DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-097, June 3, 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 later at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldtd3f.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.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 1184: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 7445 15039 WWCR: Wed 0930 9475 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/wor1184.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184.ram [High] (Download) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.rm (Stream) http://www.k4cc.net/wor1184h.ram (Summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1184.html FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1185: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 1930 on RFPI 15039, 7445 DX AND MEDIA PROGRAMS: updated as of June 2 at http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL [Re: WOR/COM/MR schedule as in 3-095]: Glenn, Your recent lengthy posting promoting your own activities is not appropriate for the EDXP community and has been deleted. Regards from Melbourne! (Bob Padula EDXP ADMIN) ** AUSTRALIA. MEMO ABC STAFF: LET'S SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE THREATS June 1 2003 A call to arms to ABC staff is heating up the row between Canberra and Aunty. Peter Wilmoth reports. Late last week, ABC staff across Australia received a memo from the staff-elected director Ramona Koval. Aside from her summary of board decisions, the Melbourne-based radio presenter said she felt it was time for the board to approve a campaign to educate the public about threats to the national broadcaster. . . http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/31/1054177766824.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) Tue, Jun 03, 2003 -- We really need our ABC. SO, once again the ABC is under attack by the politicians. There`s nothing new about this. . . http://www.bordermail.com.au/newsflow/pageitem?page_id=596765 (Letter to the editor, via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. R. OESTERREICH PARADOX Glenn: ROI may complain about funds, and cut services...but WHY do they waste bandwidth and energy by merely playing "The Blue Danube" over and over again, desecrating it by repeating the call signature of the station on top of the music in German and English and French...on and on. I have been listening to this for the past fifteen minutes; it's now 0149Z and there's no end in sight. I guess they are going all the way to 0200. That will mean that they will have played the waltz something like 3.5 times. Could not the broadcast station do SOMETHING useful with this air time? I would think it would be preferable to shut off the transmitter -- according to the ILGRadio's latest database, it is 300 kw at 9870. That's a lot of wasted Kronen (Steve Waldee - San José, CA, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose this be the default when feed from the studio lost. But why isn`t there an extremely reliable connexion (with backups) between Wien and Moosbrunn? (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Radio Cultura através de seus serviços de ondas curtas, oferece-nos 2 boas possibilidades diferentes, como já é de conhecimento de alguns: 9615 KHz retransmite a Cultura AM 1200 KHz 6170 KHz retransmite a Cultura FM 103.3 MHz 17815 KHz (quando está ativa) retransmite a Cultura AM 1200 KHz Detalhe: a ação das piratas de FM é tão acintosa que aqui em São Bernardo do Campo, SP simplesmente não consigo ouvir a 103.3 Cultura, embora esteja a apenas uns 25 km dos seus transmissores e antenas. Um verdadeiro escárnio aos ouvintes e proprietários da Cultura. A minha opção é 6170 ondas curtas. Um abraço, (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, June, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CANADA. ARE TOM, DICK & HARRY NEXT? Tony Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen, Saturday, May 31, 2003 It's a case of back to the future for KOOL-FM: the popular Ottawa radio station switched its format yesterday to more of an oldies sound. The CHUM-owned station not only changed its format from a contemporary playlist to songs primarily from the 1980s and '90s, it also switched its name to 93.9 BOB-FM. The change became effective yesterday and the station will essentially go without live announcers until June 9 when the same radio crew takes over. The format change was precipitated by a core audience that just got older, Chris Gordon, the station's program director, said. "We had a great run with KOOL, 11 years, and when the station signed on our audience was in the 25-to-34 age group and now those people are in the 35-to-44 age group, Mr. Gordon said . "A lot of our personalities are also in that age group so it was a natural transition for us to go out and research what those people wanted to hear." Mr. Gordon dismissed any notions that the format and name change was due to the recent arrival of HOT 89.9, a hip-hop and dance station that has attracted a younger following. In the radio ratings released this week, HOT 89.9 grabbed most of the 12-to-34 age group and had created a three-way battle for the same listeners with The Bear and KOOL-FM. "We actually made the decision (to switch) even before the ratings came out," said Mr. Gordon. "It's a competitive marketplace on the younger end with HOT and Xfm." As for the name BOB, he said there is already a CHUM station with the same name in Winnipeg, and even Vancouver has a station named JACK. "The name BOB is a different way of doing business, we want the station to feel like it's somebody you know," he said. Mr. Gordon said he expects most of KOOL-FM's advertisers to come over to the new station and to pick up other advertisers because now the station is appealing to older listeners (Relayed by Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada) ** CHECHNYA. MOSCOW HAS BIG PLANS FOR CHECHEN MEDIA By Timur Aliev Special to The Moscow Times Tuesday, May. 27, 2003. GROZNY -- It is 9.30 a.m., and five journalists from Chechnya's state- owned television get into two cars to go to their separate assignments. Cars are not the only thing lacking here. There is one cameraman for every two or three reporters and one only editing room, where correspondents line up in the afternoon to edit their reports. . http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/05/27/003.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** CHINA. Yes, I know, this has only a tenuous connexion to radio, but I find it fascinating, for historical and linguistic reasons. If CRU were available on a website I would simply link to such a virtually OT item (gh) THE SERVANT OF GOD MATTEO RICCI, S.J. The Diocese of Macerata [now Italy] may be small in size, but it is a giant in another respect: It is the birthplace of Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest and missionary rightly called Apostle of China. Born in Macerata, then one of the Papal States, on October 6, 1552, he entered the Jesuits at 19. After attending university and receiving ordination, he was sent to the Far East to be a missionary to China when it opened. Finally, he and another Jesuit, Fr Michele di Ruggieri, were permitted to enter Canton in 1583. He had prepared himself well by studying as much of Chinese culture and history as he could. and he had worked on becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Chinese is a language totally different from those of Europe and Africa. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family, a distinct family of languages. Chinese is no one single language, but dozens of dialects. One of these, Mandarin Chinese, was and is the language of the royal courts, the government, the educated classes. The language is monosyllabic and, consequently, because the number of possible syllables in any language is limited, Chinese is also tonal, so that the tone or pitch of the voice when speaking a sound changes the meaning of that sound. There are four tones in Mandarin Chinese; some dialects have as many as nine. Thus, a sound such as ma can mean a number of things, depending on the pitch with which it is spoken. In short, Chinese is not an easy language to learn and speak— it is worlds apart from any European tongue. Padres Ricci and di Ruggieri decided that their course of action should be low key. They did not announce that they had come to bring Christianity to the people; the Chinese were rightly proud of their ancient civilization that was in many respects far in advance of Europe --- both Chinese and Japanese called the Europeans ``barbarians`` because of their lack of refinement and personal hygiene. What Padre Ricci did as deliberate policy was to open his house to those who wanted to come. The Jesuits had brought the latest technology from Europe— clocks, mathematical and astrological instruments, musical instruments, paintings, prints, maps, expensively bound books. The Chinese were not ignorant, but they quickly saw that the Jesuits had knowledge they did not. These Mandarins and educated Chinese were drawn to the perennially open house the Jesuits held in Canton. Being accepted and respected by the Chinese Mandarins and educated officials and scholars was no small achievement. The Chinese had a rigorous education system. Before a Chinese young man was accepted into Government service, he studied diligently for years and then took a government examination administered annually, the chin-shih. If he passed, honors and a well-paid position were his; if he failed, he was doomed to a life of poverty. Many superb Chinese poets failed to pass the exam and their lives were spent in haphazard employ and frequently ended in alcoholism and despair --- Lu Kuei-meng, Li Shan- fu, Huang Ching-jen, Kung Tzu-chen. After some time had passed and the Mandarins and scholars had accepted Padres Ricci and di Ruggieri as equals, Father Ricci began to explain a bit of Catholicism. He translated the Ten Commandments and wrote them on tablets which he offered as the moral code of the West to his visitors. Thanks to Confucius, the Chinese were keenly aware of morality and welcomed the tablets; receiving one was an honor. The Jesuits did the same thing with maps, which fascinated even the highest officials, for they knew nothing of the rest of the world. Padre Ricci later wrote short books of 25 chapters that discussed moral questions; known as ``The 25 Words,`` these, too, were welcomed, and the Chinese themselves began printing them; hundreds of thousands were printed. Later Father Ricci and a young priest who replaced Fr di Ruggieri moved to Nan-Ch`ang, capital of Kiang-si, an intellectual center. The Jesuits` reputation had proceeded them and they were welcomed by the scholars. In 1601, Emperor Wan-li finally summoned them to Peking, where Padre Ricci lived his last nine years, dying on May 11, 1618. The Jesuits had made only a few thousand converts at the time, but Padre Ricci was delighted with the results. Given the obstacles the Emperor had placed on their entry into China, the difficulty of learning Chinese language and culture, and the time it took to be accepted, Padre Ricci felt their achievement was ``a very great miracle of Divine Omnipotence.