DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-149, September 29, 2004 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING 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 1247: Thu 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Thu 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 4-hourly -1600 [maybe] Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Thu 2100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Fri 0200 on ACBRadio Mainstream repeated 2-hourly thru 2400 http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream.html Fri 2300 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sat 0000 on SIUE Web Radio http://webradio.siue.edu 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, http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2030 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sat 2300 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCQ 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 1100 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1500 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1900 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 1930 on WWCR 12160 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Sun 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Mon 0100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0230 on WRMI 6870 Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous X-50] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Mon 0900 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Mon 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Mon 2100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB repeated thru Wed Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1247 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1247h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1247.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1247 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1247.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1247.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1247.html [from Thursday] WORLD OF RADIO 1247 in the true SW sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_09-29-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_09-29-04.mp3 NETS TO YOU new October edition: http://www.w4uvh.net/nets2you.html ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ HEADLINES: AFGHANISTAN --- Accessing the news BURMA --- Background to Radio Free Asia`s Burmese service CAMBODIA --- Radio is #1 medium IRAN --- new time/frequency for R. Sedaye Mellat-e Iran NEPAL --- Maoists` FM radio stations USA --- KTBN`s Crouches should step aside in sex and money scandal USA --- Al Franken on the road USA --- NBC`s Tom Brokaw accused of bias, by FAIR USA --- NBC-TV snubs Tonight Show and Leno ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ** AFGHANISTAN. EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: ACCESSING NEWS IN AFGHANISTAN | Text of editorial analysis by Len Walker of BBC Monitoring Media Services Despite the fact that many people in rural areas have little or no access to radio or TV sets, Afghanistan has seen a proliferation of media activity in the three years since the ousting of the Taleban. Radio currently remains the main source of news for most Afghans. The state-owned Kabul radio does not cover the entire country, so listeners in the regions can only tune to local broadcasts or foreign stations. Local broadcasters, whether state, community or NGO-owned, are usually tightly controlled by regional political or military leaders. Media outlets tend to exercise self-censorship to avoid conflict with local authorities or warlords. Surveys have shown that most Afghans know of the BBC World Service, Voice of America, Radio Free Afghanistan (USA) and Iranian radio. The BBC World Service launched a dedicated schedule of programming to Afghanistan in November 2003. It is also establishing a network of FM transmitters to relay programmes into the provinces, wherever the security situation allows. The US-led coalition has distributed over 200,000 battery-free or "wind-up" radios across the country. Afghans listen to foreign radio stations mainly for news. In Kabul there is a growing trend for listeners to switch to new music stations, such as Radio Khilid Kabul and Radio Arman, which play popular Afghan music. But in rural areas correspondents say that radio ownership is limited and communal radio listening is popular. Tuning into TV BBC research has shown that television - banned by the Taleban - is poised to overtake radio as a source of news for urban Afghanis. In some cities, such as Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif, over 50 per cent of the population is estimated to have access to a TV set. Satellite dishes are widespread and in the more prosperous areas of Herat are owned by an estimated 40 per cent of households. The state broadcaster, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), runs radio and TV stations in Kabul and the provinces. Stations operate without centralized political or editorial control from Kabul. These stations traditionally broadcast for just a few hours a day. They are known to be underfunded and suffer from poor signals and reception. Local state-owned television stations are also an important source of news. They feature few, if any, reports from Kabul, and concentrate on the daily activities of competing local political or military leaders. Despite increases in air time, tensions remain between the pro- Westerners and conservative clerics. In Herat, cable TV is banned on the grounds that it violates Islamic morality. Video footage of women singing - which is shown on Kabul TV - has been a source of conflict between Islamists and reformists. Power of the press