DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-185, October 20, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser IMPORTANT NOTE: our hotmail accounts are being phased out. Please do not use them any further, but instead woradio at yahoo.com or wghauser at yahoo.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 [note change] http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3j.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 1203: RFPI: Wed 0100, 0730, 1330 on 7445 [nominal times, often late] WWCR: Wed 0930 on 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1203 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1203h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1203h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1203.html WORLD OF RADIO 1203 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1203.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1203.rm SEPTEMBER DXLD HTML ARCHIVE is now available, altho we have not yet completed final edit for correxions and cross-references: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3i.html DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS, with thanks to Bill Brady for handling it the past year, is again being maintained by John Norfolk, and we already have a new edition forseeing the B-03 season: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html WOR/COM/MR RADIO SCHEDULE now includes a tentative B-03 time-shifted preview: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html THORD KNUTSSON RIP I was shocked to read in the latest edition of Glenn Hauser's DX Listening Digest that Thord Knutsson, Arctic Radio Club Latin America editor and long time WRTH collaborator, passed away on 8th October after a short illness. I only met Thord in person on a couple of occasions, but over the 19 years I was at WRTH I came to respect his loyalty, commitment and dedication to the publication, and of course his detailed knowledge of the mediumwave scene in Latin America. My condolences to his family, friends and fellow members of the Arctic Radio Club. The hobby of DXing, and the WRTH, have lost a good and valued friend (Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog Oct 19 via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6192.76, Radio Bosques, Buenos Aires province, (local free station), 1105-1135, October 19. Spanish. Tests with the same song ("Menta & Limon", by Roque Narvaja). At 1110 s/on. Popular songs. ID at 1123 as: "Usted está sintonizando a Radio Bosques, desde Buenos Aires, en la República Argentina"; another ID: "Desde Buenos Aires, ésta es R.A.L., Radiodifusión Argentina Libre, Buenos Aires, República Argentina, Sudamérica". Songs by Jean Franco Pagliaro. Greetings to DXer Gabriel Iván Barrera! And congratulations to Grupo Radioescucha Argentino! Ann.: "el cuarto año de emisión de Radio Bosques, ya que a principios de noviembre cumplimos 4 años....". They offer a QSL card for each correct reception report and the speaker talks about a DX program in the next transmissions: "Contacto DX" and requests logs and collaborations for the DX corner. More popular songs. 44444 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Once again this week, on RVi Radio World, Frans Vossen forgot to mention the frequency for the 1130 English broadcast to Asia --- probably replaying tape of last week as he usually does around seasonal changes. Wim Jansen, RVi director, was interviewed mainly about satellite changes, adding that Russia dropped their rates, so relays to Eu and As have been raised from 100 to 250 kW. Petropavlovsk site has been replaced by Irkutsk for relays to Asia, still no frequency mentioned! (Glenn Hauser, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM [non]. TDP put the new B03 relay schedule online during the weekend: http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Denge Mezopotamya 0500-0900 15675 mtwtfss Kurdish 0900-1700 11530 mtwtfss Kurdish Radio Free Vietnam 1230-1300 9930 mtwtfs. Vietnamese Que Huong Radio 1330-1400 9930 mtwtfs. Vietnamese Voice of Khmer Kampuchea-Krom 1400-1500 11560 .t..... Khmer Raadiyoo Sagalee Qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo 1700-1730 12120 m..t... Oromo Sagalee Oromiyaa (temporarily off the air) 1730-1800 12120 m..t... Oromo Mezopotamian Radio & Television 1700-1800 7560 .tw.f.. Kurdish Dejen Radio 1700-1800 12120 .....s. Tigrigna Radio Solidarity (temporarily off the air) 1700-1800 12120 ......s Tigrigna Voice of Komala 1700-1800 7560 ......s Farsi Radio Alislah 1800-2000 15705 mtwtfss Arabic Voice of Ethiopian Medhin 1830-1930 12120 ......s Amharic Radio Ezra 1900-1930 7560 ......s English TDPradio 2000-2100 7560 .....s. English Fang Guang Ming Radio 2100-2200 6035 mtwtfss Chinese (TDP via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Enjoy it while you can; TDP never got around to updating their A-03 schedule despite numerous changes and cancellations. And a new one has a link at the Whose page, with a map of Sa`udi Arabia, but it is not yet registered if you click on it: http://www.tajdeed.net Al-Asr still has a WHOSE link and logo, never having made a SW appearance, AFAIK, and a number of others on that page are no-shows (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. WATCHDOG DISTURBED BY ATTACKS ON MEDIA OUTLETS AND JOURNALISTS | Text of press release by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on 17 October New York, 17 October, 2003 - The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed that several media outlets and journalists have been attacked or threatened this week during month-long antigovernment protests that threaten to topple the Bolivian government. On Wednesday, 15 October, unidentified attackers blew up the transmission equipment at TV station Canal 13 and Catholic radio station Radio Pio XII, both based in the city of Oruro, forcing the outlets off the air. According to Radio Pio XII journalist Grover Alejandro, listeners began calling the station at around 6 p.m. to report that they had lost Canal 13's signal, which had been intermittently feeding its audio signal from Radio Pio XII's broadcasts. About 15 minutes later, more listeners called saying they could not receive the radio station's signal. Other callers said they had heard two explosions. Alejandro told CPJ that a security guard on the hill where the transmitters are located said that several hooded men armed with handguns had subdued him and detonated two bombs, destroying the equipment. Both Radio Pio XII, which is affiliated with the Educacion Radiofonica de Bolivia (ERBOL) radio network, and Canal 13, which is run by the Technical University of Oruro, have extensively covered the mass protests against the government. University officials blamed the attack on the government, according to the Oruro daily La Patria. Radio Pio XII remains off the air, while Canal 13 was able to resume broadcasting using old equipment, according to Alejandro. Also on 15 October, army officers threatened Carlos Colque Muriel, ERBOL's correspondent in Patacamaya, while he was covering clashes between miners and the army in the town, located 62 miles (100 kilometers) south of the capital, La Paz. Colque told CPJ that he was hit in the back with a rubber bullet fired by soldiers but suffered no injuries, apparently because the bullet was fired from a long distance. According to Colque, while he was reporting, soldiers pointed their guns at him several times. The La Paz weekly Pulso reported that its special 15 October issue, which contained an editorial calling on President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada to resign, had been "partially confiscated." According to Gustavo Guzman, Pulso's editor-in-chief, several individuals in a green van who pretended to be Pulso staff members confiscated copies of the weekly in a southern area of La Paz. Newspaper vendors later confirmed those reports to the weekly. Pulso, which circulated normally in the rest of the city, also discovered that someone had been buying copies in large numbers in a northern area of La Paz. Guzman said they suspect that government officials might have been attempting to take copies of the weekly out of circulation. The La Paz daily El Diario, too, claimed that unidentified individuals had confiscated several copies of its 15 October edition, which included an article discussing Sanchez de Lozada's possible resignation. Also on 15 October, supporters of the opposition Movement towards Socialism (MAS) attacked Eduardo Pinzon, a Spanish cameraman with Radio Television Espanola, according to local news reports. Local TV channels Canal 36-Cadena A and Radio Television Popular suspended broadcasting for several hours because of reported threats, according to the Santa Cruz daily El Deber. In the midst of this crisis, Bolivian government officials have accused some media outlets of inciting the population to commit illegal acts, including "sedition." However, the government has taken no legal action against any journalists or their employers. The antigovernment protests, which began about a month ago in La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto and then spread to the rest of the nation, rallied union workers, members of neighborhood associations, miners, students, and coca growers against government plans to develop a pipeline to export natural gas from Bolivia, a landlocked country, through Chile. However, after the government violently repressed the protests, killing more than 50 people and injuring hundreds, demonstrators broadened their demands to include the president's resignation. "The Bolivian government must guarantee press freedom and protect journalists in the current crisis," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper. "Furthermore, officials should open an investigation immediately to determine if government authorities had anything to do with the confiscation of the newspapers." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists press release, New York, in English 17 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Amigos, Tenho algo bastante interessante para informar. Através das Ondas Curtas, aqui no Brasil, há uma emissora de rádio que transmite na freqüência de 5990 KHz (faixa de 49 metros). Se trata da Rádio Senado. A Rádio Senado transmite de Brasília, especialmente para as regiões Norte e Nordeste. A Rádio Senado começou a operar em Ondas Curtas com o objetivo de ampliar o acesso da população à informação sobre os trabalhos legislativos. A transmissão foi iniciada em maio de 2001. No primeiro ano, a Rádio Senado OC limitou-se a retransmitir integralmente a programação da Rádio Senado FM. Em fevereiro de 2002, uma programação diferenciada começou a ser oferecida em horário restrito, das 7h às 8h da manhã, com um programa de variedades. O horário foi ampliado, pouco a pouco, passando a três horas diárias no final de 2002. Com a criação de um núcleo de produção específico, a grade de programação da Rádio Senado Ondas Curtas foi reestruturada em maio de 2003, quando a emissora passou a ocupar, com programas dirigidos especificamente ao público-alvo, todos os horários não cobertos pela transmissão das Sessões Plenárias e das reuniões das Comissões. A programação da Rádio Senado Ondas Curtas é especialmente dirigida para as regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil, além do estado de Mato Grosso e do norte de Goiás. A linguagem é diferenciada, num formato didático e popular, com o objetivo de uma comunicação mais eficaz com o público alvo. A meta é mostrar ao ouvinte como as decisões tomadas no Senado podem influenciar o seu dia-a-dia. As reuniões de comissões e as Sessões Plenárias são transmitidas ao vivo e na íntegra, simultâneamente com a Rádio Senado FM. Portanto, essa emissora merece nosso aplauso, pois podemos tomar ciência dos bastidores do Senado Brasileiro, e saber de suas decisões através das Ondas Curtas. Cordiais 73´s, (Antônio Carlos de Macêdo Schuler, Recife/PE, Oct 18, radioescutas via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Winter B-03 schedule of RADIO BULGARIA from 26/10/2003 to 28/03/2004: ADDR: 4, Dragan Tsankov Blvd., 1040 Sofia and P.O.Box 900, 1000 Sofia. Tel.: +359 2 9336 733; fax.: +359 2 650 560 Website: http://www.nationalradio.bg Programme Director: Angel Nedyalkov Frequency Manager: Ivo Ivanov MW: Petrich (G.C: 23.18E/41.42N): 747 kHz 500 kW/non-dir Vidin (G.C: 22.40E/43.49N): 1224 kHz 500 kW/205 deg SW: P=Plovdiv/Padarsko (G.C: 24.42E/42.10N): 2 x 500 kW, 3 x 250 kW S=Sofia/Kostinbrod (G.C: 23.13E/42.49N): 2 x 100 kW, 2 x 050 kW ============================================== ALBANIAN / 0630-0700 Mon-Fri Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 0700-0800 Sat/Sun Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 1200-1230 -daily- Balkans 7200 P250/248 1700-1730 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 2000-2100 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 ============================================== BULGARIAN / 0100-0200 -daily- North America 7400 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0100-0200 -daily- South America 9500 S100/270, 11600 P250/245 0530-0600 Mon-Fri West Europe 5800 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0530-0600 Mon-Fri Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 0530-0600 Mon-Fri East Europe 7500 S100/030, 9500 S100/030 0500-0600 Sat/Sun West Europe 5800 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0500-0600 Sat/Sun Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 0500-0600 Sat/Sun East Europe 7500 S100/030, 9500 S100/030 1100-1130 -daily- Balkans 7200 P250/248 1100-1130 -daily- East Europe 11600 S100/030, 13600 S100/030 1100-1130 -daily- West Europe 11700 P500/306, 15700 P500/306 1300-1500 -daily- Balkans 1224 1300-1500 -daily- West Europe 11700 P500/306, 15700 P500/306 1600-1700 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 1600-1700 -daily- East Europe 5800 S100/030, 7500 S100/030 1600-1700 -daily- Middle East 9400 P500/126 1600-1700 -daily- South Africa 17500 P500/185 1900-2000 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 1900-2100 -daily- West Europe 7200 S100/306 1900-2100 -daily- Middle East 7400 P250/140 =============================================== ENGLISH / 0000-0100 -daily- North America 7400 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0300-0400 -daily- North America 7400 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0730-0800 -daily- West Europe 11600 P500/306, 13600 P500/306 1230-1300 -daily- West Europe 11700 P500/306, 15700 P500/306 1830-1900 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 2200-2300 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 =============================================== FRENCH / 0200-0300 -daily- North America 7400 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 0700-0730 -daily- West Europe 11600 P500/306, 13600 P500/306 1200-1230 -daily- West Europe 11700 P500/306, 15700 P500/306 1800-1830 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 2100-2200 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 ============================================== GERMAN / 0600-0630 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 9400 P500/306 1130-1200 -daily- West Europe 11700 P500/306, 15700 P500/306 1730-1800 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 2000-2100 -daily- West Europe 5800 P500/295, 7500 P500/306 =============================================== GREEK / 0600-0630 Mon-Fri Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 0600-0700 Sat/Sin Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 1130-1200 -daily- Balkans 7200 P250/248 1730-1800 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 2100-2200 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 ================================================ RUSSIAN / 0000-0100 -daily- Central Asia 7500 P250/045 0400-0500 -daily- East Europe 7500 S100/030, 9500 S100/030, 1224 0600-0630 -daily- East Europe 7500 S100/030, 9500 S100/030 1130-1200 -daily- East Europe 11600 S100/030, 13600 S100/030 1500-1600 -daily- East Europe 5800 S100/030, 7500 S100/030, 1224 1500-1600 -daily- Central Asia 9400 P250/045 1700-1730 -daily- East Europe 5800 S100/030, 7500 S100/030 1900-2000 -daily- East Europe 5800 S100/030, 7500 S100/030 ================================================ SERBIAN / 0700-0730 Mon-Fri Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 0800-0900 Sat/Sun Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224 1230-1300 -daily- Balkans 7200 P250/248 1800-1830 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 2200-2300 -daily- Balkans 5900 P250/248, 1224, 747 ================================================ SPANISH / 0000-0100 -daily- South America 9500 S100/270, 11600 P250/245 0200-0300 -daily- South America 9500 S100/270, 11600 P250/245 0200-0300 -daily- Central America 7500 P250/295 0700-0730 -daily- South Europe 13700 P250/292, 15700 S100/270 1200-1230 -daily- South Europe 13600 P250/292, 15600 S100/270 1730-1800 -daily- South Europe 9700 P250/260, 11700 S100/270 2200-2300 -daily- South Europe 7300 P250/245, 9500 S100/270 ================================================ TURKISH / 0600-0630 -daily- Middle East 6000 S100/126, 7400 P250/140 1100-1130 -daily- Middle East 7400 P250/140, 9400 S100/126 1830-1900 -daily- Middle East 7400 P250/140, 1224, 747 ================================================ DX-MIX program in Bulgarian will be on air: 1445-1500 Sun 1224 11700 15700 2045-2100 Sun 7200 7400 DX-MIX prpgram in Russian will be on air: 1545-1600 Sat 1224 5800 7500 9400 1715-1730 Sat 5800 7500 1945-2000 Sat 5800 7500 0045-0100 Sun 7500 0445-0500 Sun 1224 7500 9500 0615-0630 Sun 7500 9500 1145-1200 Sun 11600 13600 0615-0630 Mon 7500 9500 1145-1200 Wed 11600 13600 Radio Varna with programm "Hello Sea"/"Zdravei more" in Bulgarian will be on air 2200-2400 Sun and 0000-0400 Mon on 9800 Varna 100 kW / non- dir (Observer, Bulgaria, Oct 20 via Alokesh Gupta, DXLD) ** CANADA. Here is the schedule for DRM transmissions via Sackville: Starting Oct 26th (0500 UT): - 9800 kHz: 2055 to 0000 to East USA (Various Broadcasters in English) 2055-2130 Vatican Radio 2130-2200 Radio Nederland 2200-2300 Radio Canada International 2300-2330 Deutsche Welle 2330-2359 Radio Sweden - 6010 kHz: 0000-0059 / BBC World Service to East USA - 6140 kHz: 0100-0159 / Chlna Radio International to East USA (English) - 6010 kHz: 0400-0459 / BBC World Service to West USA 73- (Bill Westenhaver, RCI Audience Relations, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [non]. Re 3-183: Now we're getting somewhere -- radio programs on fax and teleprinters (Hermod Pedersen, Sweden, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. 9990, CLANDESTINE (Eritrea). Voice of the Eritrean People (via Norway), *1730 Sunday Oct 12, military type intro music with fanfare, brief announcement, some male vocalizing, then ID with "meter band" and "kHz" mentioned; more vocalizing, then talk by man mentioned URL of its apparent parent organization, the Eritrean National Alliance: http://www.erit-alliance.org There is very little there, however, and no contact info. After that, mostly man talking and music bridges. Carrier off in mid-sentence at 1759. Language apparently Tigrigna. Good signal, but no sign of them a week later at 1730 Oct 19 (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 15670 CLANDESTINE (Ethiopia). Voice of Ethiopian Salvation/Voice of Ethiopian Medhin (apparently the same station) (via DTK), good signal at 1600 Sunday Oct 12, coming on at *1600. Out of phase with presumed Cairo which is very slightly higher and stayed on for a few minutes past 1600; Salvation easily dominant until Egypt closes, then frequency is clear. Flute IS, opening ID (matching that on Kernick IS URL for Voice of Ethiopian Salvation), mentioning "meter band" and "kHz," program mostly man talking, some Ethiopian music here and there, telco-sounding voice audio in parts. Carrier cut in mid- sentence at 1659, returned 1700 when Voice of Oromo Liberation started up (clear ID on that one as "Segalee Billsummaa Oromoo"). (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to ETHIOPIA --- Voice of Oromiyaa. Following up on Bernd's tip of the B-03 TDP schedule being posted, I noticed that this one was listed as temporarily off the air but with a sked of Mon/Thu from 1730-1800 on 12120. I then had a look at their website. It lists their last broadcast as May 1st. They hoped to be back in a month or so and were asking for donations to: Voice of Oromia, P. O. Box 17662, Atlanta, GA 30316 USA (Hans Johnson, Oct 20, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** FRANCE. FRANCE TO GET NEW ENGLISH-LANGUAGE RADIO STATION France is to get its first English-language radio station after the state broadcasting authority CSA issued a licence for Paris Live Radio to start broadcasting from December. Operating from studios in the capital, the commercially-funded station will be available to eight million cable and satellite subscribers across the country with an initial target audience of English-speaking expatriates, visiting business-people and tourists. "Being a lawyer I assumed there was some law against Engish-language radio in France. But when I looked into it I found to my surprise there wasn't," said the station's Australian founder Ian de Renzie Duncan, who hopes it will soon move to terrestrial transmission. With a staff of 25, Paris Live Radio will produce a round-the-clock output of pop and jazz, cultural discussions, call-ins, advice and features as well as an hour each a day of French and English lessons. Obliged to comply with France's cultural protection rules under which at least 40 percent of music broadcast must be in French, Duncan said he would seek out new bands who receive little exposure on existing channels in the hope of attracting a young French-speaking listenership. "Our marketing people tell us there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the main radio stations who play the same 50 songs over and again and ignore the up-and-coming scene," said Duncan, who is married to a Frenchwoman and has lived in Paris for three years. The feedback we're getting is that the French are more excited about the station than the expats are. English is seen as cool. So though we are not initially targeting the French, I would not be surprised if our listener profile started to change," he said. (Source: AFP) (via Media Network Oct 20 via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 4832.0, 11 Oct, 0125, Radio Litoral, La Ceiba, was the surprise of the night. Religious and spiritual music, almost described as "native" or like a karaoke competition for the tone deaf. A couple of nice IDs with address and altogether with good audio quality makes up for a tape report. Q3 HR (Hans Östnell, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. I spent couple of days at my summer cottage some 40 km north of my home-qth. Rather poor conditions, here some of the Asian stations I logged: 5050, AIR, Aizawl at 1334 17 Oct. Heard this some days with weak signal under Guangxi, but 17 Oct was good and I heard their ID. I haven't logged Aizawl for a long time, has it been inactive or just too weak to copy at my home-QTH? Antenna used was 200m longwire pointing E. Receiver Icom R71 powered by 90Ah batteries. Local electrosmog was practically zero (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9743.6, 14 Oct, 0725, RRI Sorong with nice popular music was heard this day until circa 0815, normally closes a little earlier. 2-3 LRH (Leif Råhäll, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. 4376v, 13 Oct, 1458, Voice of the Communist Party of Iran (tentative) in Farsi, s/on already 1458 this day, talk about Komala, the usual battle song for the communist Party. Heard in Damascus. 44444 BV 4376v, 16 Oct, 1728, Voice of the Communist Party of Iran in Farsi, ID, talk about Komala (the exile-Iranian Communist Party), battle songs, heard in downtown-Damascus. 1-24322 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, on location in Syria, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) wants the Senate to block the U.S. Army's $100 million plan to expand Iraq's fledgling radio and TV network, create a major national newspaper out of a small publication now printed in Baghdad, according to congressional sources. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35027-2003Oct15.html (Jilly Dybka, KF4ZEO, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. COURT CONVICTS SETTLER RADIO OWNERS OF BROADCASTING ILLEGALLY | Text of report by Israel radio on 20 October The Jerusalem Magistrates Court convicted the directors of the Arutz 7 radio station, its employees, and its anchors of broadcasting illegally. The station directors, Ya'aqov Katz and Yo'el Tzur, were convicted of broadcasting without a permit. Katz was also convicted of giving false testimony when he claimed that the ship carrying the transmitters was anchored outside Israel's territorial waters. Zalman Melamed, a director of the corporation that operated the station, was convicted of establishing a radio station without a permit, on land and along Israel's coastline. His wife, one of the station's studio and broadcast schedule managers, was also convicted of the same offences. The engineer, Ya'ir Me'ir, was convicted of operating a broadcast station by providing consultancy and technical services. Also convicted were the director of the news department, Hagay Segal, anchors Gid'on Sharon, Adit Ziq, David Shapira, and the ship's captain. Our correspondent Menahem Kohen reports that a hearing on the sentence will be held in mid-November. Source: Voice of Israel, Jerusalem, in Hebrew 1400 gmt 20 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ISRAELI COURT SAYS ARUTZ-7 IS ILLEGAL Mike Brand reports: A Jerusalem court has just convicted presenters, management and the owners of the Israeli offshore radio station Arutz- 7 of illegal broadcasting. The conviction refers to broadcasts that originated from the radio ship "Eretz Hazvi" within Israeli national waters between 1995-1998, and to sites around Israel where the station had relay stations. Judge Yoram Noam convicted Yaakov Katz, and Yoel Tzur of running an illegal radio station, and the operating of broadcasting equipment, without a licence. Yaakov Katz was also convicted on two accounts of giving false testimony. On the first account, he swore that the ship was broadcasting outside of Israeli territorial waters, and the other, that the Studios at Bet-El, were for recording purposes only. Also convicted were: Rabbi Zalman Melamed, for starting an illegal radio station; Shlomit Melamed, Studio and Programme Manager, for the day to day running of an illegal radio station; Yair Meir, for giving technical advice and services, including the fitting and running of broadcasting equipment. Meir was also convicted of running an illegal radio station, and of operating broadcasting equipment without a licence. Hagai Segal, Head of News, was also convicted of broadcasting on an illegal radio station. Several other members of the Arutz-7 staff were also convicted of broadcasting or supplying services to an illegal radio station. Arutz-7's lawyer, Giora Adrat, who represented the stations staff, stated that the station acts legally, and will continue to do so. He said a full statement will be given when sentences are handed down - on 18 November. Knesset Member Eitan Kabel, who first brought the complaint to the police, and the false testimony of Yaakov Katz, commented that "Justice has finally been done." He added that he will be turning to the Attorney General to order the police to close down the station. None of the owners, management or presenters were willing to comment on the convictions (Media Network Oct 20 via DXLD) ARUTZ-7 TO STOP RADIO BROADCASTS 20 October 2003 --- From the Arutz-7 Web site via Mike Brand: Arutz- 7's management issued the following announcement this afternoon: To the precious and loyal listening public of Arutz-7, may God bless you from Zion. For some 15 years, Arutz-7 has broadcast Torah lessons and love of the People and the Land, with the participation of the leaders of Israel. The broadcasts accompanied and aided in the development of Torah in Israel and settlement of the Land. Following the decision of the Likud Government of yesterday to prevent advertising on non-licensed stations, and following today's court decision, the management of Arutz-7 has decided to stop all broadcasts on the radio, beginning at 5 PM this evening (10 AM Eastern Standard Time). The broadcasts will continue as usual on the internet and, in Israel, by phone (057-777-777). (Media Network Oct 20 via DXLD) ** KOREAS. NORTH-SOUTH BROADCASTERS' SEMINAR HELD IN PYONGYANG Text of report in English by North Korean news agency KCNA Pyongyang, 18 October: A North-South broadcasters' seminar was held at the People's Palace of Culture on 18 October. Present there were officials, journalists, anchorpersons, editors and technicians in the field of broadcasting service in the North and the South and other officials concerned. The plenary sitting of the seminar was followed by panel discussions. The seminar was addressed by Cha Sung-su, chairman of the Radio and TV Broadcasting Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Ro Song-dae, chairman of the Radio and TV Broadcasting Committee of South Korea. And they were followed by speeches. Speakers said that the seminar marked a meeting to be significantly recorded in the history of the North-South broadcasting as it was the common results achieved by the broadcasters of the North and South in their efforts for national reconciliation, unity and reunification. They recalled that brisk dialogue, contacts, cooperation and exchange have taken place between inter-Korean broadcasting organizations and such a splendid work as joint televised footage of reunification functions has been organized to positively contribute to building public opinion and creating climate favourable for the national unity and reunification since the 15 June joint declaration was published. This was a shining fruition of the historic joint declaration whose main idea is "By our nation itself", they stressed. They noted that the role played by broadcasting service is truly great and important as it represents the voice of the country and the nation and spreads and leads the public opinion and speaks for it. They recalled that leader Kim Jong-il [Kim Chong-il] received representatives of South Korean media organizations during their visit to Pyongyang after the publication of the 15 June joint declaration and warmly encouraged them to conduct patriotic press activities helpful to the implementation of the declaration and meeting the desire of the people. Saying that when broadcasting service gets dynamic, the country and the nation seethe with enthusiasm, they called on the broadcasters in the North and the South to become buglers in the grand march for reunification and pacesetters of the media for reunification, powerfully arousing the 70m fellow countrymen to the accomplishment of the cause of reunification, aware of their noble duties they have assumed before the history and the nation. Discussed at the seminar were the principled issues to be maintained by broadcasting service in the North and the South in the era ushered in by the 15 June joint declaration. Its participants also exchanged successes and experience gained by them in their service such as the creation of broadcasting materials, their editing and production and technological development. TV programmes were introduced by broadcasting organizations in the North and the South on the same day. Source: KCNA news agency, Pyongyang, in English 0951 gmt 18 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. The Voice of Korea [sic] has a new online audio section and they would like to hear from you visit: http://rki.kbs.co.kr/ENGLISH/aboutrki/history.asp Although I'm sure it will work if it doesn't put www. in front! Then go to the audio section of VOK; the idea is to email them ideas and thoughts on how they can help you! (Robert Wise, Hobart, Australia, Cumbredx mailing list, Oct 20, via DXLD) VOK is the name of its nemesis in the North. As the URL indicates, you are actually talking about R. Korea International (gh, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 4026, 15 Oct, 1600, Voice of the People of Kurdistan with Kurdish music, lots of announcements and ID. Heard in the desert village Palmyra (where queen Xenobia, who claimed to be descended from Cleopatra, ruled for a long time and stand against fighting armies from Egypt and Rome, until she was conquered and the Romans smashed the town in the 2nd Century AD). 34444 BV 4162, 13 Oct, 1644, Voice of the Conservative Party of Kurdistan quite certainly, because they suddenly s/off at 1652 after playing Arabic-Kurdish music nonstop. Heard here in Aleppo in northern Syria with 34333, and Oct 15 at 1620 with Arabic ID in Palmyra. BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, on location in Syria, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAWI. QSL: 5995, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, partial/data letter from Abraham E. Nsapato, Controller of Transmitters, 60 days after a follow up to my reception report documenting their transmission on December 20, 1997. Mr. Nsapato states that they are no longer broadcasting on shortwave because the transmitter has broken down. They plan to return to shortwave at an unspecified time following receipt of the necessary parts (Rich Hankison, KS, Oct 19, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Whee! What fun, tracking the XERMX blobmitter around the 10 MHz area. Mon Oct 20 started checking at 1324 and found it on 10035 -- - the frequencies given are the approximate center of a 15-kHz wide heavily distorted FM signal, but greatest clarity, which is not saying much, is slightly to one side or the other, as in slope tuning. At 1325 it jumped down to 9950; 1329 to 9905; 1333 to 10005, QRMing WWV and then from the other side at 1344 on 9995. At 1336 down to 9990, 1341 to 9983, 1349 to 9975, 1356 to 9970, 1406 to 9965, 1423 to 9960 in the skirts of M. Angelica, and unfound at 1450 recheck, but may well have been directly under the habit on 9955 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, 4 Oct, 0958, Voice of Mongolia played beautiful music before starting the English program. Was heard quite decently with an interesting part about student life in Ulan Bator. Unstable modulation, though. Q3 HR (Hans Östnell, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOUNT ATHOS. By the time you read this, Monk Apollo, SV2ASP/A, should be on the air (or close to being back on) in a ``BIG WAY``. Over the last several months, George Varvitsiotes, K6SV, has been communicating with Monk Apollo since his radio went down (off the air - broke) and began the project to help him get back on the air. George informed OPDX on Tuesday, October 14th, that he was leaving the next morning for Greece and would be taking Monk Apollo a new Icom IC-756 ProII and power supply donated by Icom. He stated that he had all the necessary papers (that Monk Apollo sent him) to enter Mount Athos and deliver the new radio. George also told OPDX that it is his intentions (with Monk Apollo`s approval) to install all the antennas that were previously donated and get Monk Apollo back on the air in a big way. George informed OPDX of his plans back in July once OPDX announced that the Northern Ohio DX Association (NODXA) was looking into collecting funds to buy Monk Apollo a new radio. At that time he told OPDX he was going to Greece on family business and wanted to keep his plans a secret until the radio was delivered. OPDX and NODXA agreed to his wishes. Once again, OPDX and NODXA would like to thank the many ``who wanted to help``. We hope you get a chance to work Monk Apollo and welcome him back on the air (KB8NW/OPDX October 20/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Aquí van los [nuevos B-03] horarios de Radio-Enlace (28 min. de duración): [satellite only, as in 3-183, u.o.s. with SW frequencies] Viernes UT 13.00 16.25 19.20 23.28 Sábado UT 01.28 9895-M, 15315-B 03.28 9895-M 05.28 Domingo UT 13.30 