`` THE CHINESE RITES CONTROVERSY One of the problems faced by Padre Ricci was how to translate into Mandarin those Latin and Italian theological terms, including the names of God, for which Mandarin had no equivalents. T`ien (heaven) and Shang-ti (Sovereign Lord) to designate God, specifically were problems. After diligent study and thought, Padre Ricci used these terms, convinced that they were in fact equivalent. In this manner, he wrote, by using these familiar terms, Christian missionaries would not alienate the Chinese. Some Jesuits had problems with these terms, the Japanese Jesuits in particular, saying that what the Chinese understood by these terms was not what Western Europeans meant by Heaven and God. In 1704 and 1715, Pope Clement XI, without attempting to determine what these Chinese words really meant --- he certainly was in no position to do so --- said that the terms were to be avoided so that no danger of misunderstanding would result. Use T`ien-chu, he said, to translate God. More troublesome was the issue of the Chinese rites of reverence towards one`s ancestors. Every one in the world by now must know the great reverence Chinese hold for their ancestors. Small altars are found in homes; incense is burned before (in these days) photographs of deceased parents and relatives. Prostrations and sacrifices are offered. The question was and is: Are these acts, these rites, de facto worship of ancestors? Or are they simply the manner, in a culture very different from Western Civilization, ways of honoring one`s forebears and, consequently, one`s family and kin, and ultimately one`s lineage and heritage? Similar rites were held for Confucius. Families and persons who did not offer these rites became social pariahs, ostracized from society. The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia, a model of orthodoxy, reports: ``After having carefully studied what the Chinese classical books said regarding these rites, and after having observed for a long time the practice of them and questioned numerous scholars of every rank with whom he was associated during this eighteen years of apostolate, Ricci was convinced that these rites had no religious significance, either in their institution or in their practice by the enlightened classes. The Chinese, he said, recognized no divinity in Confucius any more than in their deceased ancestors; they prayed to neither; they made no requests nor expected any extraordinary intervention from them. In fact they only did for them what they did for the living to whom they wished to show great respect. `The honour they pay to their parents [wrote Padre Ricci] consists in serving them dead as they did living. They do not for this reason think that the dead come to eat their offerings [the flesh, fruit, etc.] or need them. They declare that they act in this manner because they know no other way of showing their love and gratitude to their ancestors. . . . Likewise what they do [especially the educated], they do to thank Confucius for the excellent doctrine which he left them in his books, and through which they obtained their degrees and mandarinships. Thus in all this there is nothing suggestive of idolatry, and perhaps it may even be said that there is no superstition.``` True, some of the uneducated may mix superstition in with these rites of honor, Padre Ricci said, but abuse does not vitiate use; that some peasant in Mexico might think a wooden statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe actually has miraculous power does not vitiate the use of statues. Padre Ricci did not come to this conclusion lightly; he had spent 18 years in China and he had interviewed hundreds of Mandarins to arrive at his conclusion. Consequently, Padre Ricci did not forbid Chinese converts to Catholicism to continue with these rites honoring their ancestors. Enter the Dominicans and Franciscans. Alarmed, they wrote the bishops in the Philippines, who in turn wrote Rome. By 20 years after Padre Ricci`s death in Peking, there was heated controversy between the Jesuits on one hand and the newly arrived Dominicans and Franciscans on the other. One Dominican in particular actually traveled to Rome and handed the Pope ten questions regarding these matters. But the Dominican in question had not described the rites as they were practiced; in fact, the Jesuits said, the rites as described to the Holy See were entirely imaginary and did not exist. The Holy Office with the Pope`s approval had declared the rites, based on the Dominican`s alleged descriptions, as illicit. (It should be noted that there was and is a rivalry between Dominicans and Jesuits, between those whose forté is Medieval Scholasticism and those whose forté is Counter-Reformation Christian humanism. The rivalry strengthened over the theological problem of God`s foreknowledge and man`s free will. Recall, too, that it was the Dominicans who were charged with administering the Inquisition.) In 1651, the Holy See sent another Jesuit, Padre Martin Martini, to investigate the matter. When he returned with a true account of the Jesuit missionary practices in regard to the rites, Pope Alexander VII accepted and approved them. In 1665, the Jesuits, Dominicans and sole Franciscan left in China agreed not to prohibit these rites. This should have settled the matter, but enter another Dominican, Fr Domingo Fernández Navarrete, the superior. He traveled secretly to Rome to overthrow the 1665 agreement among the missionaries, without success. It would be yet another outsider, Fr Charles Maigrot of the newly founded French religious order, the Society for Foreign Missions. He arrived in China in 1693 as Vicar-Apostolic of Fu-kien. Before long, he forbade the missionaries to permit the Chinese converts to honor their ancestors or Confucius with these rites, and issued a number or restrictions and injunctions. He said that Padre Martini had not accurately portrayed what was happening in these rites. Was Fr Maigrot really perceptive about the matter? Or was he one of those astringent personalities whose neurotic drives masquerade as zeal? Or simply a man whose episcopal consecration had gone to his head? In any event, he seems to have ridden into Dodge City with guns blazing. Following the now-Bishop Maigrot descriptions of the rites, in 1704 Pope Clement XI sent a personal envoy, whom he consecrated bishop, to China with the command to suppress the Chinese rites. The Emperor heard of it, and his warm welcome to the envoy turned frosty; the envoy was exiled to Macao while the Emperor himself sent an envoy to the pope. In the meantime, the Emperor required every missionary to receive a special diploma from himself, authorizing him to work in China. Some did, so as not to lose decades of work in China; others did not. An additional exchange of legate and views did not heal the matter and, finally, Pope Benedict XIV, in 1742, settled the matter with a Papal Bull condemning the missionaries` practice of allowing the rites among converts, thus settling the matter once and for all. Persecutions, exile, and martyrdom followed for what few missionaries remained. For the next century, effective Catholic missionary work in China was made impossible. The Catholic Encyclopedia writer summarizes the matter very well. ``The popes declared, after scrupulous investigations, that the ceremonies in honour of Confucius or ancestors and deceased relatives are tainted with superstition to such a degree that they cannot be purified. But the error of Ricci, as of his fellow-workers and successors, was but an error in judgment. The Holy See expressly forbade it to be said that they approved of idolatry; it would indeed be an odious calumny to accuse such a man as Ricci, and so many other holy and zealous missionaries, of having approved and permitted their neophytes practices which they knew to be superstitions and contrary to the purity of religion. Despite this error, Matto Ricci remains a splendid type of missionary and founder, unsurpassed for his zealous intrepidity, the intelligence of the methods applied to each situation, and the unwearying tenacity with which he pursued the projects he undertook. To him belongs the glory not only of opening up a vast empire to the Gospel, but of simultaneously making the first breach in that distrust of strangers which excluded China from the general progress of the world.`` In the late 1940`s, Pope Pius XII said that, in view of new knowledge obtained by cultural anthropology and associated studies, that the question could be reopened. But China fell to the Marxists under the command of Mao Tse-Tung, and the matter was never reopened. In view of the fact that so many holy missionaries of various orders agreed on the scene, with few exceptions, that the honor given to ancestors and Confucius was not idolatry or incompatible with Catholicism, one has to wonder who was right. The Popes who viewed the matter unfavorably depended upon what they were told. In view of the things that go on in churches on Indian reservations in the western United States, one can argue that the Chinese rites are far more innocuous. It needs to be said of course, that we must assume that everyone involved acted in good will. The missionaries in China, including Padre Ricci, were holy men undergoing cultural shock of a magnitude unknown to Europeans. Some were innately incapable of understanding other cultures --- the Portuguese friars, for example, systematically destroyed the priceless Scriptural and Liturgical books of the Syro- Malabars and Syro-Malankars on the coast of India, convinced that these were heretical; unfrocked their priests and bishops and forbade them to practice, and sometimes violently forced the Indians to accept the Latin Rite. There is a thin line between zeal and fanaticism. Editor`s Note --- The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia is found at http://www.newadvent.org For a painting of Padre Ricci, visit the Diocese of Macerata site, http://www2.chiesacattolica.it/pls/ceidocs/bia_pack.info_diocesi?id=107&Regione= Scroll down to the end of the page and click on the paragraph heading about Padre Matteo Ricci, whose cause has been introduced for beatification. On the page that opens you will find files for a prayer for his beatification, a biography of Padre Ricci, and a fine image that can be printed off your computer (jpg file). (Michael Dorner, Catholic Radio Update June 2 via DXLD) ** DENMARK [and non]. DANISH OFFSHORE RADIO - NEW BOOK AND MUSEUM An extract from Hans Knot's newsletter: "During the years people are contacting me from all around the world for information about offshore radio as well as questions if I could provide photos or other materials from the past. So two years ago I got such a question from Denmark and out of the blue came the following message in on May 16th: ``At last I can tell you that the book of The Danish Offshore radiostations, Radio Mercur and DCR, is being published. In June this year the book titled "Pirater i æteren - Radio Mercur og Danmarks Commercielle Radio. Dansk reklameradio fra Øresund 1958-62" is in the bookstores in Denmark - published by The Press Museum of Denmark and the University Press of Southern Denmark. The Press Museum - situated in Odense on Funen -- is presenting an exhibition on the offshore stations with pictures, television- recordings and sound from the Danish pirates. The exhibition runs from June 14th until August 31st 2003. Again I would like to thank you for your help!`` was signed Hendrik Noegaard. http://www.radio-mercur.dk/ So now you know what to do if you`re planning your summer holiday in Denmark." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. HAUSER: HCJB ABANDONS NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE http://www.eham.net/articles/5660 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) This is hardly news now, but FYI, it seems my Closing Comment in June MT has spread (gh) ** ERITREA. STATE RADIO STARTS TRANSMITTING VIA SATELLITE | Text of report by Eritrean radio on 3 June Following efforts by the Ministry of Information to expand its broadcasting coverage, the Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea [VOBME] yesterday, 2 June, started broadcasting via satellite on two channels. VOBME's programmes are broadcast on Arabsat. The radio's first channel broadcasts in Tigrinya, Tigre, Kunama, Hdareb and Nara. The second channel broadcasts in Arabic, Saho, Afar, Blien, Oromo and Amharic. Eritreans living in the Middle East, north Africa and southern Europe have thus started to hear clear audio of VOBME programmes. It will recalled that, in addition to enabling Eritrean television to broadcast via Arabsat last month, the Ministry of Information has also enabled Radio Zara [an FM station] to cover the Gash-Barka and Anseba regions. The ministry has also launched a web site version of the Shabait information network [ http://shabait.bluehill.com/articles/publish ] [State-owned Eritrean Television, Eri-TV, began transmitting via the Arabsat satellite at 26 degrees east in May 2003]. Source: Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, in Tigrinya 0430 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RADIO JUSTICE. As per BBCM's report in DXLD 3-096: Sundays 1700-1800 on 12120 in Tigrigna. Because of this frequency, I went to look at TDP's website and found it scheduled as Radio Solidarity. Was previous scheduled via DTK Julich Wed/Sat on 15265. Never heard this one due to the Chinese musicjammer active at the same time. Is this frequency still used, has it ever been used? (Silvain Domen, Belgium, June 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE ON STRIKE 3 JUNE Radio France Internationale is observed to be on strike on 3 June. The station's African service carried the following announcement at 0730 gmt: "Owing to a strike, RFI will not carry its usual programmes. Consequently, we will have you listen to some music. Thank you for your understanding." Source: Radio France Internationale, Paris, in French 0730 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** GHANA. ADOPT NATIONAL BROADCASTING POLICY - PROF. QUARMYNE Professor Alex T Quarmyne, a communications and media expert, on Saturday called for a quick action to adopt a National Broadcasting policy to effectively monitor and enforce regulations in the industry. He said there was much indiscipline on the Ghanaian communication highway 10 years after the adoption of a national constitution and nearly eight years of deregulation of broadcasting. . . http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=36570 (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. GROWING PAINS FADING, SATELLITE RADIO READY TO BLAST OFF --- By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- Satellite radio comes from space bearing gifts: 100 digital channels with eclectic music options and few or no commercials, beamed directly to cars and home stereos throughout the continental United States. Less than a year ago, potential subscribers and investors were treating it like an unwelcome visitor from another planet. Its dueling providers, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., were warning they might run out of cash. Finally, though, the mini-industry seems primed to take off. Automakers are showing more enthusiasm for putting receivers in cars. Design advances are shrinking the tuners and their prices, to as low as $70, from around $300. Subscriber numbers are jumping for XM's $10 monthly service and Sirius' $13 offering. Both companies have abated their cash crunches though financial maneuvers. XM expects to begin breaking even by the end of 2004, and Sirius by mid-2005. XM's stock price has quintupled this year; Sirius' has doubled. Some analysts expect satellite radio to grow the way satellite TV did. If so, XM and Sirius radios won't be standard in cars and homes anytime soon, but both companies still could be budding media giants. "I'm glad to have most of the trying-to-get-everything-set-up behind us, so we can just compete in the marketplace with not only with XM but traditional radio," Sirius chief Joseph Clayton said in a recent interview. "And that's the fun part." When Clayton headed RCA's television sales a decade ago, he once dressed like Gen. George Patton, borrowed a tank from a military museum and drove it over a pile of Japanese TVs. Cameras captured it for an in-house motivational video. These days, it won't be so easy for the hefty Kentuckian to crush his competition. Although Sirius launched its three satellites before XM got its two, "Rock" and "Roll," into space, New York-based Sirius began offering service second, in July 2002, because of delays in getting chip sets from Agere Inc. and what Clayton describes as missteps by Sirius' original management team. Sirius has just 68,000 subscribers and is gunning for 300,000 by December. It has been about a year behind XM's products, such as portable receivers that can be plugged into cars, home stereos or boom boxes. Sirius is catching up this summer with $100 models, prompting XM to drop its price to that level from $129. Washington, D.C.-based XM had its own problems. Original plans to launch service on Sept. 12, 2001, had to be delayed several weeks. Still, XM has used its head start to sign up more than 500,000 subscribers, with 1.2 million expected by December. "It's pretty clear that we're the ice breaker that's breaking the new ground and they are following behind us," said XM Chairman Gary Parsons. But Sirius seems to be getting its act together at just the right time, with so much growth potential still ahead. After all, Parsons believes satellite radio could snare 50 million subscribers. "This marketplace is definitely big enough to have two players," said April Horace, an analyst with Janco Partners. "I think the competition is good to raise awareness for both companies." In a sign of their potential mass appeal, XM radios are now available in 2,100 Wal-Mart stores. XM and Sirius also believe that within a few years, they can drop subsidies to car and boat makers for installing their equipment. XM will be optional in at least 70 car models this fall, including General Motors and Honda autos as part of exclusive deals. GM owns 11 percent of XM; Honda has 8 percent. XM also has ties to traditional radio: Station-owning behemoth Clear Channel Communications owns 3 percent. Sirius radios will be optional in 65 auto models, including those of exclusive partners BMW, DaimlerChrysler and Ford. DaimlerChrysler has a small stake in Sirius; it and Ford each have options to buy 4 million shares. Ford technology spokeswoman Emily Foley said the automaker no longer has doubts satellite radio will take off. Ten of Ford's 2004 models will have Sirius as a dealer-installed option and more will follow. XM and Sirius hope the auto partnerships help lure frequent road- trippers and everyday commuters unhappy with the diminishing diversity of commercial radio. "I have very eclectic tastes in music, and a lot of it is not the stuff you can hear on regular radio," said Mel Harkrader Pine, 57, an XM customer since January 2002. "It's like having almost an unlimited CD library and you just hit a button for whatever mood you happen to be in at a particular time." Sirius has 60 commercial-free music channels and 44 news, talk and sports channels with some ads. XM has ads on half its 70 music channels and most of its 31 news, talk and information channels, helping to keep the subscription price lower. Both companies automate many channels, though XM has some live programming anchored by disc jockeys who can field requests, and Sirius airs live in-studio performances and interviews. Sirius recently began carrying National Public Radio, a deal pooh- poohed by XM because it doesn't include popular shows like "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." XM broadcasts audio feeds from CNN and Fox News and has a Playboy adult talk channel that costs an extra $3 a month. Sirius has NBA games and a new station for gays and lesbians. Although Sirius is the challenger, Clayton and his team talk more expansively about the future, like the possibility of Walkman-sized satellite radios. Improved compression technology could add perhaps 20 channels to XM's and Sirius' menus, and Clayton envisions some sending data and video -- perhaps even backseat movies for cars. "Just because you're No. 1 out of the gate doesn't guarantee you success," Clayton said. "The satellite radio industry has just begun." ------ On the Net: http://www.sirius.com http://www.xmsr.com APTV- 05-29-03 1427EDT (via David R. Alpert, ABC News, 818 areacode, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. DISH TV DENIED WJLA IN CONTRACT DISPUTE By John Maynard, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, June 2, 2003; Page C07 WJLA, Channel 7, vanished from the sets of local Dish Network subscribers Saturday after station owner Allbritton Communications and the satellite company failed to reach an agreement on carrying the ABC affiliate. Throughout Sunday, Dish subscribers without access to a TV antenna were denied all of WJLA's programming, including ABC's prime- time lineup of the movie "Ever After" and the series "Alias" and "The Practice." . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1349-2003Jun1.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** IRAQ. IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE, FREQUENCY | Text of report by Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) satellite TV on 3 June The Iraqi Media Network would like to inform the viewers that it broadcasts its programmes daily for an hour at 1900-2000 Baghdad time [1600-1700 gmt]. The programmes will be repeated at 1100 [local time, 0800 gmt] the following day. The programme are transmitted via Hotbird satellite on 11137 MHz, horizontal polarization. Source: Kurdistan Satellite TV, Salah-al-Din, in Sorani Kurdish 1600 gmt 3 Jun 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) What about terrestrial frequencies? Geez! ** IRAQ. A MEDIA EXPLOSION IN IRAQ --- News: Since Hussein's overthrow, dozens of newspapers and radio and TV stations are exercising freedoms not allowed in decades. Originally published Jun 2, 2003 BAGHDAD, Iraq - On one street in the capital, a vendor shouts out news he would have been arrested for trumpeting just weeks ago: "Read all about Saddam's double!" A woman skids her car to a stop and asks for a copy of Assaah - a newspaper published in Iraq without government supervision. Iraqis are now enjoying media freedoms unheard of in the eight decades since the nation was established by British colonialists. . . http://www.sunspot.net/news/nationworld/bal-te.journal02jun02,0,2757396.column?coll=bal-nationworld-utility (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** IRAQ. EXPERTS, NGOS PUSH NEW LAW FOR FREE PRESS IN IRAQ By Tomasz Janowski ATHENS, June 3 -- An international group of media experts proposed on Tuesday a plan to promote a free press in post-war Iraq after three decades of state-controlled media and censorship under former President Saddam Hussein. . . http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters06-03-080154.asp?reg=MIDEAST (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hi Glenn, Re Steve's query concerning RNZI in an earlier DXLD: I checked with Adrian Sainsbury of Radio New Zealand International and he advised me of the following: ``That is correct; after we close on 9885 the tx moves to 6095, tunes up and then goes to bed.`` (Mark Nicholls, Wellington, New Zealand, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. MAORI RADIO GOES LIVE ON THE NET Andrea Malcoom, nzoom http://technology.nzoom.com/technology_detail/0,1608,194246-113-380,00.html A Maori radio station in Tokoroa is gaining a new international audience after becoming the first iwi station to stream across the Internet. Raukawa FM went live on the Net six weeks ago and is getting 4000 hits a week. Computer consultant and site creator Colin Heke says while most of the overseas listeners are from Australia, people are also accessing from the US, UK, Canada and Taiwan. The radio station has taken advantage of a new broadband wireless service set up in Tokoroa by Auckland-based Rural Networks and the South Waikato District Council. Instead of using phone lines like Jet Stream, Rural Networks delivers fast Internet and telephone services over the air-waves. Heke says streaming across phone lines via Jet Stream would have cost about $2800 per month, which Raukawa FM couldn't afford. Instead it is paying $60 a month to stream its radio broadcasts as well as connect its PCs to the Internet. Eventually it will also use the broadband wireless connection to make phone calls at little or no extra cost. Heke has set up a direct connection from the console mixer at Raukawa FM's studio to a server. The server has a small antenna plugged into its USB port, which sends the signal to a radio transmitter/receiver tower owned by Rural Networks and the council. From there it is broadcast to cyberspace. Under Project PROBE, the government is funding the use of this technology to give people in rural areas high speed access to the Internet. The South Waikato is one of the first rural regions to get broadband wireless up and running and has applied for cash to extend it further. Check out Raukawa FM on http://www.tearahou.co.nz (Andrea Malcolm, nzoom via DXLD) ** PERU. 5996.53, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0430-0500, May 27, Spanish, Musical Program with comments by man and female announcer, tc "once de la noche con cuarenta y un minutos", music from Mexican group Mana, comunicados, ID "Melodía...", 23342, (Eramo, Argentina) 6042.56, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0459-0510, Jun 2, Spanish, musical program with comments by man announcer, ID "Melodía en el..." reiteradas menciones de Arequipa, 22332 (Nicolás Eramo, Villa Lynch, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Receivers: Icom ICR 75, Kenwood R2000, Sony ICF2010; Antennas: T2FD, V Inverted 10 mts with balun; Others: MFJ 959B Receiver Antenna Tuner/Preamplifier; DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non?]. Observed an unknown Krishnaite radio station on 20/21 May. It operates in Russian on 7436 kHz. Generally, program consists of Indian songs. I guess it the same station which broadcast last September/October under the name Radio Krishnaloka (but frequency was 7415.5 kHz those times). 21 May: 0317, 7436 kHz, music (even European songs were there!), talk about Indian coffee! Sudden switch-off at 0328. I don't know when the broadcast began. SINPO 35443. Fair audio quality, but some lack of low frequencies noted. Last year Walter Salmaniw came out with a suggestion that transmitter of Krishnaloka is located somewhere near Donetsk, Ukraine. Maybe we will be able to estimate signal origin this time? (open_dx, Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine) Indeed, they continue with some of R. Krishnaloka programming. The station provided the following info about itself: Frequency 7438 kHz has been assigned to us on secondary basis, for test transmissions. We are on the air daily at 0100-0300 UTC (0500- 0700 Moscow time). 150 W transmitter is located in Orel, Russia. Transmission is directed to central part of Russia. Uda-Yagi antenna is used, with 4...6 dB gain. (open_dx, Konstantin Gusev, Moscow, Russia) (Which is right, 7436 or 7438 kHz? --- Signal Ed.) Station's name is Radio Veda. Don't mix it up with Radio Vedo which operates from Volgograd in MW/FM! (open_dx — Vasily Guliayev, Astrakhan, Russia) (all via Signal, hard-core-dx June 2 via DXLD) ** U K. I also heard BBC time pips at 1615 UT during Europe Today, listening on C-band analog audio feed. What is the point of this additional interruption? Will they soon copy Cuba's "clock radio"? (Mike Cooper, GA, June 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx for the confirmation; afterwards I suspected it was a garbage truck backing up outside (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** U S A. GOVERNMENT WILL LAUNCH NEWS NETWORK TO COUNTER 'ANTI- AMERICAN' IMAGE --- By Shane Harris June 2, 2003 http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0603/060203h1.htm Middle East airwaves are clogged with ``hate speak --- disinformation [and] incitement to violence`` that is anti-Western and anti-American, said Norman Pattiz, one of America`s most prominent news media executives. Now, armed with a congressional mandate and more than $30 million in government funds, Pattiz and a team of media gurus are going to compete with those networks for hearts and minds on the Arab street. By the end of this year, Pattiz, the chairman of radio giant Westwood One and a member of the government`s Broadcasting Board of Governors, which runs the Voice of America radio broadcast, hopes to launch the Middle East Television Network, a U.S.-based, 24-hour satellite news and entertainment channel that will try to snatch viewers away from Qatar-based newscaster al Jazeera and a number of state-run news media outlets in the region. Pattiz has been planning the network for more than a year, after the successful launch of an Arabic-language radio channel known as Radio Sawa, he said in an interview with Government Executive. But the momentum for the network has been fueled lately by the administration`s view that Arabic news broadcasts are damaging the image of the United States. For instance, throughout the war in Iraq, al Jazeera and other Arabic networks took a critical view of U.S.-led military actions, and frequently showed images not seen in the U.S., including pictures of dead coalition troops and killed or maimed Iraqi civilians. Those images were beamed into homes and public places across the region. Pattiz has been called upon before to counter what`s perceived as the negative portrait of U.S. policy. Immediately after the end of combat in Iraq, the White House asked him to produce a U.S. news program to air in the country, he said. Pattiz used a Washington production studio to dub into Arabic nightly news broadcasts from major U.S. networks, and he also produced original news using Arabic-speaking reporters. The packages were broadcast every day for a month from special U.S. military aircraft flying over Iraq. The new Middle East network will air more than just original news and will have a decidedly Western flare, Pattiz said. A morning show, children`s programs, ``family entertainment`` and an as-yet- undetermined line-up of U.S. television shows and movies will round out the programming schedule, he said. There are ``people on the ground`` in the Middle East now conducting research about what kinds of programs potential viewers want to see, Pattiz said. ``We`re using proven American and Western broadcasting techniques, which are heavily research-driven,`` he said, adding that he`s met with Muslim associations in the U.S. to understand which American programs might offend other cultures. The airing of the U.S. news broadcasts after the war has inspired some controversy, after it was reported that the facilities used to produce the shows are run by the owner of a Christian evangelical news organization, Grace News Network. Washington-based Grace is ``dedicated to transmitting the evidence of God`s presence in the world today [and will air] aggressive proclamations that will `change the news` to reflect the Kingdom of God and His purposes,`` the network`s Web site says. Thorne Auchter, the chief operating officer, said his group had not been involved in producing the news broadcasts shown in Iraq. But he acknowledged that the organization and Grace Digital Media, which produced the segments, are owned by the same woman, Cheryl Reagan, who also runs Federal News Service. Grace Digital Media produces segments for a number of organizations, and it had no control over the editorial content of the Iraq packages, according to a Broadcasting Board of Governors spokeswoman. Pattiz said he wasn`t aware of the company`s connection to the religious group until after it began work. When the Middle East network launches, it will have to compete with another U.S.-funded project. The Iraqi Media Network, created from the remnants of the Iraqi Information Ministry, is producing broadcasts and two newspapers. It`s overseen by the Pentagon agency in charge of Iraqi reconstruction. Iraqi journalists at the network have reportedly clashed with their American overseers over programming. The Washington Post reported that the two sides have feuded over whether to air readings of the Kor`an and whether to subject news content to outside approval (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. 'RADICAL RIGHT' TAKES ANOTHER HIT RUDOLPH'S CAPTURE LATEST OF MANY FOR EXTREMISTS By BARBARA BARRETT, Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003 12:00AM EDT Eric Robert Rudolph is only the latest high-profile figure on the far right to lose his freedom or his life. Since July 2002, far-right militia and white supremacist groups have lost some key leaders to death and arrests, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which tracks hate groups. "The radical right in America is in complete disarray," said Mark Potok, editor of the center's Intelligence Report. . . [mentions ex-fugitive Steve Anderson in connexion with Eric Rudolph] Clayton Douglas, publisher of the monthly Free American magazine and host of a daily shortwave broadcast, said in an interview Monday that Rudolph had plenty of admirers. "They probably see him as somebody who actually did something other than talk about the abortion movement," said Douglas, who operates from Bingham, N.M., and whose magazine features articles such as "Jewish Domination of the Computer World." . . . http://newsobserver.com/news/story/2586908p-2400744c.html (via Jill Dybka, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC HF ACTIONS [Following are excerpts of a much longer document which can be accessed in full below; we here concentrate on broadcasting, and changes in the interaction between broadcasting and non-broadcasting stations. If you have any interest in utility services, do read it all! --- gh] [Federal Register: May 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 92)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 25512-25542] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr13my03-26] ====================================================================== FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Parts 2, 73, 74, 80, 90, and 97 [ET Docket No. 02-16; FCC 03- 39] Below 28 MHz AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission amends its rules to implement domestically various allocation decisions from International Telecommunication Union (``ITU'') World Radiocommunication Conferences concerning the frequency bands below 28 MHz. The rules update the Commission's rules so they are more consistent with international regulations, update various rule parts to affect the allocation changes, and update rules that were not recently reviewed. DATES: Effective June 12, 2003. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shameeka Parrott, Office of Engineering and Technology, (202) 418-2062, email: sparrott@fcc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Report and Order, ET Docket No. 02-16, FCC 03-39, adopted February 25, 2003, and released March 3, 2003. The full text of this Commission decision is available on the Commission's Internet site at http://www.fcc.gov It is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this document also may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Qualex International, Room CY-B402, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. Alternate formats are available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian Millin at (202) 418-7426 or TTY (202) 418-7365. Summary of the Report and Order 1. In the Report and Order, the Commission amended parts 2, 73, 74, 80, 90, and 97 of the Commission's rules to implement domestically various allocation decisions from ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences concerning the frequency bands below 28 MHz. 2. International Broadcast Frequencies. The Commission found that implementing allocation changes from World Administration Radiocommunication Conference (``WARC'') 1979 and WARC-92 concerning high frequency broadcast (``HFBC'') would significantly increase the amount of spectrum available for HFBC, and conform to international regulations. The Commission states that implementing these allocation changes would promote national interest around the world and increase the international communications provided by HFBC. 3. To provide more effective use of the WARC-79 HFBC bands, the Commission deleted the fixed service allocation from the WARC-79 bands to make these bands available exclusively to the broadcasting service. These bands are also added to the Commission's rules for international broadcast stations, which provide an additional 850 kilohertz of exclusive spectrum for international broadcasters. Federal government agencies are permitted to operate existing fixed stations in the bands 9775-9900 kHz, 11650-11700 kHz, and 11975-12050 kHz on a non-harmful interference basis to the international broadcast stations. 4. Until the transition of the WARC-92 HFBC bands to exclusive broadcasting service use becomes effective on April 1, 2007, the Commission allocated the 790 kilohertz of spectrum to the broadcasting service on a shared primary basis with existing fixed and mobile services. Consistent with changes being made to the allocation of the WARC-92 HFBC bands, the Commission ceased to issue licenses for new non-Federal government stations in the fixed and mobile services on April 1, 2001. The Commission added informational notes to part 80 (the maritime service rules) stating that radioprinter use of the bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz and Alaska private-fixed station use of the frequency 11601.5 kHz is on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HFBC. 5. The Broadcasting Board of Governors (``BBG'') filed comment in reference to limiting WARC-92 HFBC bands to single-sideband (``SSB'') technology, which BBG believed would limit flexibility and increase costs. The Commission agreed with BBG that international broadcasters would not use SSB techniques because recent ITU studies demonstrated extremely limited availability of SSB receivers. 6. Finally, the Commission amended rules that would update the international broadcasting rules to reflect current practices and make them consistent with ITU Radio Regulations. The Commission revised the frequency tolerance of 0.0015 percent of the assigned frequency to the current ITU standard of 10 hertz in Sec. 73.756(c). Given that there are few HFBC stations and many are non-profit, the Commission is grandfathering existing stations that do not meet this new standard. Also, the HFBC definitions in Sec. 73.701 of the rules are revised to reflect international requirements as specified in the WRC-97 Final Acts. Currently, the band 25600-25670 kHz is used by radio astronomy service and not by HFBC stations. Therefore, the Commission deleted this band from the list of frequencies available to HFBC stations in part 73 of the rules. With the Commission's rules now agreeing with the ITU Table of Frequency Allocations, domestic radio astronomy observations are protected in this range. The Commission also clarified the manner in which the 7100-7300 kHz band is to be used by international broadcast stations by adding cross references to the rules, and replacing the target zone map in Sec. 73.703 with the current ITU target zone map. Finally, the last sentence in Sec. 73.766 is modified by changing the highest modulating frequency from 5 kilohertz to 4.5 kilohertz to reflect a long-standing international provision. 7. AM Expanded Band. The Commission found that the public interest would be served providing additional cleared spectrum in the band 1605-1705 kHz for the AM broadcast service to improve the technical integrity of the service and to remove conflicting regulations from the Commission's rules. Obsolete service rules and frequency references for parts 74 and 90 in this band are removed in order to prevent incompatible frequency authorizations. This decision followed the Commission's deletion of the land mobile allocation from the band 1605-1705 kHz in 1983, in which frequencies within this band were inadvertently left in parts 74 and 90 of the rules. Specifically, the Commission removed the frequencies 1606 kHz, 1622 kHz, and 1646 kHz from Sec. 74.402(a)(1); the frequency 1630 kHz from Sec. 90.20(c)(3); the frequencies 1614 kHz, 1628 kHz, 1652 kHz, 1676 kHz, and 1700 kHz from Sec. 90.35 (b)(3); and the band 1605-1705 kHz from Sec. 90.263. Consistent with removing frequencies 1606 kHz, 1622 kHz, and 1646 kHz from Sec. 74.402(a)(1), the Commission also eliminated all reference to those frequencies from Sec. Sec. 74.402(a) and 74.402(e)(1) and section 74.462(b). Also, mobile travelers' information stations (``TIS'') continue to be authorized throughout the AM Expanded Band as specified in part 90 and Federal government TIS stations operating on 1610 kHz have primary status. 8. With four Industrial/Business Pool and two non-Federal government radiolocation licensees operating in the AM Expanded Band, these licensees are permitted to continue operation on a non- interference basis to AM radio and TIS stations, until the end of their current license term with no provision for renewal. If an Industrial/Business Pool or radiolocation service operation is causing interference to either an AM radio or TIS station, they will have to immediately cease transmission. The Commission found that there is sufficient alternative spectrum to meet the needs of licensees affected by this change and the Commission's staff will work with those licensees to help them find suitable alternative channels if the licensee desires. Also, no application fee will be charged to licensees of affected stations that apply for a modification to obtain alternative channels before the end of their license term. 9. In order to protect the technical integrity of the AM Expanded Band, the Commission deleted from the U.S. Table the Federal government and non-Federal government secondary radiolocation allocation in the band 1605-1705 kHz. The Commission found that these radiolocation operations can be relocated to the band 1900-2000 kHz without significant impact to current operations. Consistent with this decision, the Commission removed the band 1605-1705 kHz from the Radiolocation Service Frequency Table in Sec. 90.103 of the rules and deleted unneeded assignment limitations. The Commission had conversations with NTIA concerning the Federal government's radiolocation assignments in the sub-band 1615-1705 kHz. NTIA agreed to relocate all Federal government stations currently operating in the AM Expanded Band within one year of the adoption date of this Report and Order (February 25, 2004). In response to this, the Commission is allowing the Federal government radiolocation stations to continue to operate during this one-year transition period on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to AM or TIS stations. 10. Continued Use of Frequencies by Broadcast Auxiliary Remote Pickup Stations. The Commission is allowing broadcast auxiliary stations to continue using the band 26100-26175 kHz because use of this band by such stations is significant and their secondary status will ensure that their operation will not hinder public coast stations. A review of the Commission's licensing database showed that there were currently no public coast stations making use of the four maritime frequencies (26110 kHz, 26130 kHz, 26150 kHz, and 26170 kHz). Therefore, remote pickup stations will not impact maritime mobile operations and will allow for greater use of the radio spectrum. [large portion dealing with utility services omitted] By this action, the Commission reallocated 1640 kilohertz of spectrum from the fixed and mobile services to the broadcasting service. This action provides exclusive availability to broadcasting service in the HFBC bands. The Commission made consequential changes to various service rules that updated the rules for bands below 28000 kHz, so that they better comport with international regulations. Finally, this action clarifies the status of services in the AM Expanded Band (1605-1705 kHz). [large portion dealing with Small Business Administration qualification of utility stations omitted] * * * * * US25 The use of frequencies 26110 kHz, 26130 kHz, 26151 kHz, and 26172 kHz may be authorized to non-Federal Government remote pickup broadcast base and mobile stations on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the reception of either international broadcast stations transmitting in the band 25850-26100 kHz or to coast stations transmitting in the band 26100-26175 kHz. * * * * * US238 On the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the reception of AM broadcast stations or to travelers' information stations, Federal Government stations in the band 1615- 1705 kHz may continue operations until February 25, 2004. * * * * * US366 On April 1, 2007, the bands 5900-5950 kHz, 7300-7350 kHz, 9400-9500 kHz, 11600-11650 kHz, 12050-12100 kHz, 13570-13600 kHz, 13800-13870 kHz, 15600-15800 kHz, 17480-17550 kHz, and 18900-19020 kHz shall be allocated exclusively to the broadcasting service. Beginning April 1, 2007, frequencies in these bands may be used by stations in the fixed and mobile services, communicating only within the United States and its insular areas, on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the broadcasting service. When using frequencies for fixed and mobile services, licensees shall be limited to the minimum power needed to achieve communications and shall take account of the seasonal use of frequencies by the broadcasting service published in accordance with Article 12 of the ITU Radio Regulations. US367 On the condition that harmful interference is not caused to the broadcasting service, frequencies in the bands 9775-9900 kHz, 11650-11700 kHz, and 11975-12050 kHz may be used by Federal Government stations in the fixed service communicating within the United States and its insular areas that are authorized as of [effective date of the Report and Order published in the Federal Register]. Each such station shall be limited to a total radiated power of 24 dBW. * * * * * PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES Sec. 73.701 Definitions. * * * * * (a) International broadcast stations. A broadcasting station employing frequencies allocated to the broadcasting service between 5900 and 26100 kHz, the transmissions of which are intended to be received directly by the general public in foreign countries. (A station may be authorized more than one transmitter.) There are both Federal and non-Federal Government international broadcast stations; only the latter are licensed by the Commission and are subject to the rules of this subpart. * * * * * (f) Assigned frequencies shall be within the following bands, which are allocated on an exclusive basis to the broadcasting service: (1) 5950-6200 kHz, 9500-9900 kHz, 11650-12050 kHz, 13600-13800 kHz, 15100-15600 kHz, 17550-17900 kHz, 21450-21850 kHz, and 25670- 26100 kHz. (2) In addition, the band 7100-7300 kHz is allocated on an exclusive basis to the broadcasting service in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regions 1 and 3 as defined in 47 CFR. 2.104(b). Assignments in the band 7100-7300 kHz shall be limited to international broadcast stations located in ITU Region 3 insular areas (as defined in 47 CFR. 2.105(a), note 4) that transmit to zones and areas of reception in ITU Region 1 or 3. In addition, during the hours of 0800-1600 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) antenna gain with reference to an isotropic radiator in any easterly direction that would intersect any area in Region 2 shall not exceed 2.15 dBi, except in the case where a transmitter power of less than 100 kW is used. In this case, antenna gain on restricted azimuths shall not exceed that which is determined in accordance with equation below. Stations desiring to operate in this band must submit sufficient antenna performance information to ensure compliance with these restrictions. Permitted Gain for Transmitter powers less than 100 kW: * * * * * (3) In addition, frequencies within the following bands are assignable to the broadcasting service on an exclusive basis after April 1, 2007: 5900-5950 kHz, 7300-7350 kHz, 9400-9500 kHz, 11600- 11650 kHz, 12050-12100 kHz, 13570-13600 kHz, 13800-13870 kHz, 15600- 15800 kHz, 17480-17550 kHz, and 18900-19020 kHz (WARC-92 HFBC bands). * * * * * Sec. 73.766 Modulation and bandwidth. The percentage of modulation shall be maintained as high as possible consistent with good quality of transmission and good broadcast practice. In no case shall it exceed 100 percent on positive or negative peaks of frequent recurrence. It should not be less than 85 percent on peaks of frequent recurrence. The range of modulation frequencies shall be so controlled that the authorized bandwidth of the emission shall not be exceeded under all conditions of modulation. The highest modulating frequency shall not exceed 4.5 kHz. PART 74--EXPERIMENTAL RADIO, AUXILIARY, SPECIAL BROADCASTING AND OTHER PROGRAM DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES (1) The following table describes the bands available for radioprinter simplex communications between ship and private coast stations: Frequency Bands (kHz) 2107-2170 4750-4850 2194-2495 5060-5450 2505-2850 5700-5950 \1\ 3155-3400 7300-8100 \1\ 4438-4650 \1\ After April 1, 2007, use of the sub-bands 5900-5950 kHz and 7300-7350 kHz shall be on the condition that harmful interference is not caused to HF broadcasting. * * * * * (i) * * * Private Communications in Alaska Carrier Frequencies (kHz) 1619.0 \3\ * * * 1622.0 \3\ 1643.0 \3\ 1646.0 \3\ 1649.0 \3\ 1652.0 \3\ 1705.0 \3\ * * * * * * * * \3\ Use of these frequencies is on a secondary basis to Region 2 broadcasting. * * * * * (via Benn Kobb, May 18, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC EASES MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES PARTY-LINE VOTE CLEARS WAY FOR MORE CONSOLIDATION By Frank Ahrens, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page A01 A sharply divided Federal Communications Commission relaxed or eliminated several key media ownership restrictions yesterday, arguing that the decades-old rules were out of date with a rapidly changing media landscape populated by hundreds of cable, satellite and Internet choices. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5555-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) Get ready for television to degrade into what radio has. We will see what happened because of this for many years to come (Kevin Redding, NRC FMTV via DXLD) http://www.msnbc.com/news/920341.asp?0cv=CB10 FCC EASES MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES REPUBLICAN-LED COMMISSION PASSES MEASURE WITH 3-2 VOTE Breaking News Associated Press WASHINGTON, June 2 --- Federal regulators relaxed decades-old rules restricting media ownership Monday, permitting companies to buy more television stations and own a newspaper and a broadcast outlet in the same city. THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 -- along party lines --- to adopt a series of changes favored by media companies. These companies argued that existing ownership rules were outmoded on a media landscape that has been substantially altered by cable TV, satellite broadcasts and the Internet. Critics say the eased restrictions would likely lead to a wave of mergers landing a few giant media companies in control of even more of what the public sees, hears and reads. The decision was a victory for FCC Chairman Michael Powell, who has faced growing criticism from diverse interests opposed to his move toward deregulation. ``Our actions will advance our goals of diversity and localism,`` Powell said. He said the old restrictions were too outdated to survive legal challenges and the FCC ``wrote rules to match the times.`` The FCC said a single company can now own TV stations that reach 45 percent of U.S. households instead of 35 percent. The major networks wanted the cap eliminated, while smaller broadcasters said a higher cap would allow the networks to gobble up stations and take away local control of programming. The FCC largely ended a ban on joint ownership of a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same city. The provision lifts all ``cross-ownership`` restrictions in markets with nine or more TV stations. Smaller markets would face some limits and cross-ownership would be banned in markets with three or fewer TV stations. The agency also eased rules governing local TV ownership so one company can own two television stations in more markets and three stations in the largest cities such as New York and Los Angeles. ``The more you dig into this order the worse things get,`` said Michael Copps, one of the commission`s Democrats. He said the changes empowers ``a new media elite`` to control news and entertainment. Fellow Democrat Jonathan Adelstein said the changes are ``likely to damage the media landscape for decades to come.`` The rule changes are expected to face court challenges from media companies wanting more deregulation and consumer groups seeking stricter restrictions. The FCC also changed how local radio markets are defined to correct a problem that has allowed companies to exceed ownership limits in some areas. The government adopted the ownership rules between 1941 and 1975 to encourage competition and prevent monopoly control of the media. A 1996 law requires the FCC to study ownership rules every two years and repeal or modify regulations determined to be no longer in the public interest. Many previous proposed changes were unfinished or were sent back to the FCC after court challenges. As the vote approached, opposition intensified. Critics bought television and newspaper ads, wrote letters and e-mails, and demonstrated outside television stations owned by major media companies. Some ads took on Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owns Fox News Channel, 20th Century Fox TV and film studios, the New York Post and other media properties. Murdoch told a Senate committee last month he has no plan for a media buying spree after the changes, other than his proposed acquisition of DirecTV, the nation`s largest satellite television provider. The critics of eased rules include consumer advocates, civil rights and religious groups, small broadcasters, writers, musicians, academicians and the National Rifle Association. They say most people still get news mainly from television and newspapers, and combining the two is dangerous because those entities will not monitor each other and provide differing opinions. Large newspaper companies such as Tribune Co. and Gannett Inc. wanted the ``cross-ownership`` ban lifted. ``Newspaper-owed television stations program more and better news and public affairs than any other stations,`` said John Sturm, president of the Newspaper Association of America. News Corp. and Viacom Inc., which owns CBS and UPN, stand to benefit from a higher national TV ownership cap because mergers have left them above the 35 percent level. Those companies, along with NBC, persuaded an appeals court last year to reject that cap and send it back to the FCC for revision. Lawmakers have split mainly along party lines. Democrats demand more public scrutiny of the changes while Republicans support Powell. Some lawmakers critical of the FCC have proposed legislation to counter relaxed regulations (via Kevin Redding, NRC-FMTV via DXLD) UPDATE 2-U.S. FCC LOOSENS MEDIA OWNERSHIP LIMITS Mon June 2, 2003 12:39 PM ET By Jeremy Pelofsky WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators on Monday narrowly approved sweeping new rules that will allow television broadcasters to expand their reach, despite fears about reducing the diversity of viewpoints. The Republican-led Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to allow the broadcast networks to own television stations that reach 45 percent of the U.S. audience, up from 35 percent. Citing a need to update decades-old rules to reflect new sources of entertainment, information and news via cable television and the Internet, the FCC also voted to lift a ban that prevents a company from owning both a newspaper and a television or radio station in the same market -- except in cases involving the smallest markets. "I have heard the concerns expressed by the public about excessive consolidation," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said ahead of the vote. "They have introduced a note of caution in the choices we have made." The two Democrats on the FCC opposed relaxing the regulations, arguing that the changes would concentrate ownership in the hands of a few, reduce the diversity of viewpoints and stifle reporting of local news. "The Federal Communications Commission empowers America's new media elite with unacceptable levels of influence over the ideas and information upon which our society and our democracy depend," said Commissioner Michael Copps. The FCC is required to review media ownership rules every two years, but the revamping follows federal appeals court criticism that the agency had not justified the need for them. Stocks of some companies affected by the decision rose, including a 3 percent gain in shares of Viacom Inc. VIAb.N , which owns the CBS and UPN networks. Clear Channel Communications Inc. CCU.N shares rose 4.7 percent, despite the radio company's disappointment with the decision. FCC VOTE PROTESTED Code Pink, a women's peace group, tried to disrupt the FCC vote singing "Mass deregulation of the mass communication is the end of democracy." They were escorted from the commission meeting room by police. Media conglomerates had lobbied the FCC to further relax or eliminate the rules, while consumer groups and smaller broadcasters sought strict regulations. Industry experts think the new rules will likely be challenged in the courts. While some critics expect a rash of media mergers based on the new rules, industry analysts have cautioned investors against expecting a gold rush. Under the new rules, a company can own two television stations in markets where there are at least five stations, as long as one is not in the top four, based on ratings. A company would be permitted to own three stations in markets where there are 18 stations, such as Los Angeles. In markets with nine television stations, a company can own a daily newspaper, a television station and several radio stations. In markets with four to eight television stations, there would be stricter limits on cross ownership. The FCC kept in place a ban on mergers among the four largest television networks -- ABC owned by Walt Disney Co. DIS.N , CBS, News Corp.'s NCP.AX Fox network, and NBC, run by General Electric GE.N . The FCC also revamped how radio markets are defined to prevent a company from owning all the stations in a town and left intact the maximum number of radio stations a company can own, up to eight in markets where there are 45 radio stations. (via Fred Vobbe, NRC FMTV via DXLD) This link has a different perspective on today's FCC action, pointing out today's "spectrum shortage" may be only a temporary phenomenon and we may be on the verge of a chunk of the RF spectrum for everybody: http://www.techcentralstation.com/1051/techwrapper.jsp?PID=1051- 250&CID=1051-060203D (Harry Helms, W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, June 2, NRC-AM via DXLD) Ironically, Clear Channel is *NOT* happy with yesterday's action. Their press release http://www.clearchannel.com/documents/press_releases/20030602_Corp_FCCStatement.pdf says in part: "Clear Channel is deeply disappointed with today's FCC vote to re-regulate the radio industry. ... This FCC action will extinguish the substantial consumer benefits brought on by radio deregulation in 1996." Unfortunately, the release doesn't specify which provisions of the changes CC doesn't like. My guess is it has to do with the decision to switch from signal coverage to Arbitron market boundaries when enforcing the radio multiple-ownership regulations. As an example, under the old regulations, if you owned eight radio stations in Middle Tennessee including WRLG-FM in Smyrna, you could still buy WJOI-FM in Springfield, because WJOI's coverage area doesn't intersect with WRLG's. However, both stations are in the Nashville Arbitron market. Under the new regulations, you *couldn't* buy WJOI, as it would put you over the limit. On the other hand, when counting how many stations exist in a market, the FCC is now counting non-commercial stations too. Under the old rules, Madison, Wis. had seven AM stations and 14 FMs for a total of 21. Now, the seven non-commercial stations will count too, giving Madison a total of 28. (still not enough to put it into the 30-station bracket but getting close |grin|) == (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, June 3, WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) C-SPAN had extensive coverage of the historic FCC session and reaxion to it; and plans to cover congressional hearings Wednesday morning with Commissioners testifying; but on CSPAN-3 --- does anyone really get that? I suppose it be webcast (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. TV NEWS THAT LOOKS LOCAL, EVEN IF IT'S NOT By JIM RUTENBERG with MICHELINE MAYNARD June 2, 2003 When viewers in Flint, Mich., tuned in to the Fox 66 "News at 10" last Thursday night, the station's resident firebrand, Mark Hyman, was at the ready to serve up some passionate punditry. "Black, Asian and Hispanic seniors are graduating from colleges this spring in ethnically themed ceremonies that are out of bounds for whites," Mr. Hyman, the station's commentator, inveighed. Before passing the camera's attention back to his colleagues on the Flint news team, he added, "Segregated ceremonies have no place in America's college campuses." If Mr. Hyman's tan looked out of place in central Michigan, or if his commentary seemed ill suited to a city with a large population of minority groups, there was good reason. Mr. Hyman was actually in a studio just outside Baltimore, not sharing a set with the Flint news team. As he does most nights, Mr. Hyman also addressed audiences of local news programs in cities across the country, including Pittsburgh, Oklahoma City and Rochester, from right where he sat in Hunt Valley, Md. Mr. Hyman is part of a national team of anchors, commentators and weathercasters that, when plans are complete, will report for all 62 television stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair calls it "Central Casting." To the company, it is an efficient way to cut the costs of local journalism, bringing news to small stations that otherwise would go without. But to opponents of a proposal before the Federal Communications Commission to loosen media ownership rules, the set in Maryland is a frightening sign of things to come. Today the commission is expected to enact new rules that will allow media companies to increase the percentage of the national television audience they can reach from 35 to possibly 45. It is also expected to make it easier for companies to own two or even three stations in a single market or a newspaper and television station in a single market. For all of the derision local news sometimes takes for segments about surfing dogs or waterskiing squirrels, it has become a focal point in the complicated debate over media consolidation. Several civic groups have warned that the more stations a company like Sinclair can own, the more likely that company will make all those stations similar often based on its own out-of-town taste or political disposition. "The goal is homogenization in order to contain costs," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, a group fighting deregulation. "But that homogenization creates a kind of cookie-cutter blandness." Station owners say that such predictions overlook the complexities of the television business: broadcast stations ultimately succeed by offering viewers quality newscasts with unique local programming. "We don't want to be limited in our ability to grow because of some bogeyman out there," said Fred Reynolds, president of the Viacom Television Stations Group. Those opposed to deregulation say that there is already an example that proves Mr. Reynolds's bogeyman could become real for the American television audience: Clear Channel Communications. After the F.C.C. loosened radio station ownership caps in the mid-1990's, Clear Channel's radio group grew from 36 stations to nearly 1,200. It has been criticized for having similar music lineups across the country, and for passing off some D.J.'s who are really in San Diego or other cities as if they were broadcasting directly from stations in smaller towns. (The company says it has only done this in a small percentage of its stations and that it gives its local program directors far more control than its critics acknowledge.) "We can point to experience on the radio side as the canary in the mine shaft, showing where we're going," said Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president of the Media Access Project, a consumer advocacy group. Advocates like Mr. Schwartzman cite various examples where consolidated television station ownership, which was allowed to occur under waivers from the commission, has led to the loss of a distinct local news voice. For instance, after Viacom acquired KCAL-TV in Los Angeles last year it merged its news operations with the CBS station it owns there, turning two separate newsrooms into one. Likewise, Clear Channel merged the news operations of its two television stations in Jacksonville, Fla., WAWS and WTEV. But Sinclair has caused the most stir with Central Casting. The experiment began in late October at Sinclair's Flint station, WSMH, a Fox affiliate. WSMH's new 10 p.m. newcast begins with a Flint- based team that presents seven minutes of local news. After a commercial break, an anchor on a similar set in Maryland presents national and international news, which is also delivered live to other Sinclair stations around the country with a graphic that labels it "News Central." At another point, the Flint-based anchor may banter about the frigid local weather with one of the meteorologists in the Maryland studio who will act as if he were in Flint. On Friday, Scott Padgett, a Sinclair anchor in Baltimore, said there would be a high of "57 for us here in Flint." With such centralized reports, said Mr. Hyman, who doubles as Sinclair's vice president for corporate relations, the Flint station could finally afford a news program. On its own, he said, the station would have needed the 30 or more staff members its competitors employ to produce news programs. With help from the central Sinclair news desk, he said, it needs only 18. "What we're doing we could not do if we only had a single station in Flint," Mr. Hyman said. And the station's news staff, he said, is free to focus on local issues. Since October, Sinclair has rolled out Central Casting to Raleigh, N.C., Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh and Rochester. In the next 60 days, seven more markets are to get the feed, including Tampa, Fla., and Birmingham, Ala. The centralized news desk, Mr. Hyman said, will ultimately allow the company to bring news programs to 30 news-bereft television stations most of them WB, UPN or Fox affiliates in medium and small markets. The other Sinclair stations that do have local news programs will also become part of the system, sharing camera time with the staff members at Central Casting. Most of the local news programs' sets will eventually be identical to the one in Maryland, Mr. Hyman said. Instead of criticizing the company, Mr. Hyman said, advocates "ought to be applauding us." But Sinclair's new newscasts have received mixed reviews. James Bleicher, news director of the ABC station in Flint, WJRT, credited Sinclair with introducing a news program to an area that could use more and for showing some initiative in its local reporting. For instance, on Friday it included a locally produced "investigation" into whether warehouse clubs were cheaper than local grocery stores. But, he said, "It's a pretty disjointed newcast there's a local segment and then they go away. They've had very little connectivity with the home audience here." (The New York Times Company owns stations that compete with those owned by Sinclair in Oklahoma City, Des Moines, Iowa, and Norfolk, Va.) Many of Sinclair's competitors said they would not follow its lead too closely, because they would not want to risk losing the connection they have with their audience. "If you consistently air a high-quality, serious newscast that reflects a local community's interests, you can create this kind of durable relationship with viewers that is a powerful asset from a business point of view," said Robert W. Decherd, chief executive of Belo, an owner of television stations and newspapers. Mr. Reynolds of Viacom said: "We're in the business of making money. The more diverse you are, the bigger audience you'll garner. Why in the world would we want to have the same voice across multiple television stations?" Though critics in Los Angeles have complained that the same reporters have shown up on both Viacom-owned stations there, Mr. Reynolds said, the one newsroom now serving them has more people to devote to big local stories than the separate newsrooms had combined. Others, like the News Corporation, note that they have resisted merging news divisions at the stations they own in the same markets. But opponents of deregulation said the media companies were on their best civic behavior so as not to cause any controversy while the F.C.C. makes a decision in their favor. "They're sitting, waiting for the sword of consolidation to fall," said Mona Mangan, executive director of the Writers Guild of America East, which represents screen writers. "We have every confidence that the economies of scale will prove irresistible to these corporations." Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) MEGA-MEDIA: BETTER OR MORE OF THE SAME? TAMPA NEWS OPERATION MAY BE A SAMPLE OF THE FUTURE UNDER THE FCC'S RULING --- By Paul Farhi, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page C01 It wasn't hard to find the big story in Tampa yesterday. News of the arrest of Tampa Bay Buccaneers football player Michael Pittman on domestic violence charges appeared in the Tampa Tribune, again on the Tribune's Web site, again on TV station WFLA's Web site and yet again on TBO.com, a local news portal. In every case, however, it was the same story, written by a single Tampa Tribune reporter, Katherine Smith. As it happens, all the media that carried Smith's story are owned by the same company, Media General Inc. of Richmond. It is, perhaps, a vision of what's to come for the news media. Yesterday, federal regulators voted to sweep aside long-standing rules that have prevented other cities from adopting Tampa's radical experiment in media convergence. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5384-2003Jun2.html (via Kriag Krist, DXLD) MEDIA GIANTS HINT THAT THEY MIGHT BE EXPANDING FIRMS EYE NEWSPAPERS, TV STATIONS IN NEW AREAS FOR THEM By Alec Klein and David A. Vise, Washington Post Staff Writers, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page A06 The mighty of the media industry will grow mightier while smaller competitors fall by the wayside. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5450-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) BITTER ATMOSPHERE ENVELOPS FCC UNDER CHAIRMAN POWELL, PANEL MEMBERS MANEUVER, CRITICIZE By Christopher Stern, Washington Post Staff Writer, Tuesday, June 3, 2003; Page E01 Yesterday's decision by the Federal Communications Commission marks the second time this year that the agency's five commissioners have ended a long and fierce debate with a split vote, underscoring the sometimes bitter atmosphere at the agency during the tenure of Chairman Michael K. Powell.. .. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5415-2003Jun2.html (via Kraig Krist, DXLD) ** U S A. FIRE DESTROYS KMYR TRANSMITTER WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Instead of hearing Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima and other stars of the swing era, Wichita radio listeners will find only static at 1410 AM after fire destroyed the transmitter for station KMYR. "It'll be off the air for a while," KMYR general manager Terry Atherton said. "We have no transmitter. It was all burned up." Authorities were investigating the cause of the Saturday night fire. No one was in the building at the time, and there were no injuries, Wichita Fire Chief Rich Harris said. Damage was estimated at $150,000 to the building and $250,000 to the contents. Atherton said he discovered the fire Saturday evening when he went to investigate why KMYR had gone off the air. The station broadcasts with sister station KSGL, and the signal is sent by microwave to the transmitting station. "I saw smoke coming out and hoped it might be a grass fire, but in my gut I knew it wasn't," Atherton said. "I was on the phone immediately to the fire department because, while unlocking the door, I saw the smoke pour out." Atherton said he hoped to get KMYR back on the air soon, possibly with a temporary transmitter. The station plays mostly popular music from the 1930s through the '60s, and the destroyed building itself was a bit of local radio history. "It dates back to the '50s," Atherton said. "It used to be KWBB, and I'm sure some people will remember that." (Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-06-02-03 1920CDT (via Rob Zerwekh http://kcradio.tripod.com http://zerwekh.hypermart.net NRC FMTV via DXLD) [Longer version of above, including street addresses]: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/5993389.htm (via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ** U S A. There's a whole website devoted to NBC Monitor, with lots of recordings including the "Monitor Beacon" itself: http://www.monitorbeacon.com (Randy Stewart/Springfield MO, June 1, NRC-AM via DXLD) The following is taken from the website: And there was The Beacon -- the unforgettable "Monitor" Beacon. (Pat) Weaver loved the sound -- but RCA (NBC's owner) board chairman David Sarnoff hated it. "He didn't know anything," Weaver said in a personal interview. "He thought it would irritate people because it irritated him. I said, 'General, we don't care about, really, about what you think because, you know, we're really doing it for the population. I don't expect you to listen to the show.'" You can download the "beacon" at the website (Wally Wawro, WFAA-TV Dallas, TX, ibid.) In my first radio job, at KCOV-1240, Corvallis, Oregon, I invented a late night telephone request program called "Rotinom." One of Monitor's slogans was "Going Places, Doing Things." Rotinom's slogan was "Going Places, Doing Things -- To People." For our theme song, we took The Three Suns' version of "The Theme From La Strada," a.k.a. "You and You Alone," and played the 45 rpm version at 78. I had introduced a B.M.O.C. at Oregon State, Bud Dellar, to the station owner and Dellar, who was large, became Rotinom's primary host when I went day shift . . . "Bud Dellar, the Big, Round Feller." We even printed membership cards, which became quite popular, for the "Royal Order of Typical, Idiotic, Nauseating, Overeating Mastadons." We never heard a thing about the program from the owner/manager. We didn't run it by him at the beginning, we just did it. We were competing, in a way, with the other 10-to-midnight show in Corvallis, "Night Train," with the old Buddy Morrow version of the song as theme, which was just a local DJ show, played straight. Most exciting response came one evening when I went to a movie house and, in the warm-up music played on the theater turntable, they played "You and You Alone" by the Three Suns at regular speed, and throughout the theater, people yelled out "Rotinom." KCOV's studios were in the basement of the Corvallis Hotel, and on Rotinom, we called ourselves Corvallis' only underground radio station. This was in 1955, before underground radio reached the surface of awareness. It was on Rotinom that I put three copies of Elvis' "Mystery Train," already heavily loaded with echo effect, on three separate turntables, and released the three versions a split second apart from each other. I doubt you'll find "Rotinom" anywhere on the web. Cep'n hyar (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) Monitor began June 12, 1955, according to a little monitorbeacon.com website research . . . and continued 'til the end of 1975, when the handwriting was on the wall because the major market NBC radio affiliates determined there was more income from local personality DJs. Monitor was news oriented, but Bob and Ray regularly and other comedians occasionally spoofed the news. At KCOV we began our Rotinom spoof not long after Monitor began. I recalled particularly hearing Bob and Ray with regular segments on Monitor, but I wasn't absolutely certain (until I checked the website) that it was on "Monitor" or on "The Big Show," which NBC aired Sundays 1950-53. "The Big Show" was more entertainment oriented. Tallulah Bankhead, she of the ostentatious voice and the darling ego, was hostess for "The Big Show," which in turn got spoofed by other comedy shows on network radio. I recall one comedian established a character called "Tura Lura Lunkhead." Anyone else remember "The Big Show?" Wait. Bob and Ray may have been mainstays on "The Big Show," too, because in 1949-51, when I and a bunch of other high school underclassmen were warting KRUL-1340 and I was using the nom de plume (or nom d'aire),"Serutan Yob," stolen from the old Red Ingle satire, I fantasized being on local DJ Don Gay's program in a segment called "Inside Yob and Gay." (Not to be confused with the movie "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay," back when "gay" meant light-hearted and hopelessly romantic.) (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) ** U S A. After reviewing my tapes from 5/30, I found at 8:00 pm [MDT? = 0200 UT 5/31] I got KFTU ch. 3, Douglas AZ, running Telefutura (//KTAZ ch. 24). This is a new one but will probably be a regular. 73 (Frank N7SOK Aden, Boise ID, NRC FMTV via DXLD) I remember seeing the allocation for ch 3 in Douglas ages ago and wondering if it would ever, ever, be used (gh, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. CHÁVEZ SAYS NEW MEDIA BILL TO BE PASSED DESPITE OPPOSITION | Excerpt from report by Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional web site on 31 May President Hugo Cháez has declared that the Radio and Television Social Responsibility Bill will be passed despite media rejection. "They will not defeat the country (...) [ellipsis as published] the bill goes, that bill has to go, it must be implemented," he indicated. The chief of state claims the new legislation is a "national clamour," and that it will be passed regardless of it being described as a gag law against freedom of speech. "Previously, they used to blackmail and scare governments. We debated the bill they are trying to Satanize," he noted. Chávez argued that the new law will generate "freedom and equality," explaining that the only information "gagging" in Venezuela took place when the media omitted his reinstatement to power following the coup that overthrew him in April 2002. "All around the world there are similar or comparable laws that regulate the media, except here in Venezuela, because there never was any political will to pass them," he added. [Passage omitted] Source: El Nacional web site, Caracas, in Spanish 31 May 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ CHRISTIAN VISION TO JOIN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva – Christian Vision will commence its live, scheduled, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. Its transmissions will debut in conjunction with DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva, during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. ``Christian Vision is thrilled to provide DRM programming for this landmark occasion, and beyond,`` says Tim Boxall, Station Manager for The Voice. ``We anticipate that DRM will improve the listening experience for our worldwide audience.`` Christian Vision has been an associate member of the DRM consortium since 2001. The Voice, until now known as Christian Voice International, is the English language service of Christian Vision. The DRM broadcasts of the Voice will originate from England using transmission facilities provided by DRM member VT Merlin Communications Ltd, and will be targeting Western Europe each Monday, commencing June 16th. Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands, Swedish Radio International, DeutschlandRadio and T-Systems have also announced their participation in DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event. In the coming weeks, more of the world`s best-known broadcasters and network operators will confirm their participation in DRM`s historic moment. DRM is the world`s only non-proprietary, digital system for short- wave, medium-wave/AM and long-wave with the ability to use existing frequencies and bandwidth across the globe. With clear, near-FM quality sound that offers a dramatic improvement over analogue, DRM will revitalize the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz. The DRM consortium`s membership is higher than ever – 81 members from 30 countries. DRM reached an important milestone in January 2003, when the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC) gave the DRM on-air system its highest stamp of approval – International Standard. Commercial DRM-capable receivers are expected to be available in markets worldwide in the next few years. About Christian Vision Christian Vision is a non-profit charitable company founded in the United Kingdom in 1988. It is committed to bringing people into relationship with Jesus and has developed a number of global strategies to achieve this, including ``Touch a Billion`` and ``Impact a Nation``. The Touch a Billion project includes using media and particularly radio to reach people in the world`s major languages, providing a continuous and contemporary service to act as a trusted friend for the listener. Christian Vision has studio and transmission facilities in UK, USA, Chile, Zambia and Australia. More information can be found at http://www.christianvision.com (via Siriol Jane Evans, DRM) THALES BROADCAST & MULTIMEDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN DRM`S INAUGURAL BROADCASTS ON JUNE 16, 2003 Geneva, June 3rd, 2003 – Thales Broadcast & Multimedia will participate in the world`s first, daily Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) broadcasts on June 16th, 2003. In cooperation with TéléDiffusion de France (TDF), Thales will install a medium-wave/AM transmitter in Mont Salève, France, and the content will be provided by Radio France, for use in DRM`s Inaugural Broadcasts event in Geneva during the International Telecommunications Union`s (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC 2003). Thales will also coordinate key aspects of DRM`s live demonstrations on-site. The precise moment of the world`s first DRM broadcasts will be marked at a spectacular reception at Geneva`s Château de Penthes. Thales Broadcast & Multimedia was a founding member of DRM. ``Thales has been involved in the building of the DRM system, and its progress toward universal standardization, since day one,`` says Pierre Vasseur, who is Director, Advanced Business at Thales Broadcast & Multimedia, Vice-Chairman of DRM`s Commercial Committee and Chairman of the Joint Rapporteur Group ITU-IEC. ``Thales is delighted to devote staff and resources toward DRM`s successful debut on June 16th.`` (via Siriol Jane Evans, DRM, June 3, DXLD) ###