WIFE OF SLAIN HAITIAN RADIO JOURNALIST SHUTS DOWN HER RADIO STATION Michele Montas, an award-winning Haitian journalist and wife of the slain journalist Jean Dominique, has announced her decision to stop broadcasting from her radio station Radio Haiti Inter, because of "the primary importance of protecting people's lives". Montas, who suffered a attempt on her own life on 25 December 2002 - when her bodyguard Maxime Side was shot dead outside her house - continues to fight for justice for her husband, shot dead by an unnamed assailant outside the radio station on 3 April 2000. The following is the text of a report broadcast by Haitian Metropole radio on 21 February: Michele Montas of Radio Haiti Inter has just announced her decision to shut down the radio station's transmitters as of tomorrow, 22 February. Montas speaks as follows: [Montas - recording] Today, the directors of Radio Haiti are forced to make the difficult and provisional decision to turn off its transmitters. As of 22 February, Radio Haiti will stop broadcasting temporarily because we believe that it is of primary importance to protect people's lives. We are sure that Jean Dominique would not hesitate to make such a decision. We do not know how long the pause for silence, for reflection and evaluation will take; we only hope that it will not last too long. We are sure that our listeners and sponsors will understand the necessity of such a decision. The radio station will not be closed. Radio Haiti will continue to function in silence, while working on important programmes that will be broadcast in other places or on the radio when it is possible for us to regain our rights of _expression. We know that this period of silence will be very difficult for a lot of people. Some people will try to use it for political ends, as they did with the body of a democracy fighter. But we will not allow that. We want Radio Haiti-Inter to remain exactly what Dominique made it: A free media in the image of a free man. This temporary pause of an undetermined duration will only help to reinforce the determination of our team, which is deeply bound together. We will never give up our fight for justice for Dominique. A fight that we have been leading for the past three years. Radio Haiti-Inter, although silent, will not be closed, and we will not go into exile for a third time, either. No, we will not. This land and this democracy that is showered with our blood will always remain ours, and we will never abandon it. Dominique led a great fight against impunity and against all exclusion of freedom and human rights. We know that our only weapon is our profession as journalists. Our silence will continue to pose the question of freedom, freedom to inform, to [word indistinct] critical thought and that of the immense freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is now threatened by individuals who believe they are above the law. Radio Haiti-Inter is only saying a temporary farewell for now. Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 21 Feb 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** HAWAII. Remember back in December 2001 when KAIM-870 announced it was going silent for good, silencing Hawaii's only 50 kW AM signal? Not so fast...thanks to an alert 100000watts.com reader, I've been doing some digging, and guess what? KAIM has a CP to fire back up with 7.5 kW ND-U from the 650/940 tower in Kunia, northwest of Honolulu. And it's apparently back with 1000 watts or so - not clear yet whether it's from Kunia or the old Molokai site - to keep the license alive, running religion. Here's the newspaper article from January 29: http://starbulletin.com/2003/01/29/business/engle.html Go figure... -s (Scott Fybush, Feb 18, NRC-AM via DXLD) This was reported as early as DXLD 3-009 (gh, DXLD) I can see why they'd want to revive it and also why they'd want to duck out of the Molokai site. Power bill is the obvious one. The previous ownership had ideas perhaps for the land which is worth a pretty penny there in HI. Diplexing technology can put it on in Kunia (I lived down the road from that tower in the 80's as KDEO 940). The license surely could be approved for that power I'd think... then it would be more economical to run. Or at least be sold... The possibilities are endless, but also Oahu is indeed an over-radioed location. So what kind of revenue would it generate past something to be sold off? (Ron Gitschier, once Waipahu Street, Waipahu, HI, now Jacksonville, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Scott, KAIM is definitely on the air. Heard them during our recent Hawaiian trip. But the signal is barely audible in the southernmost islands and around Oahu is not very strong. Seemed best between the islands of Kauai and Oahu, so figure them transmitting from the site NW of Honolulu. This was one of 3 Hawaiian stations I veried in the past and then had the best signal of all three. And when we were in Tonga and Samoa in 1990 this was by far the strongest Hawaiian. But with 50 kW should be (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, PA, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. Otra variable en frecuencia es La Voz de Indonesia, medida el 08/02, en 15149.86 kHz y luego en 15149.84, el 18/02. Muchas veces sólo está el transmisor en el aire, sin modulación. Otros días, simplemente fuera del éter. 73's y buen DX... (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. February 12, 2003 There's Hope for Webcasting [about PeerCast] By Jim Rapoza http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,3959,886615,00.asp (via Richard Cuff, Feb 19, swprograms via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Don't forget to visit the new WRN website. Below are some shortcuts to get directly to the areas of most interest to WRN listeners: For a WRN live stream in English, click here: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/schedules/schedule.php?ScheduleID=2 and then select the Listen Now icon, top right. This is WRN's English service for North America, currently the only WRN English network that is streamed via the website. For a comprehensive list of all WRN's various language and regional networks, click here: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/schedules/ Click on http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/index.php?CurrentLetter=1 for a comprehensive list of WRN's programme partners. Choose your favourite broadcaster from the list for full contact details, on-demand audio files in Real Audio, Windows Media and downloadable ftp formats (where available) and a list of the WRN networks they appear on. To find a list of languages and the broadcasters that produce programmes in these languages, click here: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/languages/index.php?CurrentLetter=E Use the A-Z facility to move to different languages. Finally you can search for particular broadcasters or languages using the search facilities: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/search/ Happy surfing! (WRN Newsletter Feb 32 via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. The Iraq TV website is still hacked at 1425 check Feb 20, with a link to this message, maybe missed before: ``The American People are a loving people. We do not seek to take your oil or your wealth. Look at our history. Did we not help Taiwan and South Korea? We did not colonize them or control them or steal their wealth. We can make a gasoline substitute out of our corn from our millions of acres of land that is not even under cultivation now. We are a very powerful wealthy country that only wants your government, under an evil dicatator [sic], to stop threatening his neighbors and the world.`` and the other text had been changed somewhat: ``The U.S.S. Saratoga upon which I served In 1978 and 1979. Iraqi People Wake UP! You have been deceived. Your false god of Saddam cannot stand up to the loving, mighty God of Jehovah and his son Christ! Saddam is the evil poison that keeps your people in bondage. He has the black heart of a killer and he has killed many of your families and friends. Go back to the peaceful ways of your religion and find peace and prosperity by rejecting evil, hatred and prejudice. Saddam is using the same techniques as Hitler. He is preaching race superiority and nationalism and fear and using your natural instinct of survival against you! USS Saratoga - I served on in 1978. Iraqi People Be Smart. Reject Saddam! Saddam is the evil poison that keeps your people in bondage. He has the black heart of a killer and he has killed many of your families and friends. Go back to the peaceful ways of your religion and find peace and prosperity by rejecting evil, hatred and prejudice. Saddam is using the same techniques as Hitler. He is preaching race superiority and nationalism and fear and using your natural instinct of survival against you!`` Here`s an idea: why not do this in Arabic so it might have some impact? Of course, there`s not much internetting in Iraq, and people in a position to do so may be more likely to read English. Don`t you think most of them are aware Saddam is evil, but Christ hardly the practical alternative? (gh, DXLD) Now you know the rest of the story: SUBTERRANEAN HOMEPAGE NEWS By Sheila Lennon, 'Bottom-up' journalism from the pros, Feb. 19, 2003 Iraq satellite TV website gets anti-Saddam religious messages, photos of Middletown aircraft carrier: Doc Searls blogged today that Lou Josephs noticed that iraqtv.ws seems to have been hacked. The site contains photos of the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga, now berthed in Middletown (disclosure: My brother Frank heads the project to bring the Saratoga to Quonset), and anti-Saddam messages. I started doing some digging, found that register.com listed a new owner of the site, and Google's cache showed a page that suggests a lapsed domain registration. Elsewhere, I had seen mention that some domain registrars and hosts got in trouble for violating UN sanctions on Iraq when they did business with Iraqi sites. I emailed Lou and we started looking around, and exchanging what we found. Many sites, including the Iraq News Agency, still point to iraqtv.ws as the Iraq Satellite Channel link. The page contains an email link. I sent an email and questions to the domain owner -- James Poole, who usually goes by Robin, he told me later, explaining the discrepancy between the names in the email address and the domain registration -- and just received a reply: Subject: RE: iraqtv.ws From: rpoole@techtraininginaudio.com Date: 6:48 PM I don't know if they let it lapse or just never got it up off the ground. I was scanning their sites looking for some weakness/ vulnerability and discovered that they had a link to their satellite link that was not registered at that point so I registered the link and put up my own site. As far as the material I posted it is my belief that Saddam has misled and murdered his own people and that they know this, even if they don't want to admit it. I registered the site last Sunday on Feb 16 and the fact that my link is still imbedded on his site tells me that God is giving me a strong hand and that someone over there is helping me, either out of fear or agreement. I have received one threat by email but many positive messages of encouragement, even one in French and one short letter of appreciation from an Arabic sounding name. I did tell the Tallahassee Democrat down here in FL where I live about the link on Monday am but they didn't seem that impressed (although they did write a short piece about a Pakistani giving a speech on "The Iraqi Side of the War from a Muslim Perspective"- appears they would have been more interested if someone had "hijacked" an American website.) I think we are involved in a battle of ideologies and maybe "good vs evil" is too simple for some people but I do believe more in the Christianity doctrine of the golden rule and "love thy enemy" than I do in the doctrine of might makes right and killing whoever disagrees with you. I hope my site encourages the Iraqi people to avoid all of the killing on both sides by giving them the faith and hope to stand up and remove Saddam themselves. In a later message, Poole explains why he put the photos of the Saratoga on the page: I thought the photo of the Sara was appropriate for the site as the Sara demonstrates the tenacity and strength of the American people. Even though she actually sunk a few times (one of her many nicknames is "The Sinking Sara" she always managed to revive and come back. I was on the Sara and saw many onboard fires and even one collision (about 20 feet away from me a freigher collided with the port hangar elevator and scraped down the side). But she did her job well and always bounced back. He "hacked it" legally. Now we know. Permalink is: http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/include.pl/blogs/shenews/archives/weekfortyfive.htm#ir (Providence Journal via Lou Josephs, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. From the IBA website http://www.iba.org.il : "Our broadcasts via Windows Media Technology had been provided for a limited period only. We hope we will be able to provide them again shortly. Thank you" (via Daniel Rosenzweig, Feb 21, DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4050, Hit Shortwave. Those weekdays I've had time to check this one at 1800 UT there always seems to be the religious (?) program for some 25 minutes. Program starts with female announcer, some music and into talks by male. I recall last Sunday (16 Feb) there was only music at that time. I made some mp3 recordings of this program, they are at http://personal.inet.fi/koti/jsa The two "program announcements" are from two different days (18 and 19 Feb), but sound identical to me. The "program" is from Wednesday, 19 Feb around 1810 UT. It has some ute qrm for a while, but clears up later. The nasty ute usually starts at 1800 just after the female announcer and lasts about 10 mins. So, if you speak Farsi (I presume this language is, if not Dari), or know someone native speaker who could have a listen to these mp's, I'd appreciate it very much. Just click the e-mail address at the web site and type your info. Thanks (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski Finland, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hallo Jari, Cornel van Ravenswaaij, Guido Schotmans and myself were in Northern Denmark last week and we also listened to this station. On febr 14th we also heard at 1800 UT utility QRM interfering with a female announcer. At 1718 there was a very short announcement: "Hit Shortwave" and at 1732 "Hit Music on Shortwave" 73 (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** LATVIA [and non]. Re. ``Is Russia deliberately trying to spoil Latvia`s only SW frequency?``: I rather think it simply does not exist for them at all. At least the HFCC file suggests this, nothing about anything else than WWCR, Russia and China on 5935 there (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Clearly the HFCC is playing games. They ought to be pro-active and make entries such as this, widely known to exist, whether or not any administration submit them. Furthermore, it should be obvious to the Russians that Latvia has been on 5935 forever, since they once controlled it (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LEBANON [non]. According to their website http://www.tayyar.org/contenu/PagePrincipale.php, the Free Patriotic Movement of Lebanon station "Voice of Liberty" starts broadcasts again on 11515 kHz on Tuesday 25 February 2003: "New FPM radio programs starting Tuesday 25 Feb 2003 on 11515 kHz SW (Short Wave) from 6h00 PM to 7h00 PM Beirut time, 4h00 to 5h00 GMT" [i.e. 1600-1700 UT] The Lebanese opposition station had tested via a TDP brokered transmitter (in Samara?) last year from 22 Nov to 22 Dec also on 11515 kHz. The TDP website http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html lists: Sawt Lubnan Al-Houriya 1600-1700 11515 mtwtfss Arabic (An announcement earlier this year had said they would probably resume with 2 x 1 hourly broadcasts a day though). (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK Caversham UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OPPOSITION RADIO TO START BROADCASTING ON 25 FEBRUARY The Lebanese Free Patriotic Movement web site http://www.tayyar.org on 20 February carries the following announcement in Arabic: "Radio Free Lebanon to be launched on 25 February. Paris, 20 February: Free Lebanon Radio will to be launched on 25 February following the finalization of all preparations. The broadcast will be on the shortwave frequency 11515 [kHz, at 1600-1700 gmt]. It is also possible to listen to the radio programmes by logging on to the Free Patriotic Movement's web site and also through a satellite TV broadcast. The daily broadcast that is directed at the Middle East will include several programmes including the daily news bulletin and political commentaries." (A radio station identifying itself as "Voice of Liberty" was heard broadcasting test transmissions in Arabic on 11515 kHz from 1600-1700 gmt during November-December 2002. The Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star on 20 November reported that the station broadcast on behalf of the France-based Rally for Lebanon, part of the Free Patriotic Movement of former Army Commander Michel Awn. Gen Awn has been in exile in France for the past 11 years.) Source: BBC Monitoring research 20 Feb 03 (via DXLD) ** MEXICO. UNA PÁGINA DE RADIO MIL ONDA CORTA [NEW!] http://www.nrm.com.mx/estaciones/radiomil/DX.html Saludos (Héctor García Bojorge, Feb 21, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Frequency change for RN English to the Pacific Our transmission in English to the Pacific via Bonaire at 0930-1125 UTC is now on 9785 kHz instead of 9790 kHz (Media Network 21 February 2003 via DXLD) We expect to continue using 9785 during the A03 broadcasting season that starts at the end of March (Sennitt, MN Newsletter Feb 21 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [non]. Glenn, Just listened to WoR1170 .ram file. I guess, missed something in DXLD Feb 17th file. But I remember me a Merlin transmission via Meyerton, South Africa at 2100-2200 UT daily. V. of Biafra International is now on 7380 kHz via Meyerton. Should be like that, when continue the former Armavir schedule: Jakada Radio International, En. Voice of Biafra International. 2100-2130 Mon, Wed, Fri En 7380 MEY 2100-2200 Sun En/Igbo 7380 MEY 12125 1900-2000 46 ARM 250 kW 235 degr 73 wb [ex- --gh] (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany, Feb 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re report of schedule change from 12125 to 7380; but Biafra was supposed to be on Saturday, not Sunday (gh, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Recent editions of the DX Times continue to carry a range of very interesting material. The item on the development of radio on Bougainville in Papua New Guinea was particularly interesting to me as I was Station Manager of Radio Bougainville back in 1973-74. At that time, the station, based in Kieta, was operated by the Department of Information and Extension Services of the (then) Administration of TPNG. We went under the call ``Maus blong Sankamap`` (Pidgin for `Voice of the Sunrise`) and broadcast on shortwave, morning and evening, in Pidgin and English. We had some 20 broadcast officers on the staff and our programmes were highly popular and widely heard. Our library of locally recorded music was, put simply, a treasure-trove. We carried out patrols to villages throughout the island and stored the recordings of traditional and string band music, along with oral tales, in our library after broadcast. It was probably the best collection of local music ever assembled. Sadly, I believe that the town of Kieta was widely razed during the recent civil conflict. I guess the library, with its irreplaceable audio tapes, would also have been destroyed (Martin Hadlow, Afghanistan, Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** POLYNESIA FRENCH. 13 RADIO STATIONS APPLY FOR LICENSES PAPE’ETE (Oceania Flash) — French Polynesia’s local branch of the French Media Council, the French media’s regulatory body, has last week counted some 13 applications for new FM radio stations, the territorial agency Tahitipresse reports. Among the 13, 11 are community radios and the other two commercial radios. Eight are to be baser in the main island of Tahiti and its sister island Moorea, the rest are scattered in the archipelagos of the Tuamotu (2), the Australs (1), the Marquesas (1) and the Leeward group (West of Tahiti, 1) But in the meantime, six applicants have already withdrawn their application, local Media Council President Alfred Poupet said. There are currently some 18 existing FM radios stations in French Polynesia. Poupet forewarned the FM frequency band in the French territory was nearing saturation. The eight remaining applications are to be processed in Tahiti, then sent to Paris for final approval (Marianas Variety, Feb 20, via E. Baxendale, DXLD) ``Saturated`` with only 18 stations??? (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 6005: But in addition, I heard the broadcast on 6005 kHz on Monday, 10 Feb! Tuned in at 1816, program lasted till 1900. Main language was unknown to me, Arabic an Turkish were also used. Song about Adygeya at 1854, and I heard an expression "djamahiriya adygeya" in the Arabic part. SIO 322...333. On Wed, 12 Feb, in full accordance to the schedule, Kabardino-Balkarskoye Radio started at 1830 with an ID "Khabarda khavo". News and music concert followed. Such an ID indicates Kabardin language. In Balkar station identifies itself as "Nalchik sile". Balkar language, by the way, is related to Turkish. I wonder whether there is any language usage order in those broadcasts from Nalchik (Alexei Kulinchenko, Kazan, Russia, Signal Feb 21 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Winter B-02 schedule of Radio Rossii valid until March 1, 2003: by frequency 5895 1630-2200 100 Armavir 5905 1400-2100 200 St. Petersburg 5910 0200-0500 100 Moscow 5910 1530-2200 100 Moscow 5920 0200-0600 100 Moscow 6060 1530-2200 100 Moscow 6115 0200-0500 250 Moscow 6125 0200-0500 100 Samara 6125 1430-2200 100 Samara 7140 1830-2200 250 Moscow 7220 2200-1800 200 Yekaterinburg 7250 0530-1500 100 Moscow 7295 2000-2300 100 Irkutsk 7350 1730-1900 250 Moscow 7365 0200-0500 100 Armavir 7380 0200-0500 250 Moscow 7440 0730-1600 100 Irkutsk 9450 0300-0700 160 Kaliningrad 9700 2330-0700 100 Irkutsk 9720 0630-1500 100 Moscow 9860 0530-0800 250 Moscow 11630 1530-1800 250 Moscow 11990 0530-1400 100 Samara 12005 0930-1600 100 Armavir 12060 0530-0800 250 Moscow 12065 0530-0900 100 Armavir 13705 0830-1700 250 Moscow 15355 0730-1400 160 Kaliningrad 17600 0830-1500 250 Moscow by hour 0000-0200 7220 9700 0200-0300 5910 5920 6115 6125 7220 7365 7380 9700 0300-0500 5910 5920 6115 6125 7220 7365 7380 9450 9700 0500-0530 5920 7220 9450 9700 0530-0600 5920 7220 7250 9450 9700 9860 11990 12060 12065 0600-0630 7220 7250 9450 9700 9860 11990 12060 12065 0630-0700 7220 7250 9450 9700 9720 9860 11990 12060 12065 0700-0730 7220 7250 9720 9860 11990 12060 12065 0730-0800 7220 7250 7440 9720 9860 11990 12060 12065 15355 0800-0830 7220 7250 7440 9720 11990 12065 15355 0830-0900 7220 7250 7440 9720 11990 12065 13705 15355 17600 0900-0930 7220 7250 7440 9720 11990 13705 15355 17600 0930-1000 7220 7250 7440 9720 11990 12005 13705 15355 17600 1000-1400 7220 7250 7440 9720 11990 12005 13705 15355 17600 1400-1430 5905 7220 7250 7440 9720 12005 13705 17600 1430-1500 5905 6125 7220 7250 7440 9720 12005 13705 17600 1500-1530 5905 6125 7220 7440 12005 13705 1530-1600 5905 5910 6060 6125 7220 7440 11630 12005 13705 1600-1630 5905 5910 6060 6125 7220 11630 13705 1630-1700 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7220 11630 13705 1700-1730 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7220 11630 1730-1800 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7220 7350 11630 1800-1830 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7350 1830-1900 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7140 7350 1900-2000 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7140 2000-2100 5895 5905 5910 6060 6125 7140 7295 2100-2200 5895 5910 6060 6125 7140 7295 2200-2300 7220 7295 2300-2330 7220 2330-2400 7220 9700 73 from Ivo and Angel! (Observer, Bulgaria, Feb 21 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Tuning in too late for English from its neighbour UAE Radio Dubai on 21605+, I listen instead to BSKSA on 21600 Fri Feb 21 from 1401 in French, the only Western language the Kingdom condescends to shortwave. There was a low het as if interference from another station slightly off frequency, but this was only on the YB-400 thanks to a birdie; no sign of such on the FRG-7. Opened with program summary, in local time, brief Qur`an recitation, and translation; by 1412 they were into Club des Auditeurs, all of whom called being in Africa --- Burkina Faso, Chad and Benin. Complete addresses were given, constantly mixed with ``Inshallah`` tune, rather catchy but repetitive after 10 or 15 minutes. BSKSA would not know how to do a secular program if their life depended on it --- despite the fact that they have two separate networks which are totally religious. So I wonder if the 1400-1600 French broadcast is only intended for Africa. Yes, it`s 500 kW due west for CIRAF 46 and 47, which include the above countries. Better than usual signal Feb 21, but by 1430 losing out to Dubai music splatter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SCOTLAND. FRED MACAULAY Charismatic broadcaster whose tireless efforts at the BBC brought Gaelic transmissions to the Highlands Fred MacAulay was a key figure in the revival and survival of Gaelic as a living language in Scotland. For the best part of 30 years — as senior Gaelic producer and then manager of BBC Radio Highland — he cajoled and chivvied the BBC round, over or through the obstacles that had initially frustrated his ambition to create a major Gaelic radio network, and at least a partial service of television programmes .... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-585041,00.html Fred MacAulay, broadcaster and campaigner for Gaelic, born on January 1, 1925. He died of cancer on February 15, 2003, aged 78. (via Gerald Pollard, DXLD) See also AFGHANISTAN for a Scots connexion ** SWEDEN [and non]. RADIO SWEDEN --- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: In "HeartBeat" Being overweight in Sweden and a TV docusoap on plastic surgery Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: In "Studio 49" banning smoking in restaurants and alcohol advertising Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" British author Adele Parks, are the Swedes really hip and trendy, and the Swedish Grammies DRM --- Radio Sweden will start broadcasts using the new digital format for shortwave, DRM, starting on June 16. The new transmissions will be through the kindness of Radio Canada International, which is already relaying our English and Swedish broadcasts to North America from their transmitter station at Sackville (in return for RCI relays from our transmitters in Sweden). RCI will be carrying a number of English language programs from various international broadcasters both mornings and evenings local time. The other stations expected to take part are the BBC, Radio Netherlands, Vatican Radio, Radio Japan, and China Radio International (Anders Backlin, Radio Sweden) Let's just hope the manufacturers keep their promises and DRM receivers will be more plentiful on shop shelves than DAB receivers. (SCDX MediaScan Feb 20 via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. HELP TO MAKE THE FIRST DX CLUB IN TUNISIA! Dear Friends, I write you this e-mail to request you something. I'm one of the rare DXers here in Tunisia, and little by little, I discovered new DXers (5 now). We decided to make a DX Club here in Tunisia to make this hobby more and more famous and to have more and more DXers. especially, that the number of Arab DXers is very limited. The great problem is the lack of equipment. Here in Tunisia there's only bad quality equipment. In addition, it's impossible to send money to foreign countries. So, to all DXers, To all how loves this hobby, Please assist us. Please send us all you can; old equipment, old magazines,... Waiting for your replies. Thank you in advance (Achraf Chaabane, Sfax, Tunisia achraftn@yahoo.com achraf@clandestineradio.com hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. 7375 originates not from Krasne but from Kopani instead, so it is not affected by the 7240 operation at all. And Kopani could also operate both outlets, they have at least two low-band antennas aiming at North America and not less than four 1000 kW shortwave transmitters. Years ago RUI used two frequencies for North America from there, during winter one on 41 m and the other one on 49 m, producing a huge mixing product on 60 m that was widely believed to be a fundamental then. And to put it in more straight words what Alexander pointed out: RRT again and again registers frequencies for a use of one 1000 kW transmitter at Krasne by RUI, for the present season including 6030 2300-0600 etc. etc. But for years now NRCU has no money to lease the airtime there. So in the end all ´´LV´´ registrations will remain file corpses (as German saying goes), unless for the unlikely event that NRCU will have the money for the Krasne transmitter. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC NEWS SITE REDESIGN See what professional webmasters around the world are saying: http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum9/4290.htm (Mark J. Fine, Remington, Virginia, USA, swprograms Feb 19 via DXLD) ** U K. WORLD SERVICE SACKS DUO ACCUSED OF MALICE Matt Wells, media correspondent, Thursday February 20, The Guardian The BBC took the unprecedented step yesterday of sacking two World Service journalists who were accused of making "malicious and vexatious" complaints against colleagues. In a strongly worded statement, the BBC said the pair had made their managers' lives a misery and caused turmoil in the Arabic service. Together, the files of Adli Hawwari, a Palestinian, and Abdul-Hadi Jiad, an Iraqi, make a 190ft pile and occupy four wardrobe-sized cabinets in the BBC's legal department. The pair have been involved in 17 employment tribunals, 20 appeals, 51 days in court, and numerous other hearings over the past five years. Yesterday, they were escorted from the BBC's Bush House, in central London, by security guards. The BBC said that the Arabic service needed stability at a "crucial time". The men had accused the corporation of suppressing free speech on the eve of war. The National Union of Journalists, however, accused the BBC of acting as a "lackey of the Foreign Office". There is no dispute on the level of litigation started by the pair. But the BBC said the men had deliberately abused its grievance procedures. Greg Dyke, the director general, endorsed the sacking of the men, who will have no right of appeal. In a statement to staff, Mark Byford, director of the World Service, and Stephen Dando, director of human resources, said the BBC had had no other option. The men had "made spurious and malicious complaints against colleagues". Staff health and morale had been affected. Both men want to challenge their dismissal. Dr Jiad said he had been sacked because of his racial origin, and because he was not a member of an Iraqi opposition group. "I think the link to the Iraqi situation is strong and powerful," he said. Mr Hawwari said: "The reason why we were dismissed is because of the institutional racism of the BBC. Everything they do is exactly what the Lawrence report criticises." John Fray, deputy general secretary of the NUJ, accused Mr Dyke of "the ultimate betrayal of free speech". He added: "The BBC has laid itself open to accusations of the World Service being the lackeys of the government. Is it a coincidence that two Arabic service journalists are sacked when a war over Iraq is on the horizon? Let us not forget that it is the British government that pays for the World Service through a Foreign Office grant." The NUJ said there had been disputes at the Arabic Service for more than 10 years over discriminatory treatment of Arab staff, and over the corporation's coverage of Middle East conflicts. Arab journalists had felt sidelined by the BBC's staffing and editorial decisions, it said. The corporation said that the NUJ's accusations were nonsense. The Arabic service still employed six Iraqis, while others worked elsewhere in the World Service. It was "rubbish" to suggest that the action had been brought about by direct or indirect pressure by the Foreign Office. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Daniel Say, Bill Westenhaver, Mike Cooper, DXLD) SACKINGS ROW GROWS AT BBC Matt Wells, media correspondent Thursday February 20 2003 The Guardian The row over the dismissal of two Arabic producers at the World Service deepened yesterday when BBC journalists condemned their union leaders for "intolerable" remarks in defence of the two men. The National Union of Journalists had accused the BBC of acting as a "lackey of the Foreign Office" for sacking Adli Hawwari and Abdul- Hadji Jiad for "malicious" complaints against colleagues. Yesterday, anger was growing about the remark, made by the NUJ's deputy general secretary, John Fray. Alex Brodie, a Newshour presenter, said: "For such a senior figure to imply our journalistic integrity is compromised is intolerable. He must retract and do it publicly." Mr Fray has said he was not criticising BBC journalists. The NUJ will host a conference today claiming the two men were victims of racism (Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited Feb 20 via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) SACKED PRODUCERS PLAN BBC ACTION Owen Gibson, Thursday February 20, 2003, The Guardian The two World Service employees sacked yesterday by the BBC are planning to take legal action against the corporation, hitting back at the broadcaster's version of events and maintaining their dismissal was tantamount to "ethnic cleansing". "Anything we can fight back with, we will fight. We will not take it lying down," said Adli Hawwari, who was fired yesterday along with Dr Abdul Hadji Jiad. Both were producers for the BBC's Arabic Service. The BBC claimed it had spent up to £1m over the past five years defending "vexatious" and "frivolous" complaints about alleged discriminatory treatment from their managers at the BBC World Service, including Gamon Mclellan, the head of the Arabic Service. Dr Jiad, who is Iraqi by birth, said that, contrary to the BBC's statement, he had written to director general Greg Dyke and World Service chief Mark Byford offering to withdraw his complaints in return for "an assurance the BBC guidelines on discrimination would be applied". Dr Jiad also claimed just last month the BBC offered him a £40,000 payoff, later raised to £55,000, and offered to give him a glowing reference if he would drop his complaints and take early retirement. "They have been recklessly squandering public money to protect managers who are all white, British males although they have committed acts of racial discrimination. It's a club of solidarity between them," said Dr Jiad, adding he had made four complaints in the past five years - not the five claimed by the BBC. Two of these were still outstanding he said, after Dr Jiad won a court of appeal hearing at the end of last month ordering one racial discrimination case to be heard at a full tribunal, while another was dropped by him as a gesture of goodwill. Dr Jiad said his claims were all based on racial discrimination. "There has not been any disciplinary action against us for our professional competence or conduct and, contrary to what the BBC said, we continue to get on well with our colleagues, many of whom support us," said Dr Jiad. The two men are meeting today with officials from the National Union of Journalists.; Mr Hawwari, who sits on the union's national executive, said he was hopeful of securing the NUJ's backing after it issued a strongly worded statement against the BBC yesterday. John Fray, the deputy general secretary of the NUJ, said it was "the ultimate betrayal of free speech". He added the BBC had "left itself open to accusations of the World Service being lackeys of the government" by sacking two journalists from the Arabic Service when there was a war with Iraq on the horizon. Mr Hawwari said he believed their dismissal was intended as a warning to other staff "not to rock the boat". "It is absolutely unprecedented for the entire building to be sent an email saying why we were sacked. The reason why they did this was to scare the hell out of everyone in Bush House [where the World Service is based]," he said. "The whole press machine of the BBC was turned on us and the details carefully released to make us sound ridiculous and malicious. "If anyone ends up looking ridiculous, it's the BBC for taking a leaf out of Alastair Campbell's book," added Mr Hawwari. MediaGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2003 (via Daniel Say, DXLD) ** U K. NAKED TRUTH UPSETS BBC Julia Day, Thursday February 20 2003, The Guardian Veteran DJ John Peel failed to get a radio interview with a nude rights campaigner because the BBC ordered him to cover up, it emerged today. Bosses would not allow Steve Gough to walk naked through their offices in Southampton because he might have offended staff. Mr Gough, 43, is a local celebrity who has fallen foul of the law several times because he believes wearing only his birthday suit is a human right. He was in the reception of the BBC South studios yesterday, ready to record a piece for Peel's popular Radio 4 show Home Truths, when he was banned. The campaigner had cycled naked in the cold through Southampton city centre from his Eastleigh home five miles away to go to the interview. He had been given a name badge and was warming up with a cup of tea when the BBC ordered him to cover up. When Mr Gough refused he was told the interview was off. The father of two was arrested by police when he arrived home. Mr Gough explained: "I was having a cup of tea in the reception and a guy came and said I had to walk through an office and would I mind covering up? "I said 'can you not give [staff] a warning?', and then a debate ensued. A producer from London phoned and tried to persuade me but I said it defeated the point. "I don't believe there is anything wrong with my body and I said covering up because people were offended is their problem. "After this discussion they decided they could not do the interview. It's a bit strange really. I thought the most risky bit was cycling there but it's crazy how sensitive people are." A Radio 4 spokeswoman said the interview with Peel would have been conducted through a link to London. "Mr Gough arrived naked in our reception and then expected to walk through various offices to the studio," she explained. "We judged that he might have caused offence to some of our staff and asked him to cover up but he refused." Peel was today unavailable for comment. Mr Gough was released on police bail to return on February 26. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Looking thru the large file referenced in last issue, http://www.saag.org/Bb/view.asp?msgID=271 found many more reports of information leaflet drops, attacks on Iraqi communications facilities, and way down toward the bottom: ``Operation Telic, as the British Gulf build-up is codenamed (Telic meaning `expressing purpose`) will see the latest deployment of British troops join the 5,000 Royal Navy personnel already in the region or en route there, as well as the 4,000-strong amphibious force also on its way to the area. Together with the 3,000 Royal Air Force personnel engaged in policing Iraq's no-fly zones (a number expected to be doubled soon), this will see more than 40,000 members of the British military ready for any action against Saddam Hussein's regime. The latest deployment includes 120 Challenger 2 main battle tanks, 150 Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, 32 AS90 Self-Propelled Guns, 18 105mm light guns, and assorted reconnaissance and other vehicles.`` ``Expressing purpose`` in what language? There is no mention of Commando Solo in the entire document, altho purpose of leaflet drops is mentioned several times as to give out radio frequencies (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Following comments about the BBC Radio 4 relay via BFBS, I should wish to point out that the weather forecasts just before 1800 are generated for BFBS listeners only. At 1754 Radio 4 long and medium wave split away from the PM programme to carry the Shipping Forecast, whilst the PM programme continues on FM, DAB, Sky digital, Freeview and BFBS. At approximately 1757 BFBS pulls away from Radio 4 for the purpose of carying weather forecasts for the areas which they serve, while Radio 4 carries the weather forecast for the UK. The broadcast of The Archers at 1645 is *not* parallel to Radio 4, and in fact BFBS listeners hear the archers several hours *before* Radio 4 listeners in the UK, except on Sundays, when the BFBS broadcast is much later - outside the time range of the current short-wave transmissions (I believe at 2000). 6025, 6135, 12040 and 15530 have all been heard here in North-West London with decent signals during their respective transmissions. I have not so far heard 13720, but will give it another try next time I am awake during its transmission - same goes for 9820 (Paul David, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked 9820 kHz past two nights (19 & 20 Feb) at 0400 UT and found it blocked by Radio Havana, but it was clear one night this week and BFBS was heard with a fair signal while 13720 was totally inaudible (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There were subtle variations between what happened on Wednesday and what happened on Thursday evenings on BFBS. On Wednesday, 5945 kHz had been carrying BFBS, but they were not on that channel on Thursday. However, I did check other frequencies on Thursday upon arriving home just before 1700 UT. 15530 kHz was carrying The Archers from BFBS Radio 2, whereas 12040 was carrying something in a foreign language. Abruptly, around 1659, 15530 switched to Radio Portugal, and 12040 switched into BFBS, where it remained until 1800 (precisely). (Paul David, England, Feb 20, swprograms via DXLD) Hi Glenn, here a summary of what we have about BFBS so far: 13720 0200-0500 CIS, probably ´´Central Asia´´ 6025 0200-0300 not further discussed yet, UK? 6135 0300-0400 not further discussed yet, UK? 9820 0400-0500 not further discussed yet, UK? 5945 1500-1800 site identified as Popovka 15530 1500-1700 probably UK but this is disputed 12040 1700-1800 almost definitely UK Re. 15530: Some monitors note that it sounds not exactly like a UK site to them. Anyway it is definitely no CIS site. Jülich was brought up as possible origin, but this would be a very big surprise, provided that indeed Merlin organizes the whole shortwave service for BFBS. Anyway in the evening the pattern is always the same, so we can certainly consider this schedule as established in as far as these transmissions are no irregular tests and originate every day from the same site (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SUPPORTING UNCLE SAM: US media already on a war footing http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/us030221.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network Feb 21 via DXLD) ** U S A. TIBOR S. BORGIDA Voice of America Producer Tibor S. Borgida, 93, the first executive producer of the European division of Voice of America, died of congestive heart failure Feb. 14 at home in Chevy Chase. Mr. Borgida retired from the Voice of America in 1981 after 40 years of service with VOA and its predecessor organizations. He began his federal career in 1941 with the Office of War Information in New York and transferred to Washington when the Voice of America relocated here in 1953. He was born in Ungvar, Hungary, and attended college in Vienna, where he studied international trade and business. He received a doctorate in law at Charles University in Prague. He was an aide to the Czech minister of commerce in Prague until 1938 when he fled the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, arriving in New York in October 1939. He worked for a shoe company and then as a multilingual bank teller before he was drafted into the Army in 1941. Because of his language skills -- he was fluent in 12 languages -- and his legal training, he was assigned to the Office of War Information. His parents and an older sister in Hungary did not survive the war. They were in the last group of Hungarian Jews seized by the Gestapo for deportation to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where they died. A lifelong and expert chess player, Mr. Borgida covered the 1972 world championship chess match in Reykjavik, Iceland, between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasky. He played in chess tournaments in the Washington area. Since 1994, he had lived at the Hyatt Classic Residence in Chevy Chase, where he edited the community newsletter, Classic Clarion. His marriage to Lee Roberts ended in divorce. His wife of 45 years, Anne Lichenstein [sic] Borgida, died in 1993. Survivors include their two sons, Gene Borgida of Minneapolis and David Borgida of Bethesda; a sister; and four grandchildren (To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23054-2003Feb17.html via Jim Moats, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Marion's Attic is one of my favorite programs. It is on WBCQ, 7415, Saturdays, 9:00 PM Eastern Time, I.E. Sunday 0200 UT during the winter and 0100 during DST. Old cylinder recordings, Edison Diamond discs and regular old 78's from the 1920's are featured. When I was a kid, in Rochester, I used to love to play my grandmother's old 78 records, so I do enjoy this program (Tim Hendel, AL, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What kind of radio station is WBCQ? Is it a pirate one? I heard a program last Saturday, on 17495 kHz, at 1940 UT, in which the announcers were making jokes about you. The segment was called "the Voice of Pancho Villa". Greetings, (Adán González, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not a pirate, but run by a former pirate. Licensed in Maine. Per schedule, the program Sat at 1900-2000 is Radio Timtron Worldwide. V. of Pancho Villa is a pirate which tends to appear around SWL Fests, a recording of that no doubt being played. Since I never show up, I am apparently targeted. Does this make it more or less likely that I will ever appear? (Glenn Hauser, faraway OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Prayer Alert! WJIE International Shortwave Feb 19, 2003 Dear friends, I am sending out this special alert to you today because of a critical opportunity that has afforded itself for our ministry. As you know, we are actively involved in shortwave broadcasting, with transmitters in Kentucky, California and now in Liberia. What has transpired in the past several weeks is so very exciting. Our current transmitters are all 50,000 watts in size. While this does get our signal out to different parts of the world, we really need to upgrade our transmitters. During our recent 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, asked the Lord specifically for three 100,000 watt transmitters to add to our current facilities. Each one of these transmitters, new, cost over $400,000 each, and take from 12 to 18 months each to build. I'll be honest with you...that is a little out of our current budget, both in money and time. Believing God for over a million dollars worth of broadcast equipment can be a challenge. However, God moved. Another broadcast ministry has offered us THREE 100,000 WATT TRANSMITTERS. They are in excellent condition, and have been well-maintained. They aren't new, but they are available NOW. I will get to the heart of the story. We need money to ship these transmitters to three critical locations: one to the US, one to the Marshall Islands to reach CHINA, and the third to Liberia to BREAK THROUGH THE MUSLIM CURTAIN and INTO THE MIDDLE EAST. My friend, we are in a war. This war is not fought with guns or missiles, but by prayer and fasting and the preaching of the Word of God. To preach that Word, we need the right equipment, and we need these transmitters. How much do we need? Not a million...not even half a million...and not even a quarter of a million. Would you believe that we can ACQUIRE and SHIP these three beautiful transmitters for only $125,000? That's TEN CENTS ON THE DOLLAR! Your church or ministry can make a REAL DIFFERENCE in the lives of millions of souls around the world. Your gifts of financial support at this time are critical. In fact, you might want to adopt a transmitter ($25,000) or commit to the shipping for all three ($50,000). Could your church or ministry raise $5000 in a special banquet or garage sale or bake sale or...I think you get the picture. More than anything else, whether you plant a seed or not, we do need you to pray. That is our foundation, and this opportunity is the result of prayer and fasting. So, please, I ask that you stand with us a beleive God to supply this need. God bless you, and thank you for your support of international shortwave. Please call myself or Morgan Freeman if you have any questions regarding this opportunity. In Christ, Doc Burkhart World Prayer Broadcasting Network WJIE International Shortwave KVOH International Shortwave Voice of Hope Africa Shortwave http://www.wjiesw.com 502-968-1220 (via DXLD) Now who would have 3 x 100 kW to dispose of??? See top for WOR schedule (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. PORTLAND BECOMES RADIO DISNEY'S 54TH MARKET Radio Disney debuted in Portland Tuesday, bringing a nationwide network of kid-oriented music and programs to the local market. The network is broadcast on what is now KDZR-AM 1640, one of two Portland radio stations that Disney subsidiary ABC recently purchased from Crawford Broadcasting Corp. Portland becomes the 54th market to air Radio Disney. The 24-hour programming offered by Radio Disney features a mix of pop, rock and oldies, plus a variety of programs such as ESPN Sports for Kids and Playhouse Disney, a two-hour block dedicated to toddlers and their caregivers. Citing industry research, Disney said that more than 3.1 million kids and "tweens" (ages 9 to 14) and more than 1.8 million mothers liston to Radio Disney each week (from http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/02/17/daily21.html as referenced in last issue) Nowhere is Oregon mentioned, but that must be the Portland in question since the call starts with K-. This would be the station formerly known as KPBC, actually in Lake Oswego OR (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TURN OFF THE RADIO DAY We demand respect! Turn off offensive radio Thursday, Feb. 27 DaveyD.com – Currently, New York airwaves that target the Black community are filled with music and comments that express only negative, violent and denigrating ideas, creating a destructive emotional climate in the Black community. To understand our concern, it is absolutely necessary to understand the history and significance of music in Black culture. Our music has always been the most dominant manifestation of what we are and feel. The music has always been at the core of our experience in the world. From Selma to Soweto, the music has lifted us, inspired, informed, healed and encouraged us. ... We are not asking them to stop playing anything. We will not engage in the censorship that they practice. We are urging Power 105, Hot 97, WBLS, KISS, BET and MTV (and, in the Bay Area, KMEL, KYLD and KISQ) to simply include in their formats the new music from the many artists that continue to operate in the cultural tradition of Black art, producing music that reflects a fuller sense of Black contemporary reality, not just the thug reality constructed for us by people who hold Blacks in contempt. ... ... TURN OFF THE RADIO! Let the advertisers know that there will be days when they are wasting their money. TURN OFF THE RADIO! Let radio owners know that ours is a community that they will respect. We insist! The first Radio Off Day is Thursday, Feb. 27. Full story at http://www.sfbayview.com/021903/turnofftheradio021903.shtml (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** U S A. EDITORIAL OBSERVER THE TROUBLE WITH CORPORATE RADIO: THE DAY THE PROTEST MUSIC DIED By BRENT STAPLES Independent radio stations that once would have played antiwar anthems have been gobbled up by corporations that have no wish to rock the boat... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/20/opinion/20THU4.html?th [registration required] (via Mike Terry, and http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/20/opinion/20THU4.html?pagewanted=print&position=bottom via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Media Savvy: KFBK war memo leaked By J. Freedom du Lac -- Bee Pop Culture Writer Ken Kohl knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the first voicemail message last week. It was from the general manager of a Chico radio station, calling to congratulate Kohl on "a great memo." The problem: Kohl, the operations manager at the Sacramento news-and- information stations KFBK (1530 AM) and Talk 650 (KSTE AM), hadn't sent any memo to Chico. Nor, for that matter, had he sent a memo to the rest of the people throughout the broadcast industry and elsewhere who had nonetheless read the four-page document in which Kohl lays out KFBK and KSTE's plans for coverage of a war with Iraq. The memo -- originally e-mailed by Kohl to 35 employees -- somehow made its way onto Internalmemos.com, which specializes in posting corporate communications that aren't meant to be seen by the public. The breach had Kohl seething and sent corporate security experts at KFBK and KSTE's parent company, Clear Channel, scrambling. The source of the leak was never found, though Clear Channel's investigators have suggested that hackers may be to blame... http://www.sacticket.com/tv_radio/story/6146532p-7101924c.html (Sacramento Bee via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. From rec.radio.shortwave - from WA8VNZ wa8vnz@operamail.com There is a fine series of articles at Salon.com on the consolidation in the broadcast radio industry. Ever wonder why when tuning across the AM radio dial, you hear the same broadcasts from end to end. This sereis of articles explains the state of the state (of broadcast radio). http://dir.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/06/26/borg_intro/index.html "They're a clear example of what can happen with deregulation. They've ruined radio, as far as I'm concerned. And now they're licking their chops to be able to control more of what the public sees and hears." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. Fortune interview with Lowry Mayes, Clear Channel Mr. Mayes, (CEO and founder of Clear Channel) agreed to a RARE magazine interview with one of Fortune magazine writers. The article is in Fortune's first week of March issue (about middle of magazine and four pages long). Fortune is a WEEKLY business magazine, if you didn't know. I had a chance to read all of it today, while waiting for wife at dentist office. The article is an interesting read, if you want to go buy a copy (or go grab a copy and get a cup of coffee at Barnes & Noble and read it, then put it back on the shelf.....can I say that???). Or it`s at http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ceo/articles/0,15114,423802,00.html In short, Mr. Mayes said Clear Channel is done buying radio stations (unless a really good deal comes along). Their focus now is increasing ad revenue. They hold LESS than 10% of the radio stations in the U.S., but have almost 37% of the radio market share nationally. They have met the '8 station limit' per market in almost all the major markets they are in. The writer said that Clear Channel has come under scrutiny by the federal government, as to whether they have employed unfair business practices or are on the 'verge' of becoming a monopoly. Mr. Mayes commented in the article that he and his two sons (CFO & COO) are trying to figure out how to deal with the 'image' problem they are having in this country... go figure (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Nan Wyatt murder: two stories from the Post Dispatch: The husband confesses to the murder of the KMOX host. 73- Bill Westenhaver "She said, 'You give me that gun!' ... I shot her." Below is the link to the story. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/Columnists.nsf/Bill+McClellan/D19E980053484E7286256CD40049C2F7?OpenDocument&Headline=%22She+said,+'You+give+me+that+gun!'+...+I+shot+her.%22 http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/BDBB29772879561E86256CD300193254?OpenDocument&Headline=Erbland+planned+the+killing,+police+say+ (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi, this is the company that threatened to sue me, a fellow DXer, because I objected to the way their translator, K214BX *90.7, did not properly ID. You will note the name of Mr. Vaughn, their attorney, the guy who wrote me the threatening letter, at the end of the FCC news release. I may still go after K214BX, but in the meantime it is interesting to note that the American Family Association is apparently not upholding the Christian principles it preaches. (Bruce Elving/FM Atlas Publishing, amfmtvdx via DXLD) MO Moberly KBKC *90.1: The FCC denies a petition for reconsideration filed by American Family Association (``AFA``), licensee of KBKC, of a $5,000 forfeiture to AFA for operating KBKC without a main studio in willful violation of Section 73.1125 of the Commission`s Rules. Background: On April 8, 2002, an FCC agent from the Kansas City office attempted an inspection of KBKC, which is licensed to AFA in Moberly, Missouri. Investigation revealed no listing for the station in the local telephone directories. The agent went to the station`s transmitter site and found a sign on the tower with the phone number 662-844-8888. The agent called this number and spoke with two AFA employees in Tupelo, Mississippi. These AFA employees stated that there was no main studio for KBKC and that the station`s public inspection file was located at the Little Dixie Regional Library in Moberly. The agent inspected the public inspection file and did not find a grant of a waiver of the main studio rule for the station in the file. A subsequent search of Commission records revealed that AFA had not been granted a waiver of the main studio rule for KBKC. On May 28, 2002, the Kansas City office issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture for $7,000 to AFA for apparently failing to maintain a main studio for KBKC in willful violation of Sec. 73.1125 of the rules. In its response, AFA acknowledged that it did not have either a main studio for KBKC or a waiver of the main studio rule at the time of the inspection, but requested cancellation of the forfeiture or reduction of the fine. In the forfeiture order, we reduced the forfeiture to $5,000 because AFA disclosed to Commission staff in February 2002 that it was operating KBKC as a satellite station without a waiver of the main studio rule; however, we rejected the other arguments advanced by AFA in support of its request for cancellation or reduction of the forfeiture. In its petition for reconsideration, AFA argues that its violation of the main studio rule should be considered minor because it was in fact fulfilling its local service obligation. Specifically, AFA asserts that in the 59 instances where it has previously been granted a waiver of the main studio rule, Commission staff has required implementation of certain measures to ensure that the station will meet its local service obligation, including (1) adding to AFA`s advisory board at least one resident from the station`s city of license to provide recommendations on community needs and programming; (2) soliciting listeners` opinions every six months regarding community issues that should be addressed; (3) providing periodic local programming for the community; and (4) maintaining a toll- free number and a public inspection file for the station within the community of license. According to AFA, all of these measures were in place in Moberly at the time of the inspection. AFA also asserts that imposition of a $5,000 forfeiture will have a devastating financial effect on KBKC, which is a small noncommercial educational station located in a rural community. Furthermore, AFA asserts that it has a history of overall compliance with the Commission`s rules. Based on these factors, AFA argues that the forfeiture should be reduced to $500. DISCUSSION: We reject AFA`s argument that its violation of the main studio rule should be considered a minor violation. We do not believe that AFA`s implementation of measures required by Commission staff in prior waiver cases renders its failure in this case either to maintain a main studio for KBKC in Moberly or to seek a main studio waiver for KBKC a minor violation. In any event, contrary to AFA`s assertion, not all of these measures were in place in Moberly at the time of the inspection. In particular, we note that the phone number posted at KBKC`s transmitter site, 662-844-8888, was not in fact a toll-free number for Moberly residents. AFA also asserts that imposition of a $5,000 forfeiture will have a devastating financial effect on KBKC. However, as stated in the NAL, the Commission will not consider reducing or canceling a forfeiture in response to a claim of inability to pay unless the petitioner submits: (1) federal tax returns for the most recent three-year period; (2) financial statements prepared according to generally accepted accounting practices; or (3) some other reliable and objective documentation that accurately reflects the petitioner's current financial status. AFA provided no financial documentation in support of its assertion that the $5,000 will impose a financial hardship on it and therefore we have no basis upon which to analyze its request for reduction of the forfeiture. We also note that the Commission has concluded that it is appropriate to take into account ``income derived from other affiliated operations, as well as the financial status of the station(s) in question`` in determining an entity`s ability to pay a forfeiture. The telephone number reaches AFA offices in Tupelo, Mississippi, which is approximately 523 miles away from Moberly. Thus, it is clearly not a local telephone number. Assessing AFA`s financial hardship claim, we would evaluate the ability of AFA to pay the forfeiture, rather than that of KBKC alone. Finally, AFA asserts that it has a history of overall compliance with the Commission`s rules. However, we note that in March 2000, the Com mission`s Columbia MD Field Office issued a Notice of Violation to AFA for several rule violations at WARN *91.5 Culpeper VA, including violations of the Emergency Alert System rules and operation of WARN with transmitter output power in excess of its authorized power. In addition, in October 2002, AFA admitted that it violated the public inspection file rule at KAUF *89.9 Kennett MO. In light of these other recent rule violations, we are not persuaded that a reduction of the forfeiture in this case based on ``history of compliance`` is warranted. Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to Sec. 1.106 of the rules, the petition for reconsideration filed by American Family Association is denied. It is further ordered that a copy of this Order shall be sent by first class mail and certified mail return receipt requested to Patrick J. Vaughn, Esq., American Family Association, P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803, David H. Solomon Chief, Enforcement Bureau (via Bruce Elving, amfmtvdx via DXLD) ** U S A. Hello - Do you know of a contact address for the AM Pirate station "Lubavitcher Radio"? I am able to hear them almost every evening on 1710 from 23:00+. I am located in Warrenton, VA. I have visited the Jewish Lubavitcher web sites listed in DX-Digest and although there is mention of a few radio stations (I guess licensed stations), I can find no mention of this station. I understand this to be a pirate station. It certainly seems to be a mystery. I can find no information about it except that it is thought to be in Brooklyn, NY and that it is identified as Lubavitcher Radio. Although I have listened for long periods of time, I have never actually heard a station ID myself. Thanks, (Steve Cherry, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, I don`t know of any address; but I believe I have seen unsolicited QSLs reported after logs appeared in pirate and/or MW DX publications (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Another version of the story in 3-025: BIRD LOVERS SUE OVER TELECOM TOWERS MILLIONS OF BIRDS ARE THOUGHT TO DIE YEARLY IN TOWER RUN-INS http://www.msnbc.com/news/875254.asp?vts=022020031700 which leads to http://www.msnbc.com/news/875254.asp?vts=022020031700&cp1=1 (via Fred Waterer, DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. Hi Glenn, An interesting station profile at http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=a0708b6e11b4c2bc9830af6c8dcdad06 73, (Andy Sennitt, DXLD) Viz.: QUE HUONG - RADIO FREE VIETNAM NCM Profile, New California Media, Elena Shore, Feb 20, 2003 The only 24-hour Vietnamese radio station outside Vietnam, Que Huong (Fatherland) Radio on 1120 AM KZSJ in San Jose ``is about people living here thinking about people there,`` says general manager Nguyên Khôi. Founded in 1994, Que Huong produces a daily half-hour news program on short wave radio for listeners in Vietnam, keeping them up to date on current events that they would not be able to hear on their country`s government-controlled stations. The program begins everyday with the anthem of the Republic of Vietnam and includes news and interviews with dissidents in Vietnam and the United States. For corporation president Doan Trang and general manager Nguyen, who escaped from communist Vietnam 20 years ago, the preoccupation with human rights abuses and the lack of freedom and democracy in their homeland fuels their determination to publicize these issues to listeners and readers in and outside Vietnam. Although the news media in Vietnam has expanded from several government-controlled publications to the numerous magazines and newspapers available today, the state forbids writers from criticizing the government or speaking out against human rights abuses. These topics- for which writers in Vietnam continue to be arrested- are the focus of the news of both Quê Huong Radio and newspaper. Que Huong`s founder, Doan Trang, a well known Vietnamese female broadcaster, began Quê Huong Radio as a weekend program on 1500 AM in San Jose, the only local Vietnamese radio station at the time. Today the station reaches 200,000 listeners internationally and is owned by the parent company Dai Phat Thanh Quê Huong, Inc.. Broadcast throughout Northern California from Santa Rosa to Fresno, the station receives frequent letters from loyal listeners around the world who listen on short wave radio. Selected programs can also be heard online at http://www.quehuongradio.com where news is also translated from the Associated Press and other news services, updated twice daily. After launching the radio station, Doan founded the Que Huong Newspaper in 1996 initially to reprint the radio news. With a circulation of 10,000 in San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco, the free weekly paper- printed in Vietnamese - now includes news and interviews with Vietnamese leaders and promotes democracy and human rights in Vietnam. As it brings world and national news to the dissidents in Vietnam, Quê Huong Radio also informs and entertains the Vietnamese communities in the United States. The radio station broadcasts community events, legal and medical information and music for its Vietnamese-American listeners. Live call-in shows play popular dance music to appeal to younger listeners, while traditional Vietnamese music programs attract an older audience. While Nguyen knows the views expressed in print and on the air in San Jose could lead to the arrests of its employees in Vietnam, for Nguyen, the future of Quê Huong Radio and newspaper is inexorably linked to the future of Vietnam. ``My dream...`` he says, ``is when Vietnam is no longer communist, and we are free to have a radio network there.`` In the meantime, he says, Quê Huong Radio and newspaper share with the international Vietnamese community the stories of the people living in communist Vietnam who are unable to speak for themselves. ``We are Vietnamese; we have an obligation to help them first,`` says Nguyen. ``Without us, their voices can`t be heard.`` (New California Media via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ SIMPSON ON SHORTWAVE Shortwave "too hard to do" for today's youth? Apparently Homer Simpson once advised son Bart: "If something is too hard to do then it's just not worth doing. You just stick that guitar in the closet next to your shortwave radio, your karate outfit and your unicycle and we'll go inside and watch TV." This according to http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/motorracing/orl- sptbianchi18021803feb18,0,6857258.column?coll=orl-sports-headlines 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The story is really about NASCAR, leading up to the final remark above (gh, DXLD) DRM/IBOC ++++++++ Visiting the DRM site, after spending a lot of time on the Ibiquity site, confirms my feeling that a substantial portion of the broadcast industry --- both domestic and international --- must've suffered some form of head injury in the past few years. Did something horrible happen a few years ago at NAB that wasn't widely reported?? I mean, they really can't believe that billions of people worldwide are eager for the opportunity to junk their perfectly-functioning analog receivers for expensive new DRM/IBOC models?? No one could be that delusional, could they???? For a look at what the future really holds, read "Building Wireless Community Networks" by Rob Flickenger (O'Reilly, ISBN 0-596-00204-1). I think terrestrial broadcasters are in the same position today as DEC, Data General, CDC, Burroughs, etc., were in the late 1970s when the first personal computers were introduced. Those swept away by a revolution are always the last ones to realize what's really going on (Harry Helms, AK6C Ridgecrest, CA DM15 NRC-AM via DXLD) ###