Illiteracy remains high but the number of publications in circulation has expanded rapidly, with approximately 270 now available. The government funds two national dailies, Hewad and Anis, and several weeklies. Other papers are financed from regional budgets. Most have a limited circulation. Papers focus mainly on Afghan news and comment. In the independent press, lively editorials and commentaries predominate, crowding out factual news. The government press tends to reprint material from the local office of the state news agency Bakhtar. Independent papers founded by individuals and funded from foreign aid budgets or their own sources usually have fewer subscribers than the state media. The Ministry of Information and Culture plans to set up a printing plant in Kabul specifically for the independent press. Many experts believe Kabul cannot yet sustain a truly independent press, because of limited readership and the state of the economy. Source: BBC Monitoring research 29 Sep 04 (via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Hi Glenn, Just let you know I noticed LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel September 20 on 15476,02 kHz. Signal was weak, but readable until 21 UT, the s/on of Voz Cristã on 15475 kHz with religious programming in Portuguese (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ANTÁRTIDA, 15476, LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, 2030- 2100, 28 de setiembre. Programa musical con canciones variadas con comentarios por locutora, identificación: "De Esperanza al Mundo". A las 2147: "Queremos saludar a nuestro amigo Manuel Méndez de España", dedicatoria de una canción. A las 2100, cuando estaban ya próximos al cierre, fuerte interferencia de Voz Cristiana, desde Santiago de Chile, con programa en portugués en 15475 KHz. Señal aceptable, teniendo en cuenta que esta escucha fue realizada con un receptor SONY ICF SW 7600 G y su antena telescópica. SINPO 24222. Muchísimas gracias por esta dedicatoira al personal de LRA 36, operador de la emisora Sargento Ayudante D. Mario Gallardo y las locutoras Dña. Yolanda Sotomayor y Dña. Gabriela Santiano (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. RAE Buenos Aires noted with unusual excellent reception at 2145 UT on 15345.2 kHz (weak on 9690 kHz) with DX-program in German by Gabriel Iván Barrrera. Date was September 27. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 28/9: 4876.73, unID Bolivia, could be a reactivation of Radio La Cruz del Sur, La Paz. This Tuesday evening up to 0000 UT [Wed] talk. After 0000 sport program and ads from La Paz and Santa Cruz. The ID I heard 2-3 times is perhaps something to do with the sportsprogram: "Radio Cooperativa". Weak signal. I have a recording but too noisy to put on my ID-web-site. [Later:] 28/9: 4876.73, Radio La Cruz del Sur, La Paz. Reactivated this Tuesday evening. More than 3 hours relay of Radio Cooperativa de Chile with football. First between teams from Bolivia and Chile, later between teams from Bolivia and Paraguay. Close down 0315 UT with very weak signal but clear "La Cruz del Sur" ID with address. I have not noted this station for a very long time. Perhaps reactivated just for this sports event? Drifting from 4876.70 up to 4876.76 kHz. [Later2:] Amigos DXistas! Yesterday I reported the reactivation of the Bolivian station 4876.73, R. La Cruz del Sur, La Paz but the Bolivian DXer Rogildo F. Aragão reported this station some days before in DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-145, September 23, 2004. 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURMA [non]. AIRING HIS VIEWS - AN INTERVIEW WITH SOE THINN http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=4023&z=6 September 2004 (Soe Thinn is the director of the Radio Free Asia Burmese Service in Washington, DC. He also worked with the Burmese Service of the Voice of America from 1992 until 1996 and with the Burmese Foreign Service from 1969 until October 1988. He spoke with The Irrawaddy about the challenges of bringing information to the Burmese public and RFA's future plans.) Question: What role do radio stations play in providing information to people inside Burma? Answer: I think shortwave radio stations play a very important role, as a matter of fact, an exclusive role in providing real information to the people of Burma; it's the only source they have when it comes to information about Burma. As we all know, the press is very controlled in Burma. The people rely on news from shortwave radio, especially from international radios broadcasting in the Burmese language: Radio Free Asia, the Voice of America, the BBC and the Democratic Voice of Burma-and I say this not because I'm part of it, but because of the feedback that we get from people inside Burma. They all feel unanimously that shortwave radio is the only source of accurate information. Q: Who is RFA's main audience? A: It's difficult to really give a definite assessment of who our listeners are, but judging from all the letters we've received from people inside Burma-as you all know the mail is censored, but even in spite of the censored mail we do get letters which come from inside Burma-we get listeners from all strata of Burmese society. We get intellectuals, teachers, farmers, students, rural and urban listeners, even civil servants, and we've occasionally received letters from soldiers-foot soldiers, not the officers. We also get letters from policemen, the clergy, and housewives. It reflects how desperate people are for information, and they cling to whatever information they can get. Q: Do you think the SPDC listens to the radio? A: I'm sure they do. The monitoring department at the Burma Broadcasting Service works exclusively to monitor all radio broadcasts, to listen and transcribe them word-for-word and then submit it to their superiors. Q: How do you feel when you get criticism from the SPDC saying that RFA is biased or presenting false information? A: We get criticism from all sides and that's a good thing. Criticism is like a tool that sharpens your expertise. You've got to have it; if you don't, then something is wrong, especially in journalism. We get criticism from both sides --- the activists blasted us one time on the Internet because of one of our Roundtable discussions. And we also get criticism from the SPDC. When you get criticism from both sides, it means that as a journalist you are doing a good job. That's how I feel. When people talk about democracy, they tend to focus more on the rights of people in a democratic society; they tend to forget that there are responsibilities of the people in a democratic society. Q: Did RFA try to prod the opposition, as some listeners suggested? A: Well, roundtables are meant to create issues for discussion and to provide food for thought, and this is exactly what we're trying to do. We're trying to be as un-opinionated as possible, while trying to provide analysis. When we analyze we don't draw conclusions but provide fodder for a lively and productive discussion. Rather than just making rhetorical statements we create an atmosphere of a discussion and you have to do that. This compels listeners to listen to us. Q: So in that sense it might sound as if RFA has an agenda to promote the constitution-drafting National Convention and derail the opposition. How does RFA differ from other news agencies? A: When you have a discussion you have to have a devil's advocate. Without a devil's advocate there's no discussion. I think you have to be as unbiased as possible, but at the same time there also has to be discussion of the pros and cons, regardless of your own opinions. This doesn't necessarily mean that the person who is presenting the SPDC's side actually supports the junta. If you listen to the players on the roundtable regularly, you would know that they are stating positions in order to create a discussion. We're not supposed to present our opinions on the air-that's a known fact. Q: How does RFA differ from other radio broadcast services? A: It differs mostly in content. The Voice of America does more American and international news than we do. The BBC provides information to the Burmese people about international events as well. Radio Free Asia, on the other hand, is exclusively Burma news. We're mandated to provide news about Burma to the people of Burma-news that the people of Burma cannot get access to. We also provide a forum for the people of Burma - to give them a voice. Even when we do broadcast international news, we look at it in the sense of how it is connected with Burma, how those events could affect the people in Burma-directly or indirectly. We also try to bring out soft news, like features, news about public health, education, ethnic issues-ethnic issues have always been one of our main focuses as well. Q: Does RFA plan to broadcast in ethnic languages? A: Yes, as a matter of fact, a couple of years ago we told various ethnic leaders that we would like to broadcast ethnic language programs and asked them for some samples of the kind of work they could provide us. They sent samples which were all in Burmese, of course and we had them translated into English. Our management looked at the samples and came to realize that there 's a lack of professionalism in the writings that they sent us; they're not journalistic enough. So we've been hiring ethnic people as well as ethnic Burmans as interns and are training them to become radio journalists. If we can train enough people from amongst the ethnic nationalities then I'm sure we'll be able to go on the air. The plan is still there. Senior management is still keen to work on this but of course we just can't start an ethnic language program without any professionalism. That's very important. Q: In the event that Burma does become a democratic society, how will that change RFA's mandate? A: Look at Radio Free Europe, for example. Europe is practically free of suppression of the press, but [Radio Free Europe] still exists. I suppose what would happen is that Radio Free Asia, at least the Burmese Service, would provide information to the people on how to build a democratic society, how to sustain a democratic society, how to work within a democratic society, establishing norms and how to work within those norms. I think changing to a democratic society is not difficult, but sustaining and building one is a much more difficult job than it seems. Q: What is the role of RFA after democracy is established in Burma? A: We would change our programming, that's for sure. We would change our programming to talk more about civil society, what is civil society, what are its duties and responsibilities. When people talk about democracy, they tend to focus more on the rights of people in a democratic society; they tend to forget that there are responsibilities of the people in a democratic society. And those are the sort of things we will try to bring across to the people. Q: Do you think people need more radio stations? A: Absolutely. In a democratic society there should be as many radio stations and as many media outlets as possible. Q: Obvious differences between radio journalism and print journalism exist, especially with the numbers of people you can reach. But what are some of the other ways that radio journalism is more effective than print journalism in Burma? A: Effectiveness will come about through accessibility, whether it's in print journalism or radio journalism. When we talk about radio, there should be enough receivers and enough airtime. When you talk about print journalism, there should be a distribution network so that you can distribute the news to the people. And of course, they must know how to read-whether it's in Burmese, in English or any of the ethnic languages. You just can't produce news if nobody can access it. In terms of radio, accessibility is very important. A 24-hour radio station would be ideal, with everybody having radio. It doesn't have to be shortwave anymore; it can be FM because the reception is better, clearer and more accessible for listeners. Q: So what are the current obstacles and difficulties for RFA? A: One of the main difficulties is getting credible information out of Burma-credible and unbiased information. As a journalist, the most credible information that you can get is what you see with your own eyes and what you hear with your own ears. And if you can't do that, then your credibility is based on your own news judgment-editorial judgment-and that's a very difficult thing to get a hold on. The only way to solve this is through experience. We do make errors because it's a judgment-based decision and people can't be right all the time. But through experience we learn how to get multiple sources for our information to provide credible news to our listeners (via Alokesh Gupta, India, DXLD) see also MYANMAR ** CAMBODIA. CAMBODIA IS TUNING IN By Kyaw Zwa Moe/Cambodia, September 2004 http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=4027&z=104 Cambodians are tuning in to the country's cheapest and most accessible news source. Her cute, red, mobile phone is not just for dialing. She also uses it to tune in to radio. The third-year university student doesn't want to miss radio programs broadcast by radio stations, even while traveling from her Cambodian village to Phnom Penh. Chum Kolab, who lives in Cabar Ampevo village, about 15 km from Phnom Penh, says she listens to the radio for several hours a day. "I can get important information as well as fun from radio programs without spending money and time," Kolab said, admiring the tiny phone in the palm of her hand. "I listen to the radio even while working and travelling." Kolab is by no means untypical. "If you go to the market at our village, you can't avoid the noise of radio broadcasts that everyone tunes in to," she says. "They begin turning on their portable radios from about six in the morning. I'd say that all villagers listen to radio." In Sdao Kanleng, 24 km east of Phnom Penh, 65-year-old Chhun Chhum can be seen every day sitting on a wooden bench in his home listening to the radio, which he switches on early every morning. While Chhum listens in, his son describes the old man's radio routine: after waking around six o'clock he tunes in to the Voice of America, or VOA, and Radio Free Asia, or RFA. Later he listens to other FM radio stations --- one of his favorites is Beehive FM105, widely considered Cambodia's only truly independent radio station. A majority of Cambodia's population of more than 13 million people listen regularly to the radio, a source of news and entertainment. One reason for radio's popularity is that it's free, says Kolab. Cambodia is among the world's poorest countries; with about a third of the population living below the poverty line, newspapers are a luxury few can afford. Only two-thirds of the adult population is literate, so many Cambodians couldn't read a newspaper even if they could afford one. Most remote communities don't receive any newspapers at all. If you go to the market at our village, you can't avoid the noise of radio broadcasts that everyone tunes in to [caption?] For the non-Khmers of Cambodia, radio is an indispensable source of news and entertainment. The Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese inhabitants of Cambodia who can't read Khmer turn automatically to the radio. Cambodia currently has about 15 radio stations --- two AM stations and the rest FM. Almost all are controlled by the government and Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party, and carry news of official state activities --- and little else. A few are run by other political parties and NGOs. The leader of the main opposition party, Sam Rainsy, however, is not allowed to broadcast. FM90, though, is run by Prince Norodom Ranariddh's royalist party, the National United Front for a Neutral, Peaceful, Cooperative and Independent Cambodia, or FUNCINPEC. Another station, FM102, is operated by the Women's Media Center, a non-governmental organization. To find criticism of the government and its policies, as well as replayed news from VOA and RFA, listeners must tune in to FM105, or Beehive Radio, known locally as Sambok Khmum. For its services, it is the country's most popular broadcaster. RFA's shortwave broadcasts, which give blanket coverage of local news, and VOA's AM service also command a big audience. VOA has the edge over RFA because its AM broadcasts are easier to pick up in remote areas, according to the radio's Phnom Penh-based correspondent, Seng Ratana. "VOA is very powerful," admits Minister of Information Lu Lay Sreng. Cambodia's print journalists concede that radio reaches more people than newspapers, but question its reliability and actuality. The editor of the newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea ("Light of Cambodia"), Pen Samitthy, maintains that radios just replay news and information that have already been carried by newspapers. Most radio stations can't produce their own reports, he says. Reporter Ky Soklim of the French-language Cambodge Soi newspaper, says, "Almost all of the media are affiliated with the political parties in some way." Soklim believes, like most commentators, that more people listen to the radio than read newspapers for economic reasons: radio is free while the price of newspapers is beyond the pockets of many Cambodians. Newspapers cost between 1,000 riel (25 US cents) and 3,500 riel-A considerable daily investment for a government employee earning $30 a month. An elderly man in Tuol village, Baseth District, Kompong Speu province, is typical: his village has a shop selling newspapers but he never buys one. The university student Kolab, too, seldom buys the paper. "Newspapers bore me," she says. "The things they cover are just clichés." You can certainly see people reading the press in newspaper shops, but most are paging through the papers without buying them. One shop-owner in Siem Reap said she sells about 200 newspapers a day, but many more customers read for free. Newspaper circulations are consequently small, and even the country's best-selling Rasmei Kampuchea has a print run of only 20,000. Some newspapers get by on a circulation of about 500. Most of Cambodia's 20 or so newspapers are based in Phnom Penh and are available only in 24 provincial capitals. Fully 70 percent of Rasmei Kampuchea's circulation is confined to the capital. In June, the Somne Thmey ("New Writing") began publishing a local newspaper in Khmer in four major provinces: Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang and Kompong Cham. As Cambodia's first truly provincial newspaper covering local issues, Somne Thmey's content varies according to the location; in Siem Reap, home to Angkor Wat, for example, much coverage is dedicated to tourism. The papers are published every two weeks with the help of US-based Asia Foundation. The paper initially planned to print 1,000 copies for each of the four provinces, although a reporter for Somne Thmey in Siem Reap estimates that actual sales --- at 25 US cents a copy --- are still below 100 there. Television, of course, is another media option, but --- unlike radio and newspapers --- it's totally controlled by the government and Premier Hun Sen's party. Two of the seven TV stations --- Apsara and Bayon --- are run by Hun Sen personally and by his party, while the army controls one station and the government controls the rest. Apsara reporter Prom Vicheth Sophea describes Apsara as the "party station" and Bayon as the "family station" and is critical of them both. "We need to change the programs we're running now, they contain nothing interesting," Sophea says. "We're media, we should follow news. But most officials in our TV station don't care about information, they just care about the party. That means they don't work for an audience, but for the party." There is one reliably independent news source --- the Internet --- but that's also too expensive for most people. Internet cafes and shops in Phnom Penh charge about 2,000 riel (50 US cents) an hour to access the Web, but once outside the capital charges rocket. One foreign journalist visiting northeastern Ratanikiri said the province's sole Internet café charged customers $5 an hour. "That's criminal," he fumed. Charges like those are totally outside most local budgets. Internet cafés are only in some major cities and most of them are only occupied by foreigners. Hang Sambopiphoas, owner of the Galaxy Web Internet café In downtown Phnom Penh, says 90 percent of the 200 or so customers a day using his facilities are foreigners. A few local students are among his clientele, but they're mostly just checking their email boxes --- Kolab, who is majoring in Computer Science, says she uses the Internet only once a week to read emails from friends. The Internet came to Cambodia seven years ago and has succeeded in escaping government control. The government initially allowed two Internet service providers to operate: Camnet and Bigpond. Four others followed: TeleSURF, Shinawatra, Online and Caminet. In seven years, the service providers have attracted only 40,000 subscribers. Three main barriers block the way to greater Internet use, according to the National Information Communications Technology Development Authority Secretary General, Phu Leewood: cost, the lack of telephone landlines and lack of language proficiency. But even many government officials and professionals shun the Internet. Rasmei Kampuchea editor Pen Samitthy says most journalists write their reports as hard copy and don't use Internet and its email possibilities. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is skeptical of all media outlets, with the possible exception of radio. Any media form is subject in certain ways to Cambodian government control, he maintains. Yet when pressed to name the medium that most Cambodians rely on for information, he says without hesitation: "The radio." (This article was written by Kyaw Zwa Moe under the Southeast Asian Press Alliance fellowship program.) (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, DXLD) ** CANADA. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. Radio Canadá sigue muy irregular en los horarios y frecuencias de sus emisiones en español. Por ejemplo, el 27/09 emitió a las 2330 UT en los 11825 y 15455, cuando la verdadera hora de emisión era a las 2300 UTC. Por lo general, la frecuencia de 15455 kHz no está al aire. A las 00 UT, la emisión también salió por los 13725 kHz, la cual también es esporádica. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Re 15500: But the interesting question is: why do they broadcast both CNR-1 and 2 on the same fq (until 1400)? Is it just by mistake or is it jamming with a third station underneath? It has been going on for months. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxing.info via DXLD) I can't figure it out. And CNR2 sked plays "Voice of English" every day. It including bi-lingual Global Financial News and Business English. But CNR1 sked is totally different (Miller Liu, Taibei, Taiwan, ibid.) ** COLOMBIA. Quito 29/9 2004 *** