DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-065, April 8, 2004 edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.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 For restrixions and searchable 2004 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 1227: Fri 2300 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sat 0800 on WRN1 to Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific Sat 0855 on WNQM Nashville 1300 Sat 1030 on WWCR 5070 Sat 1830 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2100 on DKOS usually, http://www.live365.com/stations/steve_cole Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCA 9330-CLSB Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1000 on WRN1 to North America, webcast; also KSFC 91.9 Spokane WA, and WDWN 89.1 Auburn NY; maybe KTRU 91.7 Houston TX, each with webcasts Sun 1900 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Mon 0100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [last week`s 1225] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Tue 0300 on SIUE Web Radio http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WORLD OF RADIO 1227 in mp3 recorded from 7415 at 2200 UT April 7, already available April 8, but phone-feed to WBCQ: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.mp3 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: 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 1227 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1227.html WORLD OF RADIO 1227 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.rm DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Here`s where to sign up. There may be a delay in approval if I do not recognize your name and /or e-mail address. If your yahoo profile does not give this info, please send me a separate e-mail with your true name, location and brief reason for wishing to join the group --- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ (Glenn Hauser, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. RUSSIA, 7350 R. Amani via Armavir Mar 26 *1631- 1645 33433-34433 Pushto, 1631 s/on and ID. Opening music and opening announce. Music and talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Re "special" English program via Kabul 1296: this is produced by VOA in Washington DC; VOA calls it "produced for a local audience in Afghanistan". It is aired 1930-2330 on 1296 & FM 100.5 in Kabul, and via the Orzu 972 transmitter in Tajikistan (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. Radio Free Asia QSLs --- This from the EDXC e-mail list: Dear EDXC friends: As of last week, I have taken over the RFA QSL card program. There was at least a 6-month backlog of reception reports that needed attention; they are now all caught up. Please spread the news far and wide that all reception reports can now be mailed to Radio Free Asia at this address: Attn: AJ Janitschek Radio Free Asia 2025 M. Street NW Washington DC 20036 United States of America Reception reports can also be sent via email to qsl@r... [truncated; probably qsl @ rfa.org --- gh] Cheers. AJ (via BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. BELGIUM/RUSSIA: Frequency change for DRM transmission of TDP Radio via MSK 035 kW / 275 deg: 2000-2100 Sat NF 7435, ex 7380 \\ 7590 AM. TDP Radio cancelled DRM via DTK: 1400-1500 Sat on 6015 JUL 040 kW / non-dir (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. Maeva FM International has appeared as a regular analogue transmission in the TDP online schedule http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html --- Saturdays 1300-1500 on 6015 (via DTK Jülich, Germany 100 kW). Program language is Dutch; the station's websites http://www.maevafm.be and http://www.maevafm.com For those who can read Dutch: a story on the history and roots of Maeva FM can be found at http://home.tiscali.be/vrijeradio/radio/radio-maeva.html (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] The frequency for the analogue Maeva FM International broadcasts on Saturdays 1300-1500 was changed from 6015 to 5975 in the TDP online schedule http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html (via DTK Jülich, Germany 100kW). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CANADA. Canadian FM station applies to move to AM (really) Per Today's CRTC release at http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Hearings/2004/n2004-3.htm#31 Application by the CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (CBC) to amend the licence of radio programming undertaking CFWH Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. The CBC proposes to convert its transmitter CBDN-FM Dawson from the FM to the AM band. The transmitter would operate on frequency 560 kHz with a transmitter power of 400 watts day time and night time. The CBC is requesting permission to simulcast the programming of CFWH on the FM band for a period of three months following the installation of its new AM transmitter. It would then cease operation of its FM transmitter CBDN-FM Dawson. The current FM transmitter does not adequately reach the community and the connecting river valleys. (via Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, AB, April 7, NRC-AM via DXLD) Now this would be a great catch! There used to be a 40 watt LPRT on 560 in that area as I remember too. 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC [non]. U.K.: Summer A-04 schedule for Radio Ndeke Luka in French and Singo via Merlin: 1830-1930 (not 1900-2000) on 15470 (55444) via WOF 250 kW / 152 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 4530.00, HK793 [sic], Radio Versalles, Versalles, 95 kb 04/2004. Fine catch, the station has just 250 W. Harmonic from 1510 kHz. You are very welcome to listen to this recordings at http://www.malm-ecuador.com 7/Abr/2004 15:44 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. ``are the smaller transmitters in Croatia itself still active?`` I can confirm at least 6165 as active, until 1700 with a different program than 1134. At 1700 news were carried in // on both frequencies, but 1134 was about 1.5 seconds behind 6165 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Hi from Sweden; have to correct your info about Radio Scandinavia having financing problem. No such problem, but it takes time to get transmitters, antennas and studio equipment in right place. Will start up with 1000 watt, and then we have to find a place for the big mast of 60m. 25 kW transmitter is on its way to England to be adjusted from 1143 kHz to 603 kHz. The parts are coming from Canada. An antenna has to be mounted on the ship and adjusted for 603 kHz and 1000 watt. Roy Sandgren in an email (8/4-2004) (Ydun`s MW News via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Speaking about 1323 [RUSSIA], a just released book from Gerd Klawitter reveals that in July 2003 a new 1000 kW Telefunken transmitter (TRAM series and 2 x 500 kW configuration would be the arrangement to assume) was installed at Wachenbrunn. The new transmitter was placed next to the four tower antenna, probably in the original antenna matching building, so the long feeder line across a public road --- see pictures at the bottom of http://www.dxradio-ffm.de/THU.htm --- is out of service now. Word is that the transmitters installed for 1323 in 1988/1989 (Komintern, 2 x 500 kW and 2 x 75 kW, exact model not figured out) already have been scrapped (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Summer A-04 schedule of Radiofonikos Stathmos Makedonias (ERA 3) in Greek 1100-2055 on 9375 and 2100-2255 on 7450 (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** HAITI. Main Script for Wavescan, Edition number 484 for airing on Sunday 4/11/2004. Last week we presented the early origins of shortwave radio broadcasting in the independent Caribbean nation of Haiti [reprinted in DX Listening Digest 4-060]. Now, in troubled times We should {sic} that our own Adventist radio station in Haiti, together with the Adventist university and the Adventist hospital, have all found it necessary to modify their activities due to the social unrest in their country. The Adventist radio station, 4VVE, has been on the air with 10 kW on 1560 kHz mediumwave since 1988, and the FM outlet in parallel on 89.5 MHz has been on the air since the year 2001. This week, we visit Haiti again, and this time with the story of the most famous of them all, Radio 4VEH. This then is the story of ``The Right Station with the Wrong Callsign``. Here`s Ariel McLeggon. Situated in a politically difficult climate is this small and exotic radio station which began its days as a shortwave station and is today heard only on mediumwave and FM. This station began its shortwave career with one callsign which it still retains for identification, though it is registered these days for on-air usage with another call. It was on the northern coast of Haiti, at Cap Haitien, that Haiti`s best known shortwave station was established more than half a century ago. This station, 4VEH, with the slogan ``The Evangelical Voice of Haiti`` was founded in 1950 specifically as a shortwave station by Rev G. T. Bustin. This unique station made its first broadcast on June 2, 1950 and at the time it was a small unit radiating just 400 watts on the unusual channel 9884 kHz. The studios and transmitter for this new station were located at first in the back rooms of the church building in the ``East and West Indies Bible Mission`` at Vaudreuil in northern Haiti. At the time, there were several other shortwave stations located in Haiti, the western section of Hispaniola, though they were located mainly in the capital city area, Port au Prince. Subsequent to its inauguration and with the evidence of success for this bold new venture, new studios were established and a new transmitter building was constructed for 4VEH. The transmitter base was located seven miles away in the salt flats at Petite Anse across the bay from Cap Haitien. The 10 watt FM link between the studios in Vaudreuil and the transmitter at Petite Anse came into service in 1965. To celebrate their 5th anniversary and to honor the 25th anniversary of the International Shortwave Club in London, 4VEH made a series of special DX broadcasts on May 21 and 22, 1955. Three different channels in the 31 metre band were used and attempts were made also to use two other shortwave transmitters for the occasion. In 1958, just eight years after its inauguration, station 4VEH was taken over by the missionary organization, OMS International with its world headquarters on the edge of Indianapolis. This station, originally established to broadcast the Gospel to the Caribbean, continued under its new ownership with regular programming in French, Spanish and English to Haiti and neighboring islands. At its greatest potential, 4VEH was on the air with a total of eight transmitters radiating on allocated frequencies in the shortwave, mediumwave and FM bands. These were generally lower powered units, though for many years they operated two 10 kW units simultaneously. During its era as a shortwave broadcaster, reception reports were received from all areas in the United States, as well as from many other countries in Europe, the Americas and the Pacific. Two shortwave antennas were in use; a simple dipole, and a two element delta beamed towards Florida. Currently, the American headquarters for radio station 4VEH are located in Florida and the station is on the air in Haiti with the usage of just two transmitters under the callsign 4VEF. They are heard with 10 kW on 840 kHz and on FM at 94.7 MHz. Interestingly, radio station 4VEH no longer on the air from a transmitter under that original designation; 4VEH is now in reality, 4VEF. Thus, they have become, as we said, ``The Right Station with the Wrong Callsign``. The Gospel station 4VEH was the last station in Haiti to leave the air shortwave. This station was indeed an exotic shortwave station in an exotic tropical location. In bygone years, it was much sought after by distant international radio monitors who wanted a picturesque QSL card from this fascinating island nation in the blue Caribbean (Adrian Michael Peterson, AWR Wavescan April 11 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** HONG KONG. Here is information I received today from Ailsa Angus at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Guy Atkins Puyallup, WA USA -------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather Broadcasts The Sailing Office will again broadcast special weather forecasts for boats returning to Hong Kong for Philippines on 8749 kHz. These forecasts, provided by Hong Kong Observatory, will be broadcast at the times shown below. [but see belower!] Date Time 19th April 2004 0833 20th April 2004 0833 21st April 2004 0833 22nd April 2004 0833 23rd April 2004 0833 -------------------------------------------------------------------- For those near enough to the region to hear the ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communications of the race itself, here are the published details: -------------------------------------------------------------------- POSITION REPORTING TIMES Take Position Radio Schedule 0800 0803 1800 1803 Frequencies/Channels: SSB frequencies Ship transmits Ship receives Race Communications (Primary) 4060 kHz 4060 kHz Race Communications (Secondary) 2638 kHz 2638 kHz and International ship to ship International distress and calling 2182 kHz 2182 kHz Supplementary distress and calling 4125 kHz 4417 kHz Supplementary distress and calling 6215 kHz 6516 kHz International ship to ship 6218.6 kHz 6218.6 kHz Transmission mode is J3E (SSB suppressed carrier) unless otherwise specified for special purposes by your yacht's radio instruction manual (Guy Atkins, WA, 0100 UT April 7, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Here's additional information I've gleaned from a closer reading of the yacht race document I was sent. Evidently the April 19-23rd dates I gave originally were for boats heading to the Philippines *after* the Hong Kong race. The actual China Sea Hong Kong Yacht race has just started, and the weather broadcast schedule is below. I have to presume that the times given are Hong Kong local time (see http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=102 for latest HK time and info). Hong Kong is UT +8 hours, so if 0833 is UT, then the weather forecast would be in late afternoon --- not much help to the yacht crews, as they would nearly be done with racing for the day. 0833 local time makes much more sense to inform participants before setting sail. I could not find any specific information positively indicating local time rather than UT, however. Here's the weather broadcast information for the actual race: 8749 KHZ Date Time Time 8th April 2004 1833 9th April 2004 0833 1833 10th April 2004 0833 1833 11th April 2004 0833 1833 12th April 2004 0833 The times above work out to 0033 and 1033 UT. My apologies for any confusion my previous message caused (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA, 0459 UT April 8, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 8749U, RTVHK *1033-1039* April 8. Thanks to Guy Atkins' timely e-mail reminder, I tuned to 8749 and much to my surprise, I heard a YL talking at 1033. I could only understand "weather broadcast... forecast is as follows... visibility... waves... wind... repeat..." Just before 1039* close down, heard "That's the end of the weather forecast". SINPO 13431. Thanks Guy! (George Maroti, NY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 8749 is a regular HK utility frequency, listed in Klingenfuss 2002 as VRX, in SSB; perhaps they have a Chinese call now. So this would not be the only opportunity to hear it, and is not really an RTVHK broadcast, like the previous transmitter on 3940 may have been. Interesting operation, nonetheless (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Here is the latest Asian News on my website, 7th April 2004 http://www.geocities.com/supratiksanatani/dxnews.htm AIR FM GOLD SHORTWAVE TEST TRANSMISSIONS All India Radio is with test transmissions of its FM Gold Service for shortwave on 7420 kHz and 7270 kHz with the following schedule: 0025-0430, 0700-1330, 1530-1740 UT. This is a Hindi program of light music, news and light discussion by anchors. It carries English news at certain times too. All India Radio has confirmed the test transmission on 7420 kHz by email on 6th April, but is silent about 7270 kHz. At 1425 on 7th April 2004 this channel was heard carrying departmental instruction for other AIR stations, such as instructions and the schedules to broadcast the political broadcasts of recognised national and state political parties in coordination with the Election Commissionar of India for the forthcoming national polls. Mentioned to expect such departmental messages also at 0440 UT (Supratik Sanatani, April 7, WORLD OF RADIO 1227, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. IBRA Radio A04. SW schedule based on April 2004 PDF file at http://www.ibra.org Via FEBA, TWR, Gospel For Asia, HCJB, FEBC/KFBS, Radio Rwanda s---tfs 0200-0215 7220 UAE Dhabbaya Pashto -----fs 0215-0230 12045 RUS Novosibirsk Punjabi 9450? -mt---- 0230-0245 12045 RUS Novosibirsk Hindko 9450? s------ 0230-0245 12045 RUS Novosibirsk Urdu 9450? -----f- 1130-1145 15530 RUS Samara Arabic -m----- 1200-1215 15530 RUS Samara Arabic 1200-1300 12045 RUS Petropavlovsk Chinese 9450? --t---- 1230-1245 15170 UAE Dhabbaya Kashmiri 15590? 1230-1300 7120 RUS Vladivostok Chinese 1230-1300 11520 TWN Taipei Chinese ---w-f- 1245-1300 7480 PHL Iba Khmer 7375? s------ 1300-1315 11750 RUS Samara Kangri 15225? sm-wt-- 1330-1345 9485 RUS Irkutsk Bengali s----fs 1415-1430 11750 RUS Samara Hi 15225? 1500-1515 6120 PHL Iba Chinese 9405? s------ 1515-1530 6055 RRW Kigali Kinyarwanda 1530-1600 9415 RUS Armavir Pashto ----t-s 1545-1600 11885 AFS Meyerton Makonde -m-w-f- 1600-1615 11580 MRA Marpi-Saipan Uighur 1600-1630 9415 RUS Armavir Dari 1630-1645 9415 RUS Armavir Hazaragi 1630-1700 11885 AFS Meyerton Amharic 1645-1700 9415 RUS Armavir Uzbek smtwt-- 1700-1730 6180 UAE Dhabbaya Oromo s-t---- 1718-1748 7265 AFS Meyerton Yao 1730-1800 11690 RRW Kigali Tigrigna 1730-1800 15450 D Wertachtal Somali 1730-1830 15695 D Julich Swahili 1830-1845 15695 D Julich English 1900-1915 9675 D Julich Fulani 1900-2030 5935 RUS Samara Arabic from 5 Sep 1900-2030 9835 RUS Samara Arabic till 5 Sep -----fs 1915-1930 9675 D Julich Tamajeq smtwt-- 1915-1930 9675 D Julich Hausa -----fs 1930-1945 9675 D Julich Malinke smt---- 1930-1945 9675 D Julich Moore ---wt-- 1930-2000 9675 D Julich Songhai smt--fs 1945-2000 9675 D Julich Joula -mt---- 2000-2015 9675 D Julich Bambara s-----s 2000-2015 9675 D Julich Wolof ---wtf- 2000-2015 9675 D Julich Zarma 2000-2100 7340 D Julich Arabic --t---- 2115-2130 12025 G Skelton Arabic s------ 2130-2200 12025 G Skelton Arabic -m----- 2200-2215 12025 G Skelton Arabic --t--f- 2200-2230 12025 G Skelton Arabic (via Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Rwanda is on 11690???? See 1730 entry. Surely that`s DW Kigali site, unlike 6055. And what about DR Congo`s Okapi on 11690?? The frequencies at the right, I think, represent contradictions pointed out by Silvain (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. Pirate Radio Essex --- There's an article at the following link http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2752423 which refers to Pirate BBC Essex (actually a legitimate station this time around) conducting a special 40th anniversary broadcast commemorating off- shore pirate activity. The broadcast will begin "Saturday" (dateline is 7 April, so presumably beginning this Saturday, 10 April) and continuing for a week. Frequencies will be 729, 765 and 1530 kHz -- 24 hours a day. Might be worth a try. Very 73 de Mike (Mike Hardester, Jacksonville, NC, NRC-AM via DXLD) We`ve had several previous stories about this, so far in advance we may have forgotten about them by the time the actual date rolls around (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. U.K.: Effective March 29 Radio Pedar/Father Radio/ in Persian is on air: 1730-1830 Mon-Fri NF 17735 (55555) via RMP 500 kW / 085 deg, not on 17660 (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** IRAQ. ANALYSIS: REBUILDING IRAQI MEDIA ONE YEAR AFTER SADDAM HUSAYN | Text of editorial analysis by Ian Piper of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 8 April 2004 A year after Saddam Husayn's fall from power, the rebuilding of Iraq's media is gathering pace. But violence towards media workers and journalists is also on the increase. US overseer Paul Bremer on 24 March signed an order to set up the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (ICMC). The US-led coalition is hoping this will lead the way to a free and professional media in Iraq. The new official body will be based largely on Western models like the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the UK's communications industries' regulator Ofcom. The ICMC board will have an annual budget of six million dollars, with initial funds provided by international grants until it can raise its own revenues from licence fees. A senior official in the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) told journalists on 26 March that Mr Bremer will name the nine-member commission by 20 April. The US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council has agreed that the ICMC will be independent of a future interim government and will not act as a new Information Ministry, said the CPA official, who asked not to be named. The ICMC will comprise academics, businessmen, lawyers and other professionals who have no conflicts of interest or involvement in politics. "They will have no political affiliation and we do not wish to have clerics on the board... We are determined to keep the politicians at arm's length," the French news agency AFP cited the CPA official as saying. In a speech marking the 100-day countdown to the planned transfer of power to the Iraqis on 30 June, Mr Bremer also outlined plans for a press code of ethics and confirmed that unlike radio and TV, print media will not require a licence to operate in Iraq. Foreign stations crowd the airwaves Until the fall of Saddam Husayn, the media were tightly controlled by the Ba'thist Information Ministry. The Communications Ministry controlled the communications infrastructure, there was no mobile telephone network, satellite dishes were banned and only Ba'th Party officials had internet access. Since the war, Iraq's media have mushroomed. When hostilities ended, there was a rush to fill the void left by the fall of Saddam's broadcasting empire. In a post-war unregulated media environment, numerous newspapers, radio and TV stations have been set up all over Iraq. International broadcasters flocked to Baghdad, anxious to gain a foothold. Radio Sawa, the USA's Arabic-language station, began broadcasting 24 hours a day in northern Iraq from FM transmitters in Arbil. Voice of America (VOA) Kurdish and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Arabic, known as Radio Free Iraq, also began transmitting on FM from Arbil. The BBC Arabic Service launched "Lifeline", a 10-minute daily programme to link people across the Middle East and the Arab diaspora around the world with friends and family in Iraq. TV and radio stations broadcasting from Iran, meanwhile, have large audiences among the Shi'is of southern Iraq. By May 2003 Libya had begun shortwave broadcasts specifically for Iraq in Arabic. By November, Radio Exterior de Espana had launched special programmes for Spanish forces personnel. US-sponsored media The US communications equipment company Harris Corporation announced on 29 September 2003 that it had won a 100m-dollar contract from the Pentagon to run Iraq's domestic broadcasting infrastructure for the next 12 months. Florida-based Harris operates the Iraqi Media Network (IMN), comprising two TV stations, one for 24-hour news and the other for entertainment, and two FM radio stations, with one focusing on news. The contract also requires Harris to transform the national newspaper Al-Sabah, sponsored by the CPA, "to a significantly higher level of quality" and to increase its readership. "This is a tremendous, historic opportunity for us to be part of something that really helps the Iraqi people. It will replace their antiquated system with a world-class network," said Youssef Sleiman, managing director of the Iraq Initiative for Harris, in remarks quoted by Reuters news agency. The IMN was to be modelled on public service broadcasters like the BBC and America's PBS, but within months the credibility of the network was called into question. International agencies reported squabbles between its US and Canadian advisers and complaints from its Iraqi journalists about "American censorship". At the beginning of August 2003 the role of the IMN and the extent of its powers, came under the international spotlight when the head of US-backed Iraqi TV, Ahmad al-Rikabi, resigned. Rikabi complained that inadequate funding prevented the station from competing with rival channels such as Iran's Al-Alam TV. This station, which broadcasts into Baghdad from a transmitter located near the Iran-Iraq border, was for a long time the only foreign TV channel that could be viewed by Iraqis without a satellite dish. On 14 February this year, the US launched an Arabic-language satellite TV channel Al-Hurra. Meaning "the free", it is intended to promote democracy and win over public opinion in the Arab world. Al-Hurra, now relayed terrestrially in Baghdad, is aimed at the younger audience which dominates most Arab countries and is designed to compete head on with the Qatar-based news channel Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya based in the UAE. Al-Arabiya, which only launched in February 2003, is consistently rated among the top pan-Arab stations by Middle East audiences. In addition to the Coalition-run IMN, there are currently more than 90 TV and radio stations on the air inside Iraq. Tenders for new licences for commercial broadcasters will be issued soon, and the IMN channels will be incorporated into a new publicly funded broadcaster. So far 63 bids for broadcasting licences have been received - 28 for TV and 35 for radio. Print media stabilizing Despite the lack of infrastructure in post-war Iraq, scores of newspaper titles have sprung up, mainly in Baghdad, feeding a public hungry for news from a free press that had been denied under the rule of Saddam. Out of more than 250 newspapers and magazines which appeared since the fall of the former regime, over 100 titles are still being published. Although the quantity is high, the relative quality of much of the journalism falls short of that found in Western publications. The Washington Post commented on 21 March that the idea of independently gathering news is still alien to most Iraqi journalists. The article also noted that not only have the Iraqi people been told what to think by the state media for decades, but reporters have also come to expect to be told what the news is. The new Media Commission will strive to address this culture arising from years under the reign of Saddam. Although the print media will be able to operate without a licence, the Iraqi press community will be urged to be self-regulating and have its own code of ethics. In a recent opinion piece in the New York Times, David Hoffman, president of Internews, the US-based organization that fosters independent media in emerging democracies, praised the CPA for its approval of the new commission to oversee the media. "After several embarrassing attempts to corral the news media in Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority is about to get it right," Hoffman said in the 13 March editorial. He praised Paul Bremer, the authority's administrator, for signalling his approval of a new media commission which will issue broadcast licences, provide a system of self-regulation for the press and "bring order to the way news and information flows in Iraq". The Iraqi Governing Council has approved a law that will transform the Iraqi Media Network, currently run by the coalition authorities, into a public-interest broadcasting corporation. Media analysts and Iraqis have criticized the IMN as a propaganda tool for US and coalition forces. "Together these changes will give Iraq the most advanced and detailed media laws of any developing country in the world," Hoffman said. Journalists in danger In one sense, Iraq has the freest media in the Arab world. But as Khalil Osman of the BBC World Service Trust notes, "most of the media at the moment are supported by some political interest. There is no commercial market to sustain a private media sector." And with both local and Western journalists coming under attack - from US troops as well as Iraqi insurgents - it is becoming more difficult for news organizations to operate safely inside Iraq. International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) General Secretary Aidan White warned last month that "journalism in Iraq is struggling to survive in an atmosphere of violence and intimidation". Without input from the global journalist community to provide much- needed training, the dream of an independent media may yet be some way off. Source: BBC Monitoring research 8 Apr 04 (via DXLD) ** IRAQ. MEDIA IN IRAQ - UPDATED 7 APRIL 2004 [excerpts!] NEW SATELLITE TV CHANNELS IN IRAQ SINCE 26 FEBRUARY 2004 Al-Sharqiya satellite television Al-Sharqiya is the new television station of Iraqi businessman Sa'd al-Bazzaz, who is also the publisher of the Arabic-language daily newspaper Al-Zaman. The station carries a variety of programming including a drama series and political discussion shows. In a series of promotional spots, Al-Sharqiya promises to address "the plight of Iraq's majority," women's issues and to "respect differences of opinion". Al-Sharqiya broadcasts into Iraq from the Nilesat and Hotbird satellites. NEW TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION IN IRAQ SINCE 26 FEBRUARY 2004 PUK launches new TV channel in Kirkuk The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan launched a new TV channel in Kirkuk on 23 March, the Baghdad newspaper Al-Mashriq reported. The report says that its broadcasts covers Kirkuk and surrounding areas. An official source at the station said that its goal was to enhance brotherly relations among ethnic groups in the city. He added that broadcasting will be in Arabic, Kurdish, Turkomen and Syriac to include all ethnic groups in Kirkuk. Karbala: New local TV to cover Shi'i leader Al-Sistani's activities Ayatollah Al-Sayyid Ali al-Sistani's Shi'i religious seminary in Karbala is to launch a local TV station to report on the seminary's activities, the Iran-based radio station Voice of the Mujahidin reported on 28 March. NEW RADIO IN IRAQ SINCE 26 FEBRUARY 2004 Dar Al-Salam Radio Dar al-Salam Radio broadcasts from Baghdad and identifies itself as the radio of the Iraqi Islamic Party. The station was first monitored on 24 March on 1152 kHz mediumwave AM. Initial broadcasts have focused on the activities of Iraqi Islamic Party leader Mushin Abd-al-Hamid and Islamic issues. In its initial broadcasts, Dar al-Salam Radio has highlighted the importance of Islam in Iraqi society. The station also aired religious songs. Radio Monte Carlo opens relay in Mosul Radio Monte Carlo Middle East opened a relay in Mosul on 88 MHz FM on 28 February. A press release from Radio France Internationale said this was the group's fourth FM relay in Iraq. RMC-MO is already on 88 MHz in Baghdad and on 88.8 MHz in Basra, while RFI can be heard on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad. POST-WAR BROADCAST MEDIA RADIO --- FM BAND IN BAGHDAD (MHz) 88.0 - Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East in Arabic & French 88.5 - MBC in Arabic 89.0 - BBC World Service in Arabic 90.1 - Iranian Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic 92.3 - AFN in English (different stream to 107.8 MHz) 93.5 - Radio France Internationale in French 95.0 - IMN Radio Diyala, Baquba, in Arabic 96.7 - Iranian IRIB Arabic Service 97.1 - Continuous US pop music, no announcements 97.4 - As 97.1 MHz 97.7 - As 97.1 MHz 98.0 - BBC World Service in English 98.3 - IMN-Baghdad FM in Arabic 100.4 - US Radio Sawa in Arabic 102.4 - Radio Free Iraq (RFE/RL) in Arabic 104.1 - IQ4 Radio Iraq in English and Arabic 107.8 - AFN-Iraq ["Freedom Radio"] in English MAIN AM STATIONS INTENDED FOR IRAQ (kHz) 657 - IMN Baghdad FM Radio in Arabic 720 - Voice of the Mujahidin in Arabic 756 - Information Radio in Arabic 909 - Radio Nahrain in Arabic 1000 - Voice of the Worker Communist Party of Iraq 1026 - Iraqi Media Network - Radio Baghdad in Arabic 1152 - Dar al-Salam Radio (Iraqi Islamic Party) 1161 - IRIB Arabic Service 1179 - Voice of Iraq in Arabic (English 1200-1300 gmt) 1206 - Voice of the People of Kurdistan in Arabic & Kurdish 1206 - Voice of Iraqi Turkmen Radio in Turkmen 1224 - IRIB Arabic Service 1233 - Radio Monte Carlo Middle East, Cyprus, in Arabic 1260 - (US-run) Radio Sawa, Rhodes, Greece, in Arabic 1305 - Radio Al-Mustaqbal in Arabic 1314 - (US-run) Radio Free Iraq via Abu Dhabi {NOT: 4-066} 1323 - BBC World Service, Cyprus, in English 1548 - (US-run) Radio Sawa in Arabic 1566 - Radio of the Land of the Two Rivers in Arabic 1575 - Continuous pop music - no announcements observed 1593 - VoA English/Kurdish/Persian + Radio Free Iraq in Arabic Iraqi Media Network, Voice of New Iraq - operated by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Has also identified as Republic of Iraq Radio from Baghdad and Voice of Free Iraq (Sawt al-Iraq al-Hurr). Broadcasts on 98.3 MHz FM in Baghdad, identifying as Iraqi Media Network, Baghdad FM Radio, with a different service on 1026 kHz identifying as Iraqi Media Network-Radio Baghdad. A new station identifying in Arabic as "Iraqi Media Network, Radio Diyala" was observed in Baghdad on 95.0 MHz. Diyala is a governate neighbouring Baghdad, of which Baqubah, approximately 50 km north-east of Baghdad, is the capital. Shamin Rassam, an Iraqi-American, directs IMN's FM radio outlet as well as news bulletins on the mediumwave station, according to the Washington Post. TV BAND IN BAGHDAD (sound frequencies in MHz ) VHF Channel 7 - 194.75 - Al-Iraqiyah (Iraqi Media Network) Television Channel 11 - 222.75 - Iranian Television First Channel UHF Channel 22 - 484.75 - Al-Iraqiyah (Iraqi Media Network) Television Channel 25 - 508.75 - Iranian Television First Channel Channel 28 - 532.75 - Iranian Television Regional Service Channel 37 - 604.75 - Al-Iraqiyah (Iraqi Media Network) Television Channel 42 - 644.75 - Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Radio (in parallel with radio transmission on 4025 kHz) IRANIAN BROADCAST MEDIA ACCESSIBLE IN IRAQ --- RADIO Voice of the Mujahidin. First observed on 17 April 2003 and broadcasting in Arabic, the station's content suggests that it is operated by the Iranian-backed Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). In addition, the station is transmitting on one of several frequencies used by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting for its external transmissions. Has been heard on 90.1 MHz FM, in parallel with 720 kHz. On 9 March BBC Monitoring observed Voice of the Mujahidin on the Hotbird 3 satellite at 13 degrees east. The content generally parallels that of the main SCIRI web site located at http://www.majlesaala.com. The station has its own web site with a live audio stream at http://www.radiomojahedin.com INTERNATIONAL MEDIA Major international radio and television stations, such as pan-Arab satellite television stations, the BBC Arabic and World service radio, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, US Radio Sawa and US- sponsored Radio Free Iraq are available in Iraq. BBC World Service is now 24 hours a day in Arabic on FM in Baghdad and Basra. The FM frequencies are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and 90.0 MHz in Basra in Arabic. BBC World Service in English can be heard on FM in Basra on 88.0 MHz and 98.1 MHz. Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is on FM on 88.0 MHz in Baghdad for 24 hours a day. Radio Monte Carlo Middle East can also be heard in Basra on 88.8 MHz and in Mosul on 88 MHz. Radio France Internationale started a relay of its French-language programme on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad on 16 February. Radio Sawa is on FM in Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5 MHz) and Sulaymaniyah (88.0 MHz), as well as on 1548 kHz MW. Al-Hurra TV - Since 14 February 2004 satellite viewers in Iraq and the rest of the Arab world have been able to watch a new US government- funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel, Al-Hurra (meaning "the free"). The station broadcasts free-to-air via the direct-to-home Arabsat and Nilesat satellites. It is also distributed via other satellites. In a few months, it will also be available over terrestrial transmitters in Iraq. Since mid-May 2003, Libya has been broadcasting specifically to Iraq in Arabic. The shortwave broadcasts carrry the following announcement: "This is the general centre for broadcasts beamed from the Great Jamahiriyah: A message to the people of the two rivers [Iraq]." Libya broadcasts to Iraq daily on 17600 kHz at 1200-1300 and on 7245, 9605, and 11660 kHz at 1800-1900 gmt. Syrian Arab Republic Radio is the Syrian state-owned radio. It broadcasts on shortwave on 12085 and 13610 kHz. It has also been heard in Iraq on the MW frequency of 819 kHz between 1100 and 1145 gmt. Radio Kuwait is the state-owned Kuwaiti radio. It can be received in Iraq on the MW frequency of 540 kHz 24 hours. Voice of Israel is Israel's state-owned radio. It broadcasts daily in Arabic on shortwave from 0300-2115 gmt on 5915 kHz. Source: BBC Monitoring research 7 Apr 04 (via DXLD) ** ITALY. Summer A-4 schedule for IRRS (updated): 1900-2030 Sat-Thu 5775 MIL 020 kW / non-dir 1900-2030 Fri only 5775 MIL 100 kW / non-dir 0700-1200 Sat/Sun 13840 MIL 020 kW / non-dir 1100-1200 Fri only 15665 MIL 100 kW / non-dir (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) There remains a question whether the 100 kW is really in Milano (gh, DXLD) see SCOTLAND [non] ** KOREA NORTH. Glenn, is this station reported often? This morning was the first time I heard it. 6067.79, Voice of Korea, 1100-1125 April 7, noted a carrier on this frequency prior to 1100 thinking it might be Jayapura, but at 1100 broadcasting started with NA followed by Korean comments by a woman. Some music, but mainly comments heard. Later a man joined in. Signal was threshold during the entire period (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Listed as 6070v; don`t recall seeing it this far off (gh, DXLD) Hi all, This is a followup to my logging from Yesterday of the Voice of Korea. Heard again today (04/08/04) on 6067.65 starting at 1100 with interval, ID and NA. There's two soundbites on my web page at http://www.orchidcitysoftware.com/IMAGE34.HTML They are the last on the page (#21). (Bolland, ibid.) Chuck, The first bite is Not Found, even when I changed Of to of to match the second one. The second one took several minutes to connect, including when I tried to play it a second and third time. Must be very large wav file? Now I shall have to be sure it`s not stuck somewhere in my computer taking up space. I did hear a few seconds from the start ``Hoso`` and the cadence sounds Japanese, but could not make anything more out of it. In fact, VOK is scheduled in Japanese at this hour in WRTH 2004, not Korean. 73, (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. CANADA/SOUTH KOREA: New additional transmission of R. Korea International in Spanish via SAC: 2000-2030 on 11775 (54544) (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) So was the I=4 from Anguilla? ** LIBYA [non]. Summer A-04 frequencies of LJB: 1000-1100 on 21695 1100-1230 on 15610, 17695, 21675, 21695 1230-1400 on 21675, 21695 1400-1500 on 21675 1600-1700 on 15660, 17695 1700-1800 on 15660, 17635, 17695, 17880 1800-1900 on 15205, 15660, 17635, 17695 1900-2000 on 15205, 15315 2000-2030 on 11635, 15315 2030-2130 on 11635 (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) via FRANCE, dontcha know ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, I'd like to begin by clarifying something that came up on the newsgroup rec.radio.shortwave earlier this week. Someone asked whether Radio Netherlands had stopped carrying news bulletins. We have, but only in our evening English broadcasts to North America. The recent budget cuts by the Dutch government forced us to make some difficult decisions. The overnight live news/continuity shift had to be abolished to save money. Unfortunately, that encompasses our midnight, 0100 and 0400 UT English transmissions to North America. We discussed whether we should replay older news summaries, but it was felt that our listeners in western North America particularly would get a poor deal, with a bulletin that was 7 hours old. We came down on the side of offering expanded current affairs analysis, something that has been requested by many of our North American listeners. Our 1100 UT transmission to North America still includes a news summary, but if you can't tune into this, there is now another option: we have a new E-mail news service for our English-speaking audience: our news items will be E-mailed to you once a day, seven days a week. A fresh E-mail bulletin is sent out every day at around 0430 UT. This service is free of charge, and you don't even have to give us your full name if you don't want to - just a valid E-mail address. To sign up, go to http://www.rnw.nl/cgi/index.php?app=emailnews&page=index or click on the E-mail news link in the top left hand corner of our English home page at http://www.rnw.nl You can also check our online audio service for the latest broadcast news bulletin: http://www.rnw.nl/distrib/realaudio/html/english.html (Media Network newsletter April 8 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. BBC REBROADCASTER APPEALS FOR REVERSAL OF BAN | Text of report by Nigerian newspaper Vanguard web site on 8 April Aso [sic] in less than 24 hours, Daar Communications, broadcasters of AIT local and international and Raypower FM, a stable that will harshly be affected by the reform measures, through its chairman, Dr Raymond Dokpesi, appealed to the [National Broadcasting] Commission to reflect on the path of history in order to recall the circumstances that occasioned some of the relationship some Nigerian stations have entered with foreign broadcast stations. While asking for a "special dispensation in the case of our transmission of BBC news, news magazines and other programmes specifically approved by the government and the Commission on our stations in view of their relevance to Africa and humanity in general," Dr Dokpesi gave a little background history to the emergence of some of these stations on Nigerian broadcast stations. In his words: "You may kindly recall in retrospect, that Nigeria was isolated by our traditional allies - Britain, Canada, United States of America and most members of the international community and the international media under the regime of General Sanni Abacha. Apart from the fact that sanctions were imposed on Nigeria by some countries and the Commonwealth, there were negative campaigns against the country and its leadership during this period for reasons ranging from human rights abuses, lack of press freedom to undemocratic practices. However, when General Abdulsalami Abubakar emerged as head of state, he embarked on several diplomatic initiatives which were geared towards restoring cordial relationship and diplomatic ties as well as encouraging co-operation with both foreign governments and institutions." Continuing, he noted that one of the bilateral agreements entered into between the British and the Nigerian government was one dealing with the promotion of collaboration and co-operation between Nigerian and British institutions as pivot to positively promoting Nigeria and to stop the negative campaigns by the foreign media. He informed that both the British and Nigerian governments actively supervised and encouraged the partnership between Daar Communications Limited and the BBC World Service for the establishment of Raypower 2, 106.5 MHz FM [which relays BBC programming] to demonstrate a new spirit of understanding, co-operation and collaboration which has continued to exist between the two countries and the BBC World Service till date. Dr Dokpesi also pointed out that the relay of news and news programmes on Raypower FM Stations in Nigeria is not unique or limited to Nigeria alone, adding that currently, the BBC transmits on FM stations in west, central, east and southern Africa covering about 34 countries and transmitting on about 148 FM radio stations across the continent of Africa. [Passage omitted]. Kindly review your directive that Daar Communications Limited should discontinue the relay of BBC news and news programmes on Raypower FM stations. I appeal to you to kindly grant a special dispensation to us as earlier requested in view of the above reasons and the reasons already canvassed. The issue of prohibitive and discriminatory licence/renewal fees should also be reviewed as well as the creation of a level playing ground and an enabling environment for private broadcasting in the interest of survival and growth of private broadcasting in Nigeria. Source: Vanguard web site, Lagos, in English 8 Apr 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. APR 7, 2356 EDT. 1210, ID as KGYN. With country music "I Could Make a Living Out of Loving You". I've NEVER heard this before in many years of trying. Might be a good target for others in the East tonight. 1205 AM EDT: This one is pounding in, just finished weather report "News 10 on KGYN Guymon with Doppler Dave Oliver" [that would be originating at KFDA-TV Amarillo --- gh] (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) Cheating again; supposed to have null toward Philadelphia. Get KGYN while you can, before CC moves it to OKC (gh, DXLD) Congrats, Jim! This is the only AM station in the Oklahoma Panhandle. If they are successful in moving to OKC, that legendary three-county area will have no AM radio at all (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, NRC-AM via DXLD) I think these guys are certainly cheating since Tuesday night here they were strong and semi-dominant on a cheapo portable. 73 KAZ 35 miles NW of Chicago (Neil Kazaross, IL, April 7, ibid.) I spent a night in Guymon two weeks ago (and drove past the KGYN transmitter on the way in. Unfortunately my camera was on top of my computer in Nashville.) Place is growing like wildfire. Guy in the restaurant said 13,000 population and it looks it. If KGYN goes away there's only one radio station period in the entire Panhandle, not counting translators. (KPSU-FM appears to be silent) KRVN 880 had a fair signal out there about 90 minutes before sunset - without KGYN, KRVN probably becomes the most reliable AM signal there (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) KRVN 880 Lexington NE does have great groundwave coverage here in the center of high ground conductivity; I can hear it any day the local noise level allows. And while it`s a shame CC is trying to deprive Guymon of KGYN, KRVN would hardly be in second place. There are many closer signals, such as the Liberal KS AM stations just across the border, semi-local; KGNC-710 Amarillo, KLMR-920 Lamar, etc., etc. KPSU 91.7 Goodwell OK is often missing when I pass thru Guymon a couple times a year at least, but it`s a student station with a very irregular schedule, likely to be off during breaks and holidays, and I think I once caught them signing on at noon; also low power and doesn`t reach very far east or west of Guymon (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6047.14, Radio Santa Rosa, Apr 4/6, 0859-0955, Reactivated?, religious program with telephone talk, religious songs including an apparently live announcer suddenly breaking into song, 0939 canned ID "Radio Santa Rosa transmitiendo desde Lima, Perú." Followed by ad block, another canned ID and into one of the saddest, doleful ballads I've ever heard. Have not seen this one listed in more than a year (Mark Mohrmann, VT, WORLD OF RADIO 1227, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. Hi Glen[n]! I was trawling through the internet the other day and came across your DXing.com. It's good and your knowledge about international radio must be encyclopedic! Thanks very much for the nice comments about Radio Polonia is general and me in particular. We have many many listeners from Canada - especially from nightworkers/early risers/insomniacs who tune into the rebroadcast at 4 in the morning on CBC. I hope you keep listening to us in the future. Poland is in the middle of a very interesting time in its history at the moment. Amid political chaos at home, Poland suddenly finds itself centre stage on world affairs, what with the EU and the horror of Iraq. So radio Polonia should be worth listening to in the months to come. I see that you are trying to find new ways of doing your web site and I know the problems involved as I am setting up my own site which will be called The Beetroot Republic and will be full of my writing (and other peoples) about Current Affairs in Poland (done in a satirical way, a bit like The Onion). The problem is, how to make it pay? --- a problem I see you are wrestling with at the moment. But good luck anyway, and keep listening, won`t you? Cheers (Peter Gentle, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Summer A-04 schedule of Radio Rossii in Russian via MSK 250 kW / 265 deg 0100-0600 on 9480 (45544) 0620-1500 on 13665 (44544) QRM 13660 BBC in Arabic 1520-2100 on 9450 (45554) (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Re ``VOR is also not involved in providing air time for foreign relays via SW transmitters in Russia (DW, RNW, CRI etc.) or domestic customers (like Radio Studio). There is only one exception: the German-based Radio Santec (Universelles Leben church) which since many years sub- leases air time from VOR`` --- Well, there are further such cases, specifically religious programmes of Missionswerk Werner Heukelbach, Missionswerk Freundesdienst and Lutherische Stunde that are or were broadcast within VOR's German service as is the case with the majority of the German Santec / Das Wort programmes (only exceptions are the separate morning transmission via VOR on 1323 and the 6015 outlets via Jülich or Wertachtal). By the way, back in the nineties this sub-leasing arrangement caused some trouble with the TLR and MABB media authorities. Once English was put on 1323 instead of German when Universelles Leben programming (i.e. Santec / Das Wort / Kosmische Welle) was scheduled, and some years later VOR maintained a special output for the German transmitters (at this time 693 and 1323) with the leased religion replaced by reruns of its own broadcasts. But in the meantime all this trouble disappeared into the blue (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More under GERMANY ** RWANDA. AFTER THE GENOCIDE, REDEMPTION date: 04/07/2004 Mary Wiltenburg Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor (KIGALI, RWANDA) Radio 10 sits at the top of a red Kigali hill. Hastily assembled in January when the station's broadcast license came through suddenly, the studio has the look of a college NPR affiliate tacked together in an era friendlier to electric-blue carpeting. The staff is young, hip, and articulate. In their first few weeks of broadcasting, they've broken all the rules of old-school Rwandan radio. Programs have included listener call-ins, a chatty morning show, modern pop music, and a children's trivia contest whose winners got to talk on-air. Ten years ago, Rwandan radio broke the rules too - but to horrific ends. Fierce, beguiling, and radical, "the voice of genocide" - Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (1,000 Hills Free Radio, or RTLM) - drew uncounted Rwandans into its hateful embrace. "The graves are not yet full," a host famously warned. "Who will help us to fill them?" . . . Click here to read this story online: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0407/p01s03-woaf.html (via Jim Moats, DXLD) ** RWANDA [+non]. ANALYSIS: RWANDAN HATE MEDIA 10 YEARS ON | Text of editorial analysis by Martin Peters of BBC Monitoring on 5 April 2004 It is ten years since, when on 6 April 1994, an aircraft carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana of Rwanda and President Cyprien Ntaryamira of neighbouring Burundi was brought down by a missile near the Rwandan capital, Kigali, killing all those on board. What followed was a genocide; the deaths of up to 800,000 Rwandans. The actions of the militias that carried out the killings were fuelled, in part, by broadcasts carried by Radio Television des Milles Collines (RTLM) and publications which openly incited Hutus to kill Tutsis. In December 2003, at the conclusion of a three-year long trial, three Rwandan journalists were handed long sentences; two were charged with using a radio station and one with publishing as part of a campaign of incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity. Ferdinand Nahimana, a founder of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), which was said to have openly incited the 100 days of massacres, and Hassan Ngeze, publisher of the Hutu extremist Kangura publication, received life sentences. Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, also a founder of the radio station, was jailed for 35 years. Commenting on the outcome of the trial, Robert Menard, the general secretary of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said "Today journalists have a real moral responsibility when they incite ethnic hatred, as they did, when they call for massacres and for violence, and the fact that they have been punished like this is an example of justice. May they finish their days in prison". Rwandan media today The spectre of media running out of control and nervousness over rogue media outlets is hard to dispel and illustrated by a high level of media control and the lack of media diversity in Rwanda. Only recently have foreign broadcasters including the BBC World Service, Voice of America and German external radio Deutsche Welle been granted FM rebroadcast licences. In November 2003 the Rwandan media's governing body, the High Council of the Press (HCP) announced that it was to accelerate media independence through promoting and protecting free media in the country. The HCP advises the government on issues concerning media, for example, the licensing of broadcast media Jean Pierre Kagubari, the director of information in the Ministry of Information, stressed the importance of a free media in the development of democracy in Rwanda, at a seminar organized by Internews, a non-profit organization which supports open media. Several privately-owned Rwandan FM radio stations have now received licences to compete with the government-owned Radio Rwanda, and another FM station, owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, has also been given permission to begin operations. However, no new television stations have been licensed. "We have put a halt on licensing television stations because we wanted to first deal with the radios", one council official said. Observers say that the government considers the advent of the private radio stations as a source of employment for unemployed youth. The stations will air educative programmes designed to enhance efforts to eradicate poverty as well as increase awareness about HIV/AIDS. Rwanda's first private radio station since the 1994 genocide began broadcasting at the end of February 2004. Radio 10 started its inaugural FM programming with a broadcast from its owner, Eugene Nyagahene, who promised that it would not repeat the acts of its predecessor RTLM, ten years before. He added that Rwandans, who over the past decade had only state-run Radio Rwanda to listen to, now had a domestic radio station to present an independent view of current affairs. However, the station will not broadcast political talk shows for two years; only business and entertainment news items, as there are no experienced journalists to manage the political desk. Radio 10, which broadcasts in the country's three official languages - French, English and Kinyarwanda, will initially be available only in the capital Kigali and some other major towns. The station plans to gradually expand its reach to the entire country. Hate radio elsewhere The Rwandan case is perhaps the most familiar example of hate media from recent years. However, other regions in conflict have seen similar operations spring up, with the aim of spreading discord and heightening tension; Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Democratic Republic of Congo amongst them. Denmark's Copenhagen-based, extreme right-wing Radio Oasen has only recently had its state funding withdrawn. Meanwhile, in South Africa, Radio Pretoria continues to broadcast its pro-apartheid message. Described by the International Herald Tribune as the radio station where "apartheid is still revered", this "unique voice for conservative Afrikaners" still broadcasts the old apartheid regime's national anthem every morning. Lessons learnt? Direct action could have silenced the hate from Rwanda's RTLM in the same way Serbian TV was removed from the airwaves. General Romeo Dallaire, the commander of the UN peacekeeping operation in Rwanda at the time of the genocide, said: "Simply jamming broadcasts and replacing them with messages of peace and reconciliation would have had a significant impact on the course of events." It is not clear what action will be taken in future occurrences, but the international community of governments and NGOs are now fully aware of hate media outlets as indicators of tension and the dreadful power they can wield, especially in already unstable situations. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 18 Mar 04 (via BBCM April 5 via DXLD) see also INTERNATIONAL ** SAUDI ARABIA. A-04 frequency changes for BSKSA: 1st Main program 0600-0855 Arabic NF 17730, ex 21505 NF 17740, ex 21705 0900-1155 Arabic NF 17805, ex 21505 NF 17825 not active \\ 21705 unregistered 1200-1455 Arabic NF 21640* ex 21705 \\ 21505 *co-channel BBC 1200-1245 in French; 1345-1415 in Hausa and DW till 1355 in German Holy Kor`an 0300-0555 Arabic NF 17895, ex 21495 1300-1555 Arabic NF 21460, ex 17745 1800-2255 Arabic NF 11740& ex 15230 & co-channel RFA Mandarin Chinese till 2200 and Chinese music jammer External services 0400-0455 Somali NF 15470, ex 17760 0500-0555 Swahili NF 15470, ex 17760 0800-0955 French NF 17785, ex 21600 1600-1655 Pashto NF 9525# ex 9810 # co-channel Radio Budapest in Italian from 1630 (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** SCOTLAND [non]. THE SKIRL OF THE PIPES ON SHORTWAVE! Following a series of successful test transmissions from the IRRS facilities in Milan, Scottish-based independent not-for-profit station radio six international is happy to announce the start of regularly scheduled programming on shortwave, in addition to its popular 24-hour Internet service on http://www.radiosix.com First to launch is a monthly broadcast of the station’s top-rated specialist music programme COLLEGE OF PIPING, hosted by college Principal, Robert Wallace. Already attracting a big audience worldwide on the web, it is the only regular international series devoted to news, views, results, reviews and interviews from the world of the Highland Bagpipe. The show airs on the second Saturday of each month and is repeated. Transmission details for the first programme are: Saturday 10 April 2004: 0830 – 0930 GMT on 13,840 kHz (20 kW) Sunday 11 April 2004: 0700 – 0800 GMT on 13,840 kHz (20 kW) Thursday 13 April 2004: 1900 – 2000 GMT on 5,775 kHz (20 kW) Radio six international is happy to acknowledge reception reports by QSL card provided an IRC is enclosed with the reports, which should be sent to: Radio Six International, PO Box 600, Glasgow G41 5SH, Scotland. Other programmes will be introduced into the schedule over the next few months. (via Tony Currie, UK, April 8, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. RADIO ESLOVAQUIA INTERNACIONAL CIERRA SUS SERVICIOS POR ONDA CORTA --- por Rubén Guillermo Margenet Hace apenas un año los oyentes de onda corta no salían de su asombro, desde la pacífica separación de la ex Checoslovaquia y coincidiendo con su 10 aniversario el 30 de marzo de 2003, la República de Eslovaquia inauguraba su servicio diario de español hacia Europa occidental y Latinoamérica. Mientras la tendencia de las grandes emisoras internacionales era abandonar nuestro idioma por onda corta, un pequeño país daba un ejemplo distinto, así nació Radio Eslovaquia Internacional. De aquella primera emisión, en la que se presentaron cada uno de los integrantes del servicio, quedaron registradas frases emotivas llenas de esperanzas. El Jefe de la Redacción Internacional, Ladislav Kubis, abrió la programación diciendo "Hoy en las ondas internacionales por primera vez les está hablando Radio Eslovaquia Internacional, hoy también es un día en el cual nos recordamos del 10o aniversario de nuestro funcionamiento, es decir, compartimos la misma edad como nuestra República. Me da mucho gusto que después de tantos años hayamos logrado difundir nuestra emisión en esta lengua ofreciendo informaciones sobre Eslovaquia a los radioescuchas tanto en España como en Latinoamérica...". En su casi perfecta pronunciación, Ladislav Kubis no olvidó referirse al mayor capital que tiene una emisora de alcance mundial y que siempre justificará la inversión que la sustenta: su propia audiencia. "Tendremos el placer de contar con fieles oyentes de nuestras emisiones en español, les haremos llegar las informaciones dejándonos inspirar también en sus ideas... Esperamos poder contar con su compañía deseándoles agradables momentos con todos nosotros", fueron algunos de sus conceptos en la aquella emisión inaugural. Pero una noticia inesperada, que no se compadece con este recordado comienzo, fue emitida el pasado 1o de abril cuando la Jefa de la Redacción Española, Marcela Gregorcova, dijo que existe la posibilidad cierta que la emisora deje de trasmitir por onda corta a partir del 1 de mayo. Interrogada sobre el motivo de tan drástica decisión, Gregorcova dijo que "lamentablemente la causa es la reducción de recursos económicos" y lo realmente paradójico es que las autoridades que protagonizaron el nacimiento del servicio español son las mismas que ahora deciden su cierre. "El Gobierno eslovaco es el que decide el prepuesto, la Radio como institución pública toma medidas debiéndose ajustar necesariamente a ese presupuesto". Actualmente la Radio Nacional de Eslovaquia, SRo (Slovensky Rozhlas), cuenta con unas novecientas personas y está integrada --- según la denominación que utiliza Gregorcova --- por las siguientes bandas: RADIO SLOVENSKO, con 24 horas de noticias nacionales, RADIO DEVIN con 24 horas de programas culturales, RADIO ROCKFM con 24 horas de música pop, rock y música alternativa, RADIO REGINA y RADIO PATRIA con 24 horas cada una de programación regional para minorías en idiomas húngaro, ucraniano, alemán, checo, polaco, ruteno y gypsy/roma, RSI - RADIO ESLOVAQUIA INTERNACIONAL, Servicio para el Exterior en seis idiomas: inglés, francés, alemán, ruso, eslovaco y español y, finalmente, RADIO INET, que se presenta como revista en Internet con el titular "Radio Para Vuestros Ojos". "Nosotros --- que pertenecemos a la RSI --- recibimos del Estado el presupuesto para cada año pero en esta ocasión desgraciadamente es limitadísimo y que las seis redacciones dejen de transmitir en onda corta supondría, en teoría, cierto ahorro para toda la Radio Nacional Eslovaca", dijo Gregorcova. Pero existe una realidad que nadie desconoce dentro de los servicios internacionales de SRI, mientras crece la comunicación escrita, sonora y de imágenes a través del Internet, muchos pueblos del mundo están todavía fuera de su alcance. "La Radio tiene una función específica dirigida a la divulgación de nuestras realidades actuales. El acceso a Internet todavía está muy limitado para muchos", dijo Gregorcova. En una instancia trascendente de Eslovaquia por su ingreso en la Unión Europea a partir del 1 de mayo de 2004, millones de radioescuchas quedarían sin su voz oficial por onda corta. Sin embargo, son los mismos oyentes quienes podrían revertir esta decisión según Gregorcova. Al respecto dijo "Yo espero que la audiencia sea la mayor razón de peso para que sigamos funcionando y, en la medida que los oyentes se opongan al cierre, mayor posibilidad habrá de evitarlo". A poco más de un año de existencia, la actitud de los integrantes de la Redacción Española de RSI es muy clara a través de la palabra de Gregorcova, "Nuestra posición es querer continuar, este es nuestro deseo pero la decisión final del 'Si' o del 'No' recae en el Director General, Jaroslav Reznik". Por lo tanto, los interesado en la continuidad de las transmisiones de Radio Eslovaquia Internacional por onda corta deben escribir a la dirección electrónica del Director General: resnik@slovakradio.sk [SIC – ver abajo], también al Director de Programación, Sr. Pucala: pucala @ slovakradio.sk Para mayor información se puede visitar la página de la emisora eslovaca: http://www.slovakradio.sk/rsi.htm (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Estimados radioyentes, les envío la correcta dirección electrónica de nuestro director de SLOVENSKY ROZHLAS (SRo) REZNIK [NO Resnik] reznik @ slovakradio.sk JAROSLAV REZNIK, ES DIRECTOR GENERAL DE SLOVENSKY ROZHLAS (SRo) Les estamos muy agradecidos a todos por su magnífica complicidad y lealtad en esta situación. Apreciamos su fraternal apoyo. Trataremos el tema con mayor profundidad el 18 de abril en "Cartas de Oyentes". La compañía les hará María Lujan y yo. Hasta entonces y pasen bonitas pascuas. Un cálido abrazo desde Bratislava (Marcela Gregorcova, Slovak Radio, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND. End of an era at swissinfo --- April 8, 2004 8:34 AM http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=105&sid=4848758 SRI has been on the air since 1935 (Keystone) [caption] This week marks the end of an era as more than 60 years of English broadcasts by swissinfo/Swiss Radio International (SRI) draw to a close. To mark the occasion, swissinfo is replaying some rare archive footage of famous interviewees from the past – including jazz legend, Louis Armstrong. RELATED ITEMS [audio links, roughly 5 minutes each] swissinfo/SRI interview with Louis Armstrong (1955) swissinfo/SRI interview with Yul Brynner (c. 1961) swissinfo/SRI interview with Max Frisch (1971) Armstrong was one of the biggest names from the world of music to be heard on SRI. An abridged version of his 1955 interview can be heard by clicking on the link above. Also available are excerpts from conversations with star of stage and screen, Yul Brynner, and the celebrated Swiss writer, Max Frisch. All three interviews form part of an extensive archive of audio material collected over the seven decades that SRI has been on the air. Neutral voice The Swiss Shortwave Service – as SRI was known when the first programmes were transmitted in 1935 – was aimed at Swiss living elsewhere in Europe looking to keep abreast of news and current affairs back home. Broadcasts in English began six years later in 1941. During the Second World War the station developed its long-standing identity as a neutral voice during periods of international conflict. ``The 1930s was a time of a turmoil in Europe…and during the Second World War we were broadcasting as the voice of neutral Switzerland,`` said the director of SRI, Nicolas Lombard. ``Given the size of our operation, the value people placed on our programmes was quite remarkable.`` Given the size of our operation, the value people placed on our programmes was quite remarkable. Nicolas Lombard, director of SRI Unbiased coverage SRI`s neutrality also came to the fore during the Cold War, when shortwave listeners around the world tuned in for unbiased coverage of global events. ``During that time it was a question of getting information out of free societies into closed societies behind the Iron Curtain,`` said Lombard. ``We were a very small country within Europe, but were standing up for neutrality…and were considered to be an important voice.`` Though politics and current affairs have always been the focus of SRI broadcasts, cultural and entertainment programmes were also a regular feature of the schedules. Jazz Panorama ran for 25 years, while the station`s ``A Penny - a Song`` programme helped raise funds for charitable projects around the world. End of Cold War As the Berlin Wall fell at the end of the 1980s, SRI executives were left wondering how they could adapt the station`s neutral mandate to a new era of global entente. ``All of a sudden the reason for much of what we were doing had gone,`` recalled Lombard, ``so we had to ask ourselves what we were going to do from here.`` During the 1990s SRI began the process of transforming itself from shortwave broadcaster of international news to multimedia internet outlet providing news and current affairs from and about Switzerland. ``We recognised that there was no point in trying to be international and competing with organisations such as the BBC. So, from then on we began focusing on the concept of `Swissness`,`` said Lombard. ``We knew that we could excel and be the market leader when it came to informing the world about Switzerland.`` Lombard was appointed director of swissinfo/SRI in 1999 and it was his task to steer the company into the internet age of the 21st century. ``I feel very sorry that we are stopping radio --- but on the other hand, I`m proud of how far we`ve come and we have to look to the future,`` he said. Today swissinfo --- which is part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation --- maintains a website in nine languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Japanese and Chinese. swissinfo sidebar: In Brief SRI started broadcasting in 1935 with a programme aimed at Swiss living elsewhere in Europe. Programmes in English began in 1941. During the Second World War and throughout the Cold War the station developed a name for itself as a neutral voice of news and current affairs. In 1999 swissinfo/SRI started to develop an online multimedia platform, http://www.swissinfo.org The final programme --- a look-back through the archives --- is to be broadcast over the Easter weekend (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Over and Out --- Swiss Radio International (SRI) has reached the final phase of its retreat from international radio broadcasting after 70 years. From 13 April 2004, there are no more daily radio programmes in English, and at the end of October the shortwave transmissions will close down completely. We investigate why, and look back at Swiss international broadcasting 40 years ago. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/sri040408.html (Media Network newsletter April 8 via DXLD) . . .A new lease of life? But could there yet be more shortwave broadcasts from Swiss soil? Edward Girardet of Media Action in Geneva, said in an assessment of media provision for Afghanistan: "A further option worth exploring would be to request from the Swiss Foreign Ministry the use of airwaves formerly used by Swiss Radio International. These airwaves could be used to rebroadcast programming (humanitarian news, health, educational, children's etc.) produced by specialised media organisations in Pakistan, Tajikistan, or inside Afghanistan itself." It may be too late for Afghanistan (these comments were made some time ago), but we know there's a 500 kW shortwave transmitter for sale in Switzerland as of October 2004. It's expected that the transmitter will be dismantled and shipped to the eventual buyer, but what about operating its current location? Maybe there's another chapter to come in this story (conclusion of the Media Network article, via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. I checked the site - failure - and as soon as you get there you'll hear an ID of the station (Sout Syria Alhurra) - Voice of Free Syria repeated by an OM and YL saying today and everyday around that time (no time mentioned) you'll hear us, Sout Syria Alhurra. The content of the Page is prerecorded programs about some of the Ba'ath Party members in MP3 format; one is talking about the ex Syrian president Hafez Al Assad, and another one is about his brother Ref'aat Al Assad. That program is called ID card; it's edited by Malek Assaf (I got an e-mail from him before in Arabic with a promise to send me more details about RFS) and the program is presented by a YL called Dina Karam. According to their text above the word Cyprus operations was a bit catchy which means that the studios or the transmitter is going to be in Cyprus. And as usual no frequency given yet (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, SU1TZ, BC-DX Apr 6 via WORLD OF RADIO 1227, DXLD) ** TATARSTAN. RUSSIA/TATARSTAN: Summer A-04 of Radio Novyy vek/Yana gasir radiosu via SAM: 0400-0500 on 15140 SAM 200 kW / 060 deg co-ch RRI in English 0600-0700 on 9690 SAM 250 kW / 060 deg co-ch RRI in French/German & DW in German 0800-0900 on 11925 SAM 100 kW / 310 deg (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** U K. Additional unregistered frequency for BBC African Service in English: 0600-0800 on 15545 (55555) (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC added new language service - Tajik: 1500-1530 on 11945 (55544) & 13740 totally blocked by Voice of Russia in Albanian (Observer, Bulgaria, April 8, via DXLD) If it`s [non], then what is the site? As previously mentioned, over here, 13740 is blocked by China via Cuba, but QRM underneath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {Answer in 4-066: Cyprus} ** U S A. RADIO SAWA RULES MOROCCO'S AIRWAVES --- US claims new Arabic radio network has become top broadcaster in Morocco's two largest cities. http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=9542 WASHINGTON - A US-funded Arabic-language radio network launched to stem rising anti-American sentiment in the Middle East has become the top broadcaster in Morocco's two largest cities, officials said Tuesday. After six months on the air, Radio Sawa is now the number one station among the coveted youth audience in Rabat and Casablanca, they said, citing a survey by global media ratings giant AC Nielson. That survey, conducted in February and March, found that 73 percent of all radio listeners 15 years and older in the two cities tuned in to Radio Sawa every week, more than any other station, the officials said. Eighty-eight percent of listeners under 30 and 64 percent of those over 30 reported said they tuned in weekly to Radio Sawa, which offers a mix of English and Arabic pop music and news programming, they said. "We had high hopes for our Moroccan version of Radio Sawa but I am very pleased at how quickly its popularity has grown," said Norman Pattiz, Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) Middle East Committee, which oversees the operation. Radio Sawa was dismissed as a lightweight replacement for the Arabic- language broadcast of Voice of America when it went on the air in March 2002. But it now has an average listenership of 31.6 percent of the general population in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, making it the leading station in those countries, according to an earlier Nielsen survey conducted in August and September. Its newscasts are designed to present "accurate and balanced information about events in the Middle East and the world" and the latest Nielsen survey found that 77 percent of Radio Sawas audience considered its news "reliable," according to a BBG statement. The BBG is an independent and autonomous congressionally funded US federal agency which operates the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and TV Marti and alHurra, a new Middle East satellite television network (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Last night I noticed R Sawa Djibouti 1431 in // with R Sawa Kuwait 1548. This was at 2315 UT during the hourly news which starts at H+15. Tarek Zeidan confirms that Sawa streams join up in parallel for the news. Otherwise they are separate. At present Djibouti has no other on-air parallel signal (apart, I presume, from its satellite feed) 73s (Steve Whitt, MW Circle via DXLD) RADIO FREE ASIA: see ASIA [non] ** U S A. I checked out Rod Hembree`s other show, Northern Lights, now on WWCR UT Thu 0100 on 3210. Since Radio Weather wasn`t really about propagation, I hardly expected this to be about the aurora, and in fact it took only a minute of listening to turn me off as he was preaching about creationism. Can someone who believes in ``creation science`` be relied upon for a scientific understanding of radio or propagation? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I enjoy listening to KCSN`s webcast music programs UT Mon and Tue at 0400-0700 (or whenever I fall asleep), American Mosaic, and Galactic Voyager. But the announcers are under orders to plug the station slogan at every damn break, so we hear it multiple times an hour. Until this week it was ``The Best of Public Radio``, and now suddenly it`s changed to ``Arts and Roots Radio for Southern California``. Some consultant no doubt convinced the management of this otherwise fine station that constant harping on the slogan is the only way they can make their mark in the crowded LA market and its rating books. Out here it is oh, so tiresome (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LIMBAUGH RECORDS CASE OPENS THIS WEEK --- By Susan Spencer- Wendel, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Monday, April 5, 2004 WEST PALM BEACH -- Rush Limbaugh may be a flash point of inflamed opinion and rhetoric, but it's the dry 20-minute court appearance his attorney will make this week that matters most. Limbaugh's attorney, Roy Black, will argue Wednesday before the 4th District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach that Limbaugh's medical records were seized illegally and should be returned to him. . . http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_04077d28f233d1330004.html (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC FINE PROMPTS CLEAR CHANNEL TO DROP HOWARD STERN By JONATHAN D. SALANT The Associated Press 4/8/04 7:33 PM WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's largest radio chain dropped the country's best-known shock jock on Thursday after federal regulators proposed fining it $495,000 for sexually explicit material on the Howard Stern show. As part of its stepped-up enforcement of indecency regulations, a unanimous Federal Communications Commission fined Clear Channel Communications the maximum $27,500 for each of 18 alleged violations. Regulators departed from their norm by citing Clear Channel for multiple violations in a single broadcast rather than simply issuing a single fine for an entire show. John Hogan, president of Clear Channel Radio, said the government's crackdown on indecency has gotten his company's attention. "Mr. Stern's show has created a great liability for us and other broadcasters who air it," said Hogan, who suspended Stern in February from the six Clear Channel stations that carried him. "The Congress and the FCC are even beginning to look at revoking station licenses. That's a risk we're just not willing to take." . . . http://wizzer.advance.net/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?j0210_BC_NY--FCC-HowardStern&&news&newsflash-newjersey (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) FCC TO PENALIZE CLEAR CHANNEL FOR STERN SHOW http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB108138955026577630,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. THE DAY THE AIR TURNED PINK --- Air America launches its "liberal radio" crusade in Portland -- but not without problems. . . http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=4965 (Willamette Week Online via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Polìtica Qsl de Radio Amazonas. Estimado Don Guillermo, Reciba ante todo un cordial saludo, esperando que tanto Ud. como el resto de los suyos se encuentren muy bien. El motivo de la presente a la vez de saludarle, es para notificarle que hace unos meses para acá fuí designado por el propietario de Radio Amazonas, el Sr. Ángel María Pérez como el QSL manager de dicha emisora. Por tal motivo, y conociendo la gran audiencia diexista que desde muchísimos años lo acompaña, vale la oportunidad comentarle que mi persona está verificando todos los informes de recepción que nos envien de diferentes partes del planeta. Para ello quienes puedan captar la señal de Radio Amazonas en nuestra frecuencia de los 4940 kHz en la onda corta, deberán enviar sus informes de recepción a la siguiente dirección: Sr. Jorge García Rangel. Radio Amazonas. Qsl Manager. Calle Roma, Qta: Costa Rica No. A-16, Urbanización Alto Barinas, Barinas 5201. Venezuela. Les agradecemos a los amigos radioescuchas que por favor incluyan en sus reportes 2 cupones Irc´s ó en su defecto 2 $ americanos para cubrir los costos de franqueo de retorno. Quienes puedan colaborar con el presente servidor para la impresión de nuevas tarjetas QSLs, incluyan 1 dólar adicional. Ya que los costos de impresión de las tarjetas son sumamente costosos aquí en Venezuela. Para este momento se nos han agodo las tarjetas, sin embargo para la próxima semana se van a mandar a imprimir 100 QSL más. El diseño de las mismas están a cargo de este servidor, esperando sacar 3 series todas tomando como motivo el hermoso paisaje selvático de nuestra región amazónica. A médida de aclaratoria los estudios y planta de Radio Amazonas están en Puerto Ayacucho, capital del Estado Amazonas. Le agradecería poner en alerta a los siguientes colegas diexistas: Vashek Korinek en Florida Hill en Sudafrica. Masato Ishii en Niigata-ken en Japón. Michael Procop en Bedford, Ohio en Estados Unidos. y a Andrew Yoder en Pensilvania, Estados Unidos. Que en cuanto estén impresos las nuevas QSLs le serán enviadas. Todos quienes envíen sus reportes por texto ó grabados en cassette ó en cd debidamente correcto, serán verificados con nuestra tarjeta QSL. Pueden enviar sus reportes en idioma inglés, no hay problema. Le agradecería Don Guillermo difundir el presente texto tanto en inglés como en español en sus diferentes programas. ¡Gracias! Una cosa mas, en todos los reportes que hemos recibido, hemos notado que los diexistas han manifestado que le han escrito a la radio en su dirección de Puerto Ayacucho sin obtener ninguna respuesta. La razón es muy simple, la persona que recibía los informes desafortunadamente se apropiaba de los dólares que los oyentes enviaban de buena fé y no enviaban las QSL. Es por ello que fuí designado por la emisora para confirmar "todos los reportes que los diexistas nos envien". Sin más y agradeciéndole sus buenos oficios quedo atentamente, Jorge García Rangel. Radio Amazonas. Qsl Manager. Barinas, Venezuela. Jorge, the QSL manager for Radio Amazonas, 4939v, asked me to present the above also in English. Reports should be sent to the address above, and not to the station`s own address in Puerto Ayacucho. No replies have been received from there, since someone has been taking the return postage sent in good faith, without replying. That is why JGR has been appointed by the station manager to be the QSL manager. Please include 2 IRC or $2 for return postage. Those who would like to help with the costs for printing more QSLs, please include another dollar. Printing costs are very high in Venezuela. In fact, the present supply of QSL cards has been exhausted, and JGR is ordering 100 more designed by himself to be printed next week; there will be three series highlighting the beautiful jungle landscapes of the Venezuelan Amazon. Reports may be in text, cassette, or CD, and English is fine. Pending replies to the four people listed above will be made as soon as the new QSLs are received from the printer (gh) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. WDHP 1620 usually gives a full ID at the top of the hour, and an occasional slogan in between. The tricky thing about this station is that there really isn't a set format. They play everything from tropical music to classic country, and I've even heard some talk shows on the Real Audio feed (Adam Myrow, Memphis TN, NRC-AM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2240.00, LA Harmonic?, Apr 6, 0943, announcer with UT -5 time check, followed by accordion-flute instrumental, fading by 0954. 3000.21, LA Harmonic?, Apr 6, 0926-0936, announcer with weak talk (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ PRIMETIME SHORTWAVE I would really like to recommend the work of CIDX columnist Dan Sampson on his web page "Prime Time Shortwave", found at http://www.primetimeshortwave.com This has to be one of the most valuable sites on the Internet for the active shortwave listener to English language programmes. Schedules of English language broadcasts by time, by country, plus links to each station's web page are all included here. It is also one site that is constantly being updated. I commend Dan for all the effort put into this valuable resource (Sheldon Harvey, Radio H.F. - Canada's specialist in radio communications http://www3.sympatico.ca/radiohf President-Canadian International DX Club, Canada's national radio monitoring club since 1962 http://www.anarc.org/cidx/ DX LISTENIING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ InterTan says RadioShack pulling plug on branding pact Reuters, 04.06.04, 8:51 AM ET http://www.forbes.com/reuters/newswire/2004/04/06/rtr1324518.html NEW YORK (Reuters) - InterTan Inc., Canada's private-label consumer electronics retailer, Tuesday said RadioShack Corp., the No. 3 U.S. consumer electronics chain, was terminating an advertising agreement that allowed InterTan to run RadioShack-branded stores in Canada. InterTan, which last week agreed to be acquired by Circuit City Stores Inc. for $284 million, said RadioShack filed a lawsuit in Texas state court seeking the termination. Barrie, Ontario-based InterTan said it received a notice from RadioShack on Monday that cited nonpayment of a $55,000 annual fee under the companies' branding agreement as grounds for its termination. In its response, InterTan said RadioShack's move was invalid. It said it was "transparently a pretext for RadioShack" to sever the advertising agreement, a step "expressly prohibited by our letter agreement dated April 6, 2001." "Please be advised that InterTan intends to hold RadioShack responsible for all damages or losses that result to InterTan or its stockholders from your bad faith purported termination of these agreements in breach of the April 6 letter," InterTan said in a letter addressed to RadioShack. InterTan said it would vigorously contest the purported termination of the agreement. The advertising pact was not due to expire until June 30, 2010, InterTan said, adding that with its letter to RadioShack it included a check for $55,000, representing a 2004 payment. Circuit City Chief Executive Officer Alan McCollough said his company was aware of RadioShack's position and remained strongly committed to concluding the InterTan purchase. The deal would give Circuit City entry into Canada as it expands its battle with leading rival Best Buy Co. Inc. , which owns Canada's top consumer electronics retailer Future Shop. In the United States, the purchase would see Circuit City expanding its merchandise to include highly profitable private-label gadgets and products, which are also RadioShack's bread-and-butter business. Analysts had been concerned about the prospect of Circuit City eventually using the RadioShack brand in the United States under the InterTan advertising agreement once its purchase was finalized. But last Wednesday a RadioShack spokesman told Reuters Circuit City could not use the RadioShack brand in the United States. Circuit City shares finished Monday's New York Stock Exchange trade at $11.38, while InterTan closed at $13.97. (via Dave Zantow, DXLD) RadioShack and InterTAN in Canadian brand tangle after Circuit City deal --- GARY NORRIS Canadian Press Tuesday, April 06, 2004 http://www.canada.com/businesscentre/story.html?id=2D0416C4-3FA0-47EF- BCE1-501081347042 TORONTO (CP) - U.S.-based RadioShack Corp. has gone to court to sever its branding and merchandise agreements with InterTAN Inc., which operates the more than 800 RadioShack stores in Canada. The move, disclosed Tuesday, came days after American electronics retailer Circuit City presented a takeover bid worth $284 million US for InterTAN last Wednesday. RadioShack, headquartered in Texas, has sent cancellation letters to InterTAN and filed a lawsuit in Fort Worth seeking to terminate the Canadian trademark licence and agreements covering merchandise and advertising. "The Radio Shack trade names, trademarks and service marks in Canada are in imminent danger of degradation by a RadioShack competitor who has no right to their future use and who has no interest in preserving and protecting these valuable RadioShack intangible property rights," the U.S. company stated in its application for an injunction filed Monday. However, RadioShack's immediate cause for cancellation of the agreements is InterTAN's alleged failure to pay a $55,000 US annual fee due on Jan. 2 under the advertising agreement. Failure to pay this fee is described as a "noncurable event" that entails immediate termination of all the agreements. RadioShack said it notified InterTAN on April 2 that the arrangements were being cancelled. It did not explain why it had not acted earlier over the alleged nonpayment, moving only after the March 31 bid by Circuit City. "I wouldn't know an answer to that, quite frankly, and our chief legal counsel has said we're not going to provide colour beyond the document," spokesman Charles Hodges said from Fort Worth. InterTAN, a subsidiary of a Delaware corporation with its principal operations in Barrie, north of Toronto, stated that it "believes the notice is invalid and intends to vigorously contest the purported termination of these agreements." Circuit City chairman and CEO Alan McCollough stated that his company is aware of the situation "and remains strongly committed to consummating the previously announced combination of InterTAN and Circuit City." The agreements with RadioShack, described by the Texas company as nonexclusive and nonassignable, were to have expired in 2010. A hearing on RadioShack's injunction application has been set for May 7 in Fort Worth. The company is demanding that InterTAN acknowledge the termination of its agreements and "begin immediately to transition out of any further use of Plaintiffs' trade names, trademarks, service marks and other intellectual property." Circuit City is the second-largest U.S. consumer electronics retailer behind Best Buy, which entered Canada in 2001 with a $580-million-Cdn takeover of the Future Shop chain. InterTAN shares (TSX:ITA) are thinly traded on the Toronto stock market; on the New York Stock Exchange, the stock (NYSE:ITN) was little changed Tuesday at a few cents below the $14 US per share that Circuit City offered on March 31. A year ago the stock was in the $5 US range. In addition to 500 company-owned RadioShack stores and 340 dealer- owned RadioShack locations with a total of some 2,300 employees, InterTan operates 80 Rogers Plus stores and 40 Batteries Plus outlets. In its court document, RadioShack states that "it is impossible to accurately measure, in monetary terms, the damages caused by Defendants' unauthorized use of Plaintiffs' trade name, trademarks, service markets, brand identity, other intellectual property, and associated goodwill." © Copyright 2004 The Canadian Press (via Dave Zantow, WI, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SIDC WEEKLY BULLETIN :Issued: 2004 Apr 07 1025 UTC :Product: documentation at http://sidc.oma.be/products/bul #--------------------------------------------------------------------# # SIDC Weekly bulletin on Solar and Geomagnetic activity # #--------------------------------------------------------------------# WEEK 170 from 2004 Mar 29 SOLAR ACTIVITY: --------------- Solar activity was low during the period but intense C-flaring was observed starting from March 29 noon and lasting till March 31 noon. All this C-flare activity came from Catania Sunspot group 93 (NOAA 0582), a beta-gamma region at that time. The series of C-flares (24 in total) ended with a long duration C3.4-flare lasting 24 hours. After this, the group relaxed and become more quiet. Since 30 March, it decayed in area coverage, spot count, and magnetic complexity and ended the period as a simple alpha spot. The long duration C-flare was probably associated with a \'full\' halo CME observed by LASCO on 2004/03/31, already in progress. The event was first observed in C3 at 21:53 UT as a faint front already surrounding the C3 occultor, much fainter in the E hemisphere. The mean plane-of-sky speed for the event as obtained from C3 data was only ~220 km/s at PA 239, showing slight deceleration. No flares larger than C-class were observed in the period, nor any proton flux enhancement events. GEOMAGNETISM: ------------- The beginning of the week was characterised by a slowly decreasing solar wind speed and an interplanetary magnetic field close to zero. This resulted in quiet (Kp<4) geomagnetic conditions from March 29 till April 3, only interrupted by an episode of Kp=4 on March 30. All this changed drastically on Sunday April 4, with the arrival of a disturbance in the solar wind which increased stepwise in speed from 380 to 500 km/s and a solar wind density that increased by an order of magnitude. The z-compoment of the interplanetary magnetic field made southward excursions down till - 10 nT. This disturbance was possibly related to the long duration flare of March 31. As a consequence, geomagnetic storm conditions were recorded with K- values reaching K=5 in Dourbes (Belgium) and K=6 in Izmiran (Russia). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DAILY INDICES DATE RC 10CM Ak BKG M X 2004 Mar 29 /// 129 012 B3.4 0 0 2004 Mar 30 /// 127 012 B3.1 0 0 2004 Mar 31 /// 121 012 B3.2 0 0 2004 Apr 01 090 113 004 B2.1 0 0 2004 Apr 02 085 108 004 B1.7 0 0 2004 Apr 03 075 107 035 B1.5 0 0 2004 Apr 04 087 109 018 B1.5 0 0 # RC : Sunspot index from Catania Observatory (Italy) # 10cm: 10.7 cm radioflux (DRAO, Canada) # Ak : Ak Index Wingst (Germany) # BKG : Background GOES X-ray level (NOAA, USA) # M,X : Number of X-ray flares in M and X class, see below (NOAA, USA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTICEABLE EVENTS DAY BEGIN MAX END LOC XRAY OP 10CM TYPE Cat NOAA NOTE [none] #--------------------------------------------------------------------# # Solar Influences Data analysis Center - RWC Belgium # # Royal Observatory of Belgium # # Fax : 32 (0) 2 373 0 224 # # Tel.: 32 (0) 2 373 0 491 # # For more information, see http://sidc.oma.be (via Jim Moats, DXLD) 27 - DAY MAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST APRIL 8 - MAY 4 http://www.spaceweather.gc.ca/forecast27days_e.shtml (Propagation outlook from Ottawa, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###