15.48 19.00 21.20 Lunes UT 00.08 9895-M, 15315-B 02.08 6165-B, 9845-B, 9895-M 04.56 06.30 73 (Jaime Báguena, RN Radio Enlace, Oct 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Note that the RN Spanish service in B-03 is being relayed from Madagascar, I think for the first time, as there must be higher priority clients for Bonaire during part of this time period, like AWR! At least Spanish on SW has managed to remain in the LAm evenings, rather than afternoons, as first feared when the cuts were announced early this year. I expect that the choice was to move some of the broadcasts to Madagascar if they wanted to avoid the early timings. I expect the potent signal from Talata will do an adequate job to relatively close SAm, and even to C and NAm as it often does without really trying (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CRITICAL DISTANCE WEBLOG is Jonathan Marks` blog `in the field` but not much in it about his actual post-RN activities: http://radio.weblogs.com/0105902/ (via Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hi Glenn, I just turned on the SW radio and picked up a very strong signal on 9885 at 0715 UT. Rugby match between Auckland and Otago (NZ domestic league). Half-time break featured rap, soul, Simon & Garfunkle tunes. Fits with the schedule on their web-page. I assume this is direct from New Zealand as the web page says they are back up & running but will continue to broadcast via Australia until "early next week." However, comments are undated (18 October, Ralph Famularo - Japan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RNZI has decided to be on air 24 hours so the overnight frequency may have changed, visit: http://www.rnzi.com for the info, click on "how to Listen" on the left hand side (Robert Wise, Hobart, Australia, Cumbredx mailing list, Oct 20, via DXLD) Still on 6095, and in the B- 03 schedule too; I hear it well after 1300 (gh, OK, DXLD) ** PANAMA. SPECIAL EVENT. To celebrate the Centennial of the Republic of Panama (1903-2003), look for special event station HP100RCP to be activated by the Radio Club de Panamá from November 1 to 3. Activity will be on all bands and all modes (CW-SSB-RTTY & PSK31). A special commemorative QSL will be issued to all cards received with one green stamp or two IRCs to the following postal address: RADIO CLUB DE PANAMA, P.O. Box 10745, Panamá, PANAMA (KB8NW/OPDX October 20/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ROMANIA. A l'occasion de la nouvelle saison B03, Radio Roumanie Internationale a effectué de profondes modifications dans sa grille. Plusieurs services ont été réduits. Ainsi, l'arabe et le russe perdent 50% de leur diffusion, l'italien 33%, l'espagnol 25%, l'anglais, 21% et le français 18%. En revanche, les émissions en allemand sont légèrement renforcées (+8%). Le service en roumain est également réduit. Les langues régionales ne sont pas touchées, ainsi que le chinois et le portugais qui restent inchangés (grille de la station). RRI indique que ces restrictions sont dues à la " réalité technique assez défavorable " et à " l'usure physique et morale des émetteurs ". la station signale que d'ici la prochaine installation des 4 nouveaux émetteurs (NDR : cf informations des semaines passées), il a été décidé de " regarder vers l'avenir et d'investir dans des moyens de diffusion radiophonique modernes et performants (...) ; RRI restreint dans un premier temps ses transmissions hertziennes, les ressources financières disponibles étant orientées vers les services Internet et satellitaires. " (message de la station) (informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOR What`s New: KALEIDOSCOPE --- The next edition of Kaleidoscope -- on the air from Monday, October 20 -- will include the following items: the Russian icebreaker Arktika, built in 1975y, begins a new voyage; the results of an expedition to study the culture of the Mansi people living in Northern Russia; scientists in Novosibirsk discover new types of butterflies. Sociologist Vsevolod Marinov, a regular contributor to the program, will be commenting on a public opinion poll to find out what the Russian and American peoples think of each other. There will be a report about the business activities of the Russian pop star, Alla Pugachyova, other reports and music. Tune in to Kaleidoscope, if you want to learn more in a short period of time. The program can be heard at 1731:30 UT on Monday and is repeated throughout the week. For more information on our English- language broadcasts please visit: http://www.vor.ru/ep.html © 2003 The Voice of Russia (via Maryanne Kehoe, swprograms via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE [non]. AUSTRALIA-BASED DISSIDENTS PLAN RADIO NEWS PROGRAMME The Melbourne-based Association for Democracy in Singapore, a dissident group headed by Muslim activist Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff who fled the island in 2002, hopes to air a radio news programme for Singapore listeners via an Indonesian station, the Straits Times of Singapore reported on its web site on 19 October. The association has been set up in Australia to fight for free speech and educate foreigners on politics in Singapore. Source: The Straits Times web site, Singapore, in English 19 Oct 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Alors que la grille officielle pour la saison B03 était déjà finalisée, des pourparlers ont débuté entre la direction générale de la radio slovaque et les telecom slovaques le mercredi 15 octobre. Le but est de réduire les coûts et de supprimer au moins une fréquence (NDR : sur les trois utilisées systématiquement pour les émissions de Radio Slovaquie Internationale) (Radio Slovaquie Internationale - 19 octobre 2003)(informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** SYRIA. 12085, 13 Oct, 1550, Radio Damascus (or Syrian Arab Republic Broadcasting Service, which is the official name) with talk in Arabic, especially about Syria. s/off at 1600. Only heard this day in Damascus, Syria – all other days off-air. 44444 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, on location in Syria, SW Bulletin Oct 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Jeff, I read that you are getting a second transmitter for WRMI. Can you tell us something about it? New antenna too, or so you can run LAm and NAm services simultaneously? Also, with the NASB DRM specials occupying one Viva Miami slot for 23 weeks, will there still be new VM productions aired at other times? (Glenn to Jeff White) Glenn: The new transmitter will be a modified Collins, 50 kW. No new antenna. We'll basically connect one transmitter to each of the existing antennas, so we can have two simultaneous services -- one to North America, the other to Latin America. Programming will be different on each service, although certain things may be simulcast. The new transmitter will not be dedicated to any one specific client; we have several current clients that want more airtime now, but we don't have much more to sell. As for Viva Miami, there probably will be some special editions produced during the B03 season, and some reruns of previous programs in other Viva Miami timeslots. But I want to devote as much time as possible to the production of the NASB series. All the best (Jeff White, WRMI, Oct 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO MARTÍ TRANSMITS WORLD SERIES GAMES LIVE TO CUBA Miami, FL, October 17, 2003-- Radio Martí will provide listeners in Cuba with live coverage of the 2003 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins starting this weekend. Beginning with tomorrow evening's game from Yankee Stadium, Radio Martí will broadcast a live, play-by-play, Spanish-language feed of each World Series game between the Marlins and the Yankees. The station's two veteran sportscasters, Edemio Navas and Orlando "El Guajiro" Peña, who is a former major league pitcher, will take over between innings and provide insightful commentary, anecdotes and player statistics, as well as memorable moments from Series games of the past. "We are delighted to bring this year's exciting World Series to Cuba," said Pedro V. Roig, Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), which oversees Radio and TV Martí. "We hope the opportunity to tune into the games will bring the Cuban people entertainment as well as much needed relief from the harsh day-to-day realities of life in Cuba today." Cubans have been passionate fans of American baseball since the sport's inception in the 19th century. Athletes of Cuban origin continue to excel in this sport. Current players include Yankees pitcher José Contreras, and Marlins players Michael Tejera and Vladimir Nuñez as well as former World Series champs Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and brother Livan (both now members of the Montreal Expos) and Texas Ranger Rafael Palmeiro. A young baseball fan in Cuba told Radio Martí that thanks to the earlier broadcasts of the Major League games, fans in Cuba are geared up for this year's series. He went on to say that although some have been won over by the Florida Fish, New York's Yankees still reign as the island's most popular team. Radio Martí also provided live coverage of this year's Major League division championships that determined which teams would vie in the World Series. Sister station TV Martí will also provide ample coverage of baseball's grand finale, as it did the national playoffs. Game details will be available on OCB's Web site, Martinoticias.com (BBG Press Oct 17 via DXLD) ** U S A. DTV TRANSITION MOVING FORWARD: FCC SAYS MORE THAN 80% OF COMMERCIAL DTV STATIONS ARE ON THE AIR --- Acts on Third Extension Requests for Few Remaining Broadcasters Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today said the transition to digital television is moving forward as 1,061 TV stations, representing 81 percent of all commercial stations, are currently on the air with a DTV signal. The FCC noted that broadcast stations have made significant progress and that most of the remaining stations have made diligent efforts to broadcast a DTV signal. Today, the FCC took action regarding 141 stations that filed a request for a third extension. Of these, the FCC granted 104 stations with an additional six months to begin broadcasting a digital signal. Seven stations were denied extensions and issued letters of admonishment. To further a nationwide system of DTV, the FCC adopted in 1997 an aggressive DTV construction schedule. This required television stations affiliated with the ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC television networks to build DTV facilities in the ten largest television markets by May 1, 1999. Stations affiliated with these networks in television markets ranked 11 through 30 were required to construct their DTV facilities by November 1, 1999. All other commercial stations were required to construct their DTV facilities by May 1, 2002, and all noncommercial stations were to have constructed their stations by May 1, 2003. Stations requesting extensions of their DTV deadline are required to demonstrate that failure to construct has been due to circumstances either unforeseeable or beyond their control. Moreover, stations must show construction progress since the grant of their last extension. Stations that fail to explain their inability to meet their DTV construction obligation will be subject to the recently-adopted DTV remedial measures including admonishment, forfeiture and reporting requirements. The 104 stations that were granted a third extension demonstrated that their request was warranted and showed progress on construction of their facilities since the grant of their last extension. Examples of delays encountered by these stations are construction delays; delays in equipment delivery; local tower siting problems; the September 11th attack in New York; stations awaiting FCC action on rulemakings or applications; and stations with financial problems. Seven stations failed to adequately justify further extension of their DTV deadline. The FCC admonished these stations and gave them six months to complete construction of their DTV facilities or face financial sanctions. During this six month period, the stations will be subject to periodic reporting requirements to ensure that construction is progressing. The seven stations are: WVUE in New Orleans, LA; WICZ in Binghamton, NY; WKBW in Buffalo, NY; KMVU in Medford, OR; WSJU in San Juan, Puerto Rico; WDWL in Bayamón, Puerto Rico; WJAR in Providence, RI. The remaining 30 stations are classified ``satellite`` stations, which are full power terrestrial broadcast stations that are authorized to retransmit all or part of the programming of a parent station that typically is commonly owned. The issue of whether to permit satellites to turn in their digital authorization and ``flash cut`` to DTV transmission at the end of the transition period is currently under consideration, and thus the FCC today deferred the construction deadlines for these stations until that issue is resolved. Action by the Commission, October 16, 2003, by Order (FCC 03-250). Chairman Powell, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, Martin, and Adelstein. -FCC- Media Bureau contact: Shaun Maher at 202-418-1600 (via John Broomall, Oct 17, WTFDA via DXLD) Two NEW YORK stations are among seven receiving admonishments from the FCC for dragging their heels on the DTV buildout. The FCC says all but 141 of the nation's commercial TV stations are now on the air with at least minimal digital facilities, and it's willing to grant extensions for 104 of them with unavoidable issues (zoning, Canadian frequency coordination, the World Trade Center disaster.) Thirty more stations are designated as satellites and get a free pass for now, though a few of them (like WCDC in Adams MA) have built DTV anyway. That leaves WKBW-DT (Channel 38) in Buffalo and WICZ-DT (Channel 8), as well as WJAR-DT (Channel 51) in Providence, RHODE ISLAND and four other stations outside our region, on the FCC's list. Granite-owned WKBW told the FCC back in April that it had experienced financial troubles that delayed the start of its DTV conversion plan, followed by delays in getting engineering work completed on tower reinforcement and transmitter building expansion, all of which would keep WKBW-DT from making its October deadline. NBC's WJAR told the FCC that its delays stemmed from the addition to its existing analog site of not only WJAR-DT but also public broadcaster WSBE-DT and - late in the design process - Freedom's ABC affiliate WLNE-DT. And we have no idea what Stainless Broadcasting's WICZ told the FCC, since it asked the commission to keep its filing confidential - but we'd guess it has something to do with the relocation of WSKG-TV (Channel 46) off the WICZ tower. In any case, the admonished stations now have six months to complete their construction or face fines. We'll keep you posted! (Scott Fybush, NY, NE Radio Watch Oct 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. BROADCAST BAND UPDATE by Greg Hardison, CA ARBI-QUAKES: Ever notice how Arbitron ratings numbers resemble Richter Scale readings? I'm sure that analogy was made in Seattle, where relative newcomer to all-news KOMO/1000 has walked away with the Summer 2003 book, with a 6.0 --- as opposed to the 1.4 KOMO pulled last Fall. Fisher Broadcasting's KOMO is blowing the venerable, well- produced KIRO/710 out of the water; they've sunk to a 4.8, from a previous 5.1, and from pulling consistent 8s and 9s a scant two years ago. On the opposite end of the States, Atlanta's perennial #2, WVEE/103.3FM is in trouble. The Infinity/Urban stick lost its previous full-point gain, coming in at 8.6 --- while all in-format competitors went up. Two of those: very much so --- Radio One's WHTA/107.9FM is up from 3.5 to 4.9, and the humid Summer brought a similar upgrade to good ol' Cox's WALR/104.7FM Urban Oldies numbers, from 3.5 to 4.7. Expect some retooling on the Infinity Atlanta plantation. In Chicago, the Cubs' ill-fated quest for the World Series (just wait till next year!) has helped to catapult The Trib's WGN/720 up 1/2 point, to a 7.2 Summer showing. CBS competitor WBBM/780 slid from 5.1 to 4.4, since the Spring book. My congrats to WBBM Program Director Drew ("Screw") Hayes, for his extreme competence and dedication. In all fairness, though, we must note the following from Robert Feder's highly-recommended media-watch in "The Chicago Sun-Times": Among listeners between the ages of 25 and 54 -- the group most coveted by advertisers -- WVAZ finished first, followed by WGCI-FM, WUSN, WTMX, WDRV, WNUA, WJMK, WLEY, WBBM-AM, WXRT and WLIT. So there. SPEAKING OF PLANTATIONS AND SUCH: By now we've all been inundated with Rush Limbaugh's woes, regarding drug use and racial perceptions. Clear Channel/Première is using Rush's rehabscence to spotlight other up-and-coming talkmeisters, including Tom Sullivan from KFBK and Roger Hedgecock, of KOGO/600 San Diego. Other affiliates are using their own, such as WPRO/630 in Providence, where nice-guy PD David Bernstein has resurrected his former WOR-charge, Joan Rivers, for middays. A bevy of Commentators from both sides of the political fence have weighed in with the predictable opinions. Rush is essentially a Windbag; some historical perspective may lend credence to my pronouncement. Back in 1982, the ABC Talkradio Network came into being. Some of us (myself included) were personally embroiled in the venture, which lasted some seven years in all. Marketing of the Net wasn't conducted in the best manner possible, but we did sign up some prime outlets, including several market leaders: KTAR Phoenix, WSB Atlanta and KXL Portland among others, plus important Company sticks WABC New York, WLS Chicago and of course, originating station KABC in L.A. Common obsessions among practically all involved with programming included quaint concepts such as Fairness and Objectivity. Regardless of the political bend of involved Producers and Hosts, the general insistence was that BOTH sides be presented, of any given issue. I was proud to produce balanced debates (especially for the Ray Briem Show) involving many disparate subjects, and I had plenty of company among colleagues. One of our National hosts was the late Owen Spann, who was wrapping up two decades as a one-man Institution, at KGO/810 in San Francisco. I never found anyone who could peg Owen as Liberal or Conservative; he was simply objective and very well-read. Owen was forced by medical problems to give up his daily 12N-2PM ET slot on the net. Former ABC executive Ed McLaughlin had just formed his own syndication company. Once informed of the daypart vacancy, Ed made a proposal to CapCities/ABC brass: he'd buy the time outright, ABC would make its money anyway, and Ed would take a chance on an unknown guy from KFBK/1530 in Sacramento. This guy was Rush Limbaugh. Now, the rest is of course History, but I've never recovered from the replacement of the poster-boy of truly objective analysis, Owen Spann, by an egotistical, party-line-bleating Radioaf such as Rush. I don't know Rush personally; I've never been able to listen for more than 3 or 4 minutes to his program, and he may be a helluva nice guy off-mic, but the replacement of intellectual discourse with the spouting of slogans and groupthink is disturbing. The extreme popularity of such drivel among the Masses is downright frightening, whether it originates from Left or Right. (If one is confident of one's position, one does NOT need to cast aspersions on members of the other side, just their arguments!) And with Howard Stern notwithstanding, one can argue that the advent of Rush and his ilk has contributed to the current overall condition of radio. And what is that "condition"? I can't summarize it, but I know it when I "see" it --- and the subsequent fact that I do not feel comfortable allowing my 5 year old daughter to listen to anything. When I was 5, the sauciest thing on the dial was the nightly R&B show on WLAC/1510 in Nashville. Call me old-school, but the prospect of my little girl hearing about G-spots --- or learning Political Discourse, from modern Talkradio, leaves me cold. Meanwhile, a Gallup Poll shows 45% of those surveyed feel the Media is "too liberal", with only 14% detect an overall Conservative slant. Gallup's webpage contains some interesting breakdowns in this survey, along the lines of ideology, and comparative answers to the same questions posed in the 1970's, versus today --- check it out: http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr031008.asp [Not many may know that Gallup is a Christian organization, so its objectivity is questionable --- gh] OTHER FAMOUS RACISTS: Also leaving me cold is the concerted effort on the part of Clear Channel's KNRS/570 in Salt Lake City, to continue their imported talkshow featuring one Bob Lonsberry. Bob was ousted from co-owned giant WHAM/1180 in Rochester, for making comments comparing that city's Black mayor with an orangutan. Bob says all is good: he told WHEC-TV that his comments, "were not racial at all --- (Mayor Bill Johnson) took offense, that was certainly not my intent". Oh. We started flushing this racist crap in the urban South 40 years ago; in this day and age of issues that affect all colors, such as the disappearance of Antitrust, and industry job losses in the wake of questionable Government "deregulation"; isn't it time for the rest of the Nation to catch up?? So, what are they smoking at KNRS these days, anyway?? CLEARING ADDITIONAL CHANNELS: A study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity reveals the greatest single-ownership Media concentrations in medium and small markets, with CC dominating, as expected. According to the Center's study, a single company owns nine or more stations in 34 different metropolitan areas. The Center also found that such ownership concentration is not, as the industry has suggested, merely an anomaly limited to a handful of areas. Indeed, the report reveals that in 43 different metropolitan areas across the nation, a single company owns at least a third of all stations. FCC license challenges are due soon for some key CC outlets; a recent piece in "The Los Angeles Times" tells of one Kevin Bray, a North Carolina Highway Patrol officer who's noted an alarming rise in drive- time accidents involving Bicyclists. Bray has warned CC's WDCG/105.1FM Raleigh-Durham shock-jocks Bob Dumas and Madison Lane that their rants and raves against bicycle-borne commuters amounts to drivers' training, on committing Assault with a Deadly Weapon; he also has filed a complaint with the FCC. WDCG honcho Kenneth Spitzer initially defended such statements as "animated banter", but later issued an on- air apology when confronted with objections by sponsors. CC sister outlet WMJI/105.7FM Cleveland started all this in July, when some of their Communicasters blithely suggested that bicyclists should be run off the area roadways. In Houston, on August 30, a motorist slammed into a line of 20 bicyclists. 2 killed, 8 injured, and three days later CC's KLOL/101.1FM morning crew started their own Texas-style diatribe against bicyclists. Patrick McCormick is the Communications Director for the 40,000-strong League of American Bicyclists, he says his group is forming a strategy to fight this sort of thing. A Clear Channel representative said each station was "operated and produced independently" and "each station is working to correct the problem in their city." So you know, 728 cyclists were killed in 2001, in accidents involving motor vehicles in the United States; an additional 45,000 cyclists were injured. So, maybe CC ain't all bad? Many attaboys are being heaped upon CC's Chicago programmers, for the new WRLL/1690AM, which features a music format geared toward the over-50 crowd. Featuring vintage market personalities such as Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards and Jerry G. Bishop among others, the music mix contains everything from Sinatra and Bobby Darin, to Elvis and The Shirelles. The essentially-nameless format extends an earlier CC experiment at it's 1290 outlet in San Bernardino (predating it's Radio Disney affiliation), and supplements current successful CC musical efforts at heritage station KABL/960 in SF, mixing Standards with neanderthal Rock --- which would've been unthinkable in the 1960's! One cannot say Clear Channel is completely without innovation. Give it a listen sometime: http://www.realoldies1690.com Speaking of lost youth, one should also note a recent Dow Jones article, quoting a Jacksonville retailer, who asserts that "eight out of ten" buyers of XM Satellite Radio receivers are older than 50. This certainly exhibits a continued desire for audio entertainment among such folks, who are generally not finding it on AM or FM --- and, by the way, are still purchasing such higher-ticket items as XM receivers, automobiles, vacations and even second homes. Advertisers: are you paying attention?? GOING OUT WITH STYLE: Infinity executive shuffling has left longtime KNX/1070 General Manager George Nicholaw without a gig; the same hand was dealt to KFWB/980 GM Roger Nadel. "The Los Angeles Times" quoted the deafening silence of an Infinity spokesperson, offering "no comment" about the firings. George Nicholaw shepherded KNX into its all-News format --- as GM --- back in 1968. The Los Angeles City Council has adopted a resolution urging KNX to continue the almost- daily Editorials voiced by George, during his many years of service. For his part, George Nicholaw's final "editorial" consisted only of words of praise for his 36-plus year employer, and for many of his primary underlings, by name. George has received, and deserved, many honors over the years; surely even more are in order! WATCH WITH WHOM YOU MESS: The FCC is responding to more than 500 complaints against WNEW-FM/102.7, NYC, with a maximum-fine of $357,500, in connection with the infamous Opie-and-Anthony (ex-PM Drive hosts)/St. Patrick's Cathedral incident. You may recall two enthused listeners, who responded to O'n'A's call to have sex in bizarre places, by doing the deed in a Cathedral pew. They were caught, Opie and Anthony were fired, and prosecution ensued. Producer Paul Mercurio is performing a week's worth of Community Service, resulting from his "Guilty" plea to charges of disorderly conduct. Court actions against the involved Female, Loretta Lynn Harper, have been postponed until early November --- after the death of her male companion, 38 year old Brian Florence, of a heart attack in his Virginia home. Yowzah! ODDS 'N' ENDS: You may already know that Arthur Liu's Multicultural Broadcasting Co. is making a strong move to purchase Radio Única's owned and operated outlets, including WWRU/1660 in New York and KBLA/1580 in Los Ángeles, among others. 'Tis a shame Radio Única has encountered its plethora of financial problems; a national Spanish- language news'talk net is an idea whose time has surely come. Fox News Radio Service (heard on KFI/640 and elsewhere) plans to expand its daily offerings, going from one-minute updates at the top of the 6AM-thru-10PM hours, to five-minute hourly 'casts, around the clock. Clearance on stations in key markets should prove to be interesting. Family-friendly Disney/ABC has sealed a pact with RDF Media to air a US version of the apparent-hit UK TV show titled, "Wife Swap", wherein femmes of diverse social backgrounds switch off on those ever- expendable Family members for two weeks per whack. The show, slated for Summer 2004, will allegedly be renamed "Trading Moms", so Disney may continue to protect our sensitivities. So, if it walks and talks like a Duck... hmmmm Now comes this, from allaccess.com: "You can say the F-word on the U.S. airwaves ... if you're U2's BONO and you do it as a 'fleeting and isolated' adjective unrelated to sex. BONO's ad lib on the GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS telecast on CBS that the award was 'really, really f--king brilliant' drew a complaint from the PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL and about 200 of its members, but the FCC, saying the use of the word 'may be crude and offensive, but, in the context presented here, did not describe sexual or excretory organs or activities,' rejected the complaint. The PTC says it will appeal." Ahh, those Irish! Stay tuned next month for some historical perspective on the ongoing RIAA/Music Downloaders' debate, from a knowledgable correspondent Down Under. There's nothing new in this battle, as we'll find out. 'Meant to do it in this edition, but there's just too much going on. And, Reuters reports that NY'er Ambrose Kappos may be indicted on three counts of stalking and harassing singer Sheryl Crow. He could face up to seven years in the hoosegow, if eventually convicted. Leave her alone, pal, she's all mine! Until the next, peace and prosperity (GREG HARDISON, Oct 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WHEN OLD TIME RADIO REIGNED --- HOW MUCH IT IS MISSED By: SARTRE http://etherzone.com/2003/sart101603.shtml The 40's and 50's seem like a time from another life. Most audiences remember that era only as part of a history lesson. The "Golden Age of Radio" is long gone, but for anyone who has the chance to listen to the programs that entertained an entire nation, the lessons of that time are self revealing. Jack Benny's life was as assessable as a close member of your own family. Fibber McGee was always living the Life of Riley, as Our Miss Brooks readied herself for another Burns and Allen visit. The Inner Sanctum was an inviting place for the likes of Boston Blackie, Johnny Dollar and Sam Spade. The Shadow was always lurking for Superman or the Green Hornet as the Whistler tune is heard in the background. Yes, this was a time when innocence seemed the norm and the world was simple and familiar. You knew the good guys where the Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy and the Cisco Kid would round up the desperadoes with the smell of their Gunsmoke. The cops would set their Dragnet and Philo Vance, Richard Diamond and Nero Wolfe would get their man. No Escape - Crime Does Not Pay - for the Crime Club, the Suspense is gone. Today, we live in a Black Museum among a Dimension X generation that has no Jack Armstrong. Philip Marlowe is passé and Ellery Queen only appeals to Dr Kildare and the rest of the X Minus One crowd. So what's the point? Who cares about Fred Allen! Amos and Andy don't do dinner with the Aldrich Family. The Big Town no longer has Ozzie and Harriet neighborhoods. Compare the entertainment coming from Britney Spears with spending an evening at the Phil Harris home. Let's Pretend that Lum and Abner are funny and that kids wear Buster Brown shoes! Who really believes that Father Knows Best when Eminem goes the extra eight miles to reach a new high? Society has digressed into a deviate Mysterious Traveler, no more meeting friends at Duffy's Tavern. Death Valley Days have come to a Mercury Theater of the absurd. So when you hear that all is well, ask if you contribute to this pattern of rejection? What is left within this culture to conserve? Once there was a common thread that was shared by the overwhelming majority. Radio represented one of those mediums that brought people together for a mutually shared experience. Imagination and inventions of the mind allowed for creative and thoughtful reflections. Today, the talking heads that dominate the boob tube are dispensing a subliminal political message through cultural distortion. The mindless nature of today's entertainment has a serious purpose. Not being satisfied to simply dumb down the masses, the underlying objective of the mass media is to formulate a social despair that will place blame upon traditional values and cause a rejection of fundamental institutions and civil conduct. Former US House Majority Leader, Dick Armey has a new book - Armey's Axioms: 40 Hard-Earned Truths from Politics, Faith, and Life. He has always been a champion of a certified conventional mindset. As a political leader, he failed; but that does not diminish the correctness of many of his conservative conclusions. Few will hear the message from his wisdom, just as listening to the broadcasts of over a half century ago seem out of date. However, the fools who vote for political candidates based upon a celebrity mystique, deserve the tragic cesspool they create for themselves. But what are the alternatives for those who find value and derive sustenance from a society that operates upon decency and treasures a moral lifestyle? There is no Dr Christian waiting in the wings to cure all the Baby Snooks. People Are Funny only if you are apathetic. The harmless hype of a Great Gildersleeve has the burlesque of a Spike Jones, but when it is replaced with 'reality programming', you'll get a real War Of The Worlds. Almost makes one wish for a visit from Harry Lime! Sorry; the past is the past, and the future is a Command Performance. All the Charlie McCarthy's are dummies, they turn their back on the Cavalcade Of America, for Christmas At The Soaps. Have Gun Will Travel is forsaken for I Was A Communist . . . now ignored by This Is Your FBI. Sherlock Holmes can't solve this crime, Roy Rogers won't ride to the rescue and The Saint won't save the day. Only all the Mr. and Mrs. North's can bring the pirate Henry Morgan to justice. You Bet Your Life, that Armey's Axioms are worth a forethought. Sgt Preston won't be Calling All Cars to protect and serve. Little Miss Margie won't be mollified by Arthur Godfrey, nor will the Halls Of Ivy sing a tune by Bing Crosby or brighten your morning with a Dennis Day. The Stage Door Canteen will be open for many more GI journals. Think, the Crime Photographer is taking your picture. The Witch 's Tale awaits a Famous Jury Trial. The Fourth Estate has sold you a culture of FDR's Fireside Chats. Reminiscing and cherishing those old broadcasts won't alter the bill of fare that has become - This Is You Life. As difficult as it often is, click off the remote and free yourself from the dribble on the Sunday morning political shows. Tune out the evening news, it's designed to confuse. Switch off your walkman, the rap music will hip hop you into a Line Up. Recovery starts with the admission that your leaders have betrayed you, the media has sold a fraud culture and your neighbor is just as ill as yourself. Break The Bank, become a Gangbuster, remember Groucho Marx: "Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?" "Published originally at EtherZone.com : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact." http://www.etherzone.com/ (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. PASSINGS --- ROSALIE ALLEN, 79; SINGER, DISC JOCKEY WAS 'QUEEN OF THE YODELERS' From Staff and Wire Reports October 19, 2003 http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-passings19.1oct19,1,6959754.story Rosalie Allen, 79, who was considered "Queen of the Yodelers" and was the first woman inducted into the Country Radio Broadcaster DJ Hall of Fame, died in Van Nuys on Sept. 23. She had suffered a fall a few weeks earlier, and died of complications of congestive heart failure. Born Juliana Marlene Bedra, one of 12 children of a poor Appalachian coal miner, she grew up in Old Forge, Pa., and during World War II began singing and yodeling in York, Pa., for $15 a week. She soon moved to New York City, where her salary rose rapidly to $300 a week on the "Swing Billies" radio show. In 1944, Allen placed a promising recording career on hold to become a woman disc jockey and radio personality on New York City's WOV. By 1946 her original half-hour program, "Prairie Stars," had expanded to two hours a night, and Country Music magazine called her the most famous country music personality in Manhattan. Her guests included Eddy Arnold, Hank Williams, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. She also had an NBC television show. When Allen returned to singing, she appeared in the first country music program at Carnegie Hall in 1947. She went on to record such hits for RCA as "Guitar Polka," "Never Trust a Man," "Yodel Boogie," "Tennessee Yodel Polka," and a Dale Evans composition, "Aha San Antone." Copyright 2003 Los Angeles Times (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO FESTIVAL FEATURES TALKERS, FELIX, 'CBS-FM Radio By DAVID HINCKLEY, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER A seminar with a wide range of talk radio hosts tomorrow night should be one of the highlights of the Museum of Television and Radio's annual Radio Festival that runs through this week. The other two major seminars will spotlight Felix Hernandez of "Rhythm Revue" tonight and a half-dozen popular personalities from WCBS-FM on Thursday. There will also be live radio drama tonight: a murder mystery double feature of "Murder in the Mirror" and "Landslide" presented by Stage Shadows Mystery Theatre. Tomorrow night's talk radio panel, 6-7:30 p.m., will have program director Phil Boyce and morning cohost Curtis Sliwa of WABC, "Democracy Now" host Amy Goodman from WBAI, morning host Brian Lehrer from WNYC, syndicated WWRL night host Bev Smith and WOR morning host Ed Walsh. The WCBS-FM panel Thursday night, 6-7:30, will have program director Joe McCoy and hosts Bill Brown, "Cousin" Bruce Morrow, Norm N. Nite, Don K. Reed and Bob Shannon. Tonight's drama by Stage Shadows, whose productions have become a regular festival feature, runs 7-8 p.m. It's presented by WFUV. Several shows will also be broadcast live from the Museum as part of the festival, which is a bit smaller this year than it has been in the past. Glen Jones of WFMU will be live tonight, 7-8, and tomorrow morning there will be an expanded edition, 6 a.m.-noon, of the WLIB morning show with Dahved Levy and Ann Tripp. WFUV's Rita Houston will be live Friday, 8-11 p.m., and Laura Cantrell of WFMU does her "Radio Thrift Shop" live Saturday, noon-3 p.m. The festival ends Sunday with Hal Jackson of WBLS doing the 20th anniversary broadcast of his "Sunday Classics," noon-4 p.m. The Museum is at 25 W. 52nd St. Admission to the seminars is $15 and the live broadcasts are free. Call 212-621-6709. Originally published on October 20, 2003 All contents (c) 2003 Daily News, L.P. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. FOR SOME LATINO MUSIC STATIONS, MORE LISTENERS, AND MORE CRITICS By MIREYA NAVARRO October 20, 2003 In the latest Arbitron ratings released this month, the Spanish- language radio station known as La Mega, WSKQ-FM (97.9), rose to No. 2 from No. 10 among New York's 40 top stations, reinforcing its reputation as a Latin music and morning talk powerhouse. So it figures, some of its listeners are picketing. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/20/nyregion/20MEGA.html?pagewanted=print&position= (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. AT WAMU, DEFICITS OF MONEY AND MORALE Public Radio Station in Turmoil Amid Changes By Jennifer Frey Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, October 20, 2003; Page A01 From the outside, WAMU -- the NPR radio station that has been a Washington institution for four decades -- appears to be enjoying a peak of success. A fundraising campaign completed Thursday raised nearly $1 million. Listenership is at its highest in the station's history. Susan Clampitt, the station's executive director, is coming off a year in which she was named one of Fast Company magazine's "Fast 50," which honors "ordinary people doing extraordinary things," for her work at the station. And despite the grumbling that came with the change from bluegrass to news in the afternoons, the overall reaction to the station's programming changes has been positive. The product, as always, is a beloved part of many a local listener's daily routine. Go beyond the public visage, though, and the state of WAMU is far more complicated, and conflicted. After years of balanced budgets -- even financial surplus -- the nonprofit organization has been awash in red ink, with large operating deficits in each of the last three years and an emergency cash fund that has been depleted of millions of dollars. Some major donors have appealed to Benjamin Ladner, president of American University, which oversees the station, demanding explanations. And employee disgruntlement is widespread, say several staff members, including nationally syndicated NPR talk show host Diane Rehm, the flagship voice of the station. "I have literally never seen such low morale as I have seen in the past year," says Rehm, whose time at the station dates back 30 years to when she started as a volunteer. ". . . I figure if they want to fire me, they will, but I think what Susan Clampitt has done to this station is truly sad." Clampitt says a decision was made, in concert with the university, to take a more professional and aggressive approach to fundraising and marketing at WAMU (88.5 FM). The result is a more corporate environment, with increased layers of management and more fundraising done by professionals rather than volunteers. She is not happy to be running a deficit, she says, but she's confident it is temporary and adds that "the university isn't going to let us fail." "We're not worried," says Clampitt, who attributes criticism to those "resistant to change." "We're not in crisis." Still, the key question being raised by Rehm and others, is this: What happened to the money? When Clampitt took over WAMU in June 2000, the station had been operating mostly in the black for at least a dozen years, although there was a loss of $152,750 in 2000 as the station was in management transition. The station also had $4.39 million in cash reserves. Not anymore. According to WAMU's audited financial reports, the station brought in 30 percent more revenue -- from about $5.9 million a year to about $7.7 million -- during its first two years under Clampitt, yet had operating deficits of $900,000 in 2001 and $1.4 million in 2002, because overall expenses increased 50 percent. That caused cash reserves to decrease to $1.6 million. And while audited figures for 2003 are not yet publicly available, several sources said the deficit for 2003 was also more than $1 million. WAMU officials would neither confirm nor deny this, though Clampitt did stress that "things are turning around" in the first six months of the 2004 fiscal year. According to WAMU's financial reports: From 2000 to 2002, expenses increased 110 percent on the managerial and fundraising side of the budget, while the programming budget increased 25 percent. "We made an investment," Clampitt says, referring to those supporting-services expenditures. "Any company does this. You expect that you're going to have a good return on your investment." The return -- the 30 percent increase in revenue -- would seem to be a success story, but Clampitt says the station had budgeted for much higher contributions and was hurt by the poor economy. As a result, the station was unable to cover its budgeted expenses, which grew from $6.05 million in 2000 to $9.07 million in 2002. "You have to be within your budget," says longtime donor Forbes Manor. ". . . It just seems to be mismanagement to lose that much money every year in the face of apparently successful fundraising." A donor and volunteer since 1978, Manor has given as much as $25,000 in a single year to WAMU; his name is etched in a glass tribute to major donors in the lobby. He doesn't give anymore. And he wants explanations. Along with about a dozen other former donors and volunteers, he sent a letter to Ladner, and he and one of them, Vicki Zuckerman, met with Ladner on Sept. 17. Manor says he is still waiting to see if there will be any action taken. Ladner declined to comment for this article, but the university issued a statement saying WAMU "is not in jeopardy" and that "expenditures were made . . . to invest in the long-term growth and success of the station." According to the annual report, the budget for salaries for management and support staff, for example, rose 183 percent from 2000 to 2002. But expenses also increased as the station polished its image to match its new corporate approach. Clampitt's office was refurbished. The station started to sponsor high-profile events, such as the play "Anthems" at Arena Stage, which cost $30,000 in trade, according to Libby Lawbaugh, a WAMU underwriter at the time who handled the account. Clampitt paid personally for a membership to the exclusive Cosmos Club, then entertained business clients there as a company expense. Clampitt says there's nothing wrong with that -- it's the same as expensing a meal at any other restaurant, she says -- but the image rankled a number of staff members. "We just never did things like that before," says Lawbaugh, who left the station on good terms in April. Clampitt came to WAMU from the U.S. General Services Adminstration, and before that worked at the National Endowment for the Arts and had appointments in the Clinton White House. In the 1980s, she was a producer of children's programming at WNYC, a public radio and television station in New York. Rehm, who was part of the search committee that hired Clampitt, was a supporter at the beginning of her tenure. But Rehm says she grew disturbed both by Clampitt's handling of the station and by her seeming disinterest in staff concerns. This past February, Rehm brought a list of those concerns to the university, the final one of which read, according to Rehm: "Employees express lack of confidence in management's understanding of the basics of public radio, frustration over the dearth of information about how well or poorly the station is doing and a lack of professional contact with top management." During Clampitt's tenure, staff members were asked to sign a confidentiality agreement that prohibited them from discussing "any fact, matter, document, or file" they had access to because of their employment with WAMU with anyone outside the station. This agreement is used in various departments at the university. Most WAMU employees signed it, although some, including Rehm, refused. Numerous staff members declined to speak on the record for this article, citing the agreement and fear of retribution, but almost all who spoke anonymously praised Rehm ("she's the one who can stand up for us, and it's very brave of her," one said). One on-the-record exception was Lauren Davis, a former American University student who worked under Clampitt as a freshman. She called, unsolicited, from Kansas, saying she had "heard about the situation" and wanted to praise Clampitt as a wonderful manager and to criticize Rehm as "the one who was aloof and distant." Clampitt first alienated staff members, several say, when she moved into her offices on the sixth floor and immediately installed a lock to which only select staff members had access (the whole station has since been changed to a key-card security system). That was seen, Rehm and others say, as antithetical to the "open-door policy" Clampitt had espoused when first coming on board at the station. Rehm describes Clampitt's attitude toward much of the staff as "disdain." Responds Clampitt: "I don't know the people you've spoken with, I just know the people who come in and out of my office. They are very giggly. We have regular staff meetings. I meet with small groups. I walk through the station every day. I find it very surprising." In addition to Rehm, several staff members say other members of upper management -- specifically Clampitt's new program director, Mark McDonald, and new news director, Kevin Beesley -- have routinely treated staff members with an abrasive "we know better" attitude. "They have been scaring the bejesus out of people," Rehm says. McDonald sees things differently. "Kevin Beesley as news director is responsible for the day-to-day operations, but I can say that the newsroom staff now works harder, have more demanding and interesting assignments, do breaking news and can be heard on our air more than once a week," he says. ". . . I'm delighted to say that they have risen to the challenge, but some reluctantly." McDonald and Beesley are the subject of an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint filed against American University by one staff member who has since left the station. The complaint, obtained by The Washington Post and filed by former deputy news director Susan Garraty, alleges that during a meeting with the two WAMU supervisors, "discriminatory comments and remarks were made about how to get around affirmative action. Such comments were made about a black employee having a chip on his shoulders and interviewing other black applicants for affirmative action purposes, but still being able to hire whomever they want." After reporting those comments to Clampitt, Garraty says she was demoted from deputy news director to a producer on morning news programs and her benefits were reduced. She initially was told she was being moved to a new position while the investigation took place, Garraty says, but several months later she was told by American University's human resources department that she would not be able to return to her previous position. She then left the station. "After the experience that I had in reporting their racist and unethical remarks and the feedback I received from the upper management at the station, I realized that clearly the staff below me had no leg to stand on," says Garraty. Garraty says she is "not at liberty to discuss any details of the settlement" of her EEOC complaint, and both Clampitt and university representative David Taylor say it is university policy not to comment on personnel matters. Beesley was out of the country and could not be reached for comment. McDonald says Garraty's complaint "is completely false. I treat all members of the staff equally, regardless of their racial or ethnic background." Talk show host Kojo Nnamdi says he has never experienced any racism in his dealings with McDonald, but says the two clashed in their early dealings. "He tread on a lot of toes, including mine," Nnamdi says. Things changed, he said, after the two had a long talk a few months ago to clear the air. "Instead of being the kind of insistent, demanding individual, he's become cooperative," Nnamdi says. Nnamdi, who has been host of WAMU's afternoon talk show since 1998, says his status at the station made it possible for him to stand up for himself in ways other staffers cannot. That said, though, he said he had no idea that morale at WAMU was low. He says he knows vaguely about the financial situation, which has left his show down a full-time and a part-time producer. Mostly, though, he says he's somewhat oblivious, since he does not spend a great deal of time at the station outside his broadcast. He says he just took the changes as par for the course. "Before, at all [public] stations the culture was a lot more collegial than it is now," Nnamdi says. "It's more corporate now. I thought that was one of the inevitable evolutions of this business, and I've learned to live with it." (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. 11735.35, 1755-1815, R. Oriental, Oct 18, Tentative. Extremely weak signal at tune-in, with ballads and male and female announcers in Spanish. Fairly sure of a mention of "Uruguay" at 1805. Back to Spanish music at 1807. Poor level off the side of the Beverage, but the R75's twin PBT worked well to dig it out from under strong QRM compared to the AR7030 (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA USA, R75 / AR7030 / Kiwa MAP / 450 ft. Beverage at 270 , hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. VOV, Voice of Vietnam has a streaming media link if you`re into listening to audio online, just go to: http://www.google.ca (Canada's version) and type in Voice of Vietnam - follow the links and listen! Note that you will be downloading the audio all the time, if you have a download limit with you ISP (internet service provider) I don't recommend you use the service unless you're willing to pay a big bill! I normally aren't that slack and do give the VOV's URL but I'm sick of going on the internet and feel like trying to get R. Sawa. So try the links, try your luck and expect to be kept informed by any other events. --- Mit freundlichen Gren [sic], (With Friendly Greetings) *********** (Robert Wise, Hobart, Australia, Cumbredx mailing list, Oct 20, via DXLD) Why Canada UNIDENTIFIED. Quito 19/Oct/2003 22:53 6108.24 kHz: unID LA Bolivia or Perú 18th of October 2003 - 2355 UT. Amigos DXistas! Saludos desde "la mitad del mundo"! For the last 2 hours (2355-0300 UT) I have been listening to a LA station on 6108.24 kHz - probably Bolivia or Perú. Just Andean music, sometimes OM-DJ. Weak signal. It is not Oriente, Unión o Melodía - stations well known for drifting around. 73s de.... (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador - SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CELL PHONE SELFISHNESS, AND HOW TO FIGHT IT By Bob Levey Monday, October 20, 2003; Page C11 Three cheers for three college friends. They call themselves Winken, Blinken and Nod because they're bashful. But they shouldn't be. They are fighting back against the key disease of our time: cell phone selfishness. The symptoms are familiar: Cell phone owners feel it's okay to make or take a call, at any time, regardless of who might be offended, deafened, inconvenienced or annoyed. Yes, I understand that time is money. Yes, I understand that sometimes a few seconds make a huge difference. Yes, I understand that conversations go on all the time, and that a cell phone call is just another way to hold one. But I also understand the Bob Levey Cell Phone Litmus Test. It asks: Would this phone call have been held -- and would it have needed to be held -- 10 years ago, before cell phones were as common as crabgrass? Most of the time, the answer is clearly no. We did very well with pay phones for many, many years. And if we couldn't find the correct combination of coins, we did very well by waiting until we could reach some other phone. But in 2003, we live in Supercharged America, where we have to scratch every itch, right away. So these days, cell phone toters think nothing of screeching into their little digital friends. If they disrupt the quiet of a subway ride, a walk in the park, even a church service, too bad. Some innocent victims are beginning to fight back. Winken, Blinken and Nod did so in the lobby of Gelman Library at George Washington University, where they are students. A fellow student was cell-phoning a friend -- right beside a bunch of students whose noses were deep into books. Cell Phone Menace was chattering up a storm about the latest movies and the weather -- nothing that mattered. As W, B and N walked past, she boomed the cell phoner's classic: "Can you hear me now?" Spontaneously, the three called out: "Yes, we can." The cell phoner was so embarrassed that she clicked her phone shut and apologized. One small step for three women. One giant leap for mankind. Now, don't start with me about how this happened in the lobby, and not in the "real" part of Gelman. Students were reading books, right where this cell phoner was yammering. Don't your eyes -- and your sense of courtesy -- still operate after you dial a number on a cell? And please don't think I'm recommending rudeness as a way to fight rudeness. This tale is about asking for equal rights. W, B and N were inside a building that's dedicated to quiet contemplation. The cell phoner could and should have made her call outside. When she didn't, our three heroines decided to be assertive. Assertive and obnoxious are not synonyms. Just how bad is it getting in Cell Phone World? Researcher Alex MacCallum unearthed a Web site called CellManners.com. It offers "Tales from the Cell Wars." Beware, dear friends. Excesses such as these could be waiting to strike you, any day now. A dentist in Florida was about to begin a procedure on a patient. Just then, the patient's cell phone rang. She chatted for 15 minutes, as he stood there. Finally, he kicked her out of his office. A woman in Austin was attending the funeral of her best friend's mother. "The woman in the pew behind me answered her ringing cell phone and actually had a conversation with the caller" -- during the service. In a crowded Jacksonville, Fla., elevator, a woman loudly described her fertility problems via cell phone. "Disgusted in Chicago" says she's sick of sitting in public waiting rooms and being subjected to "some loud, self-centered" rant. "I don't want to hear about how unfair Billy's Little League coach is, or how so-and-so fractured his leg while skiing," says this wise owl. The worst one I've ever heard, as recounted in the Shreveport (La.) Times of Aug. 21: During his Sunday morning sermon, a preacher's cell phone rang. He answered it! As columnist Teddy Allen noted, his own father was a preacher. "If he'd have done that, he might have fired his own self," Teddy wrote. To parents who go out for the evening and think they must always be in cell phone range in case there's an emergency with one of the kids: Why can't you call the babysitter twice during the evening, from a pay phone? Why do you have to subject a restaurant or a concert full of people to a call that's probably going to be about bedtime snacks, rather than life and death? And what are you going to do about an emergency, anyway, if you're 25 miles away? That's why you hire a sitter -- to have the presence of mind to call 911 if something serious happens. To those who say they have to be prepared to do business, at any time of any day: This is why the good Lord invented voice mail. Use it. I've never heard of a business deal that went up in smoke because you had to call someone back five minutes after he left a message. To those who say that social opportunities are vastly expanded by cell phones: See previous comments. I've never seen Mr. Right lose interest because he can't reach Ms. Wonderful right this red-hot second. If he's truly Mr. Right, he'll call again. To those who think that a cell phone is cheap: They can add as much as $1,000 a year to the average user's tab. If that's "cheap," I need a new dictionary. To those who think I'm exaggerating the problem, wander around the National Gallery, the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception or Arlington Cemetery on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Without fail, you'll soon hear the blaring, searing new national anthem: "Can you hear me now?" (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ THOMAS GIELLA`S PROPAGATION FORECASTS For the third time I'm going to begin producing my propagation outlook. I tried the seven day approach but to many things can happen with space weather in seven days. I also tried the daily approach but not enough space weather occurs in one day. I think the 3 day outlook fits best. I will distribute the outlook via email to a variety of e- lists and also on the web at http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf6.htm Sunspot region #10484 located at N06E54 was the source of the X1.1 solar flare yesterday morning. It also produced three M class solar flares in the past 24 hours. The region contains a beta gamma delta magnetic signature that could produce more M class flares and even possibly another X class flare. BTW this was the first X class flare since 03/06/15. I have a bad feeling that this sunspot group is going to create lots of havoc in future days as it rotates by. Unfortunately at least two partially geoeffective (Earth Facing) Coronal Mass Ejections (CME's)were released with the flaring activity and should begin impacting our planet's magnetic field with moderate Kp-6 storm activity within approximately 48 hours. As it's hard to determine just what impact a partially geoeffective CME can have on our magnetic field, we may see only minor storming Kp-5 or major storming Kp-7. In the interim we can expect periods of active Kp-4 to minor storm Kp- 5 conditions as Coronal Hole #063 rotates out of geoeffective position. 73, Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Plant City, FL, USA, EL87WX KN4LF Daily Solar Space Weather & Geomagnetic Data Archive: http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf5.htm KN4LF HF/MF Radio Propagation Theory Notes: http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf8.htm (Oct 20 via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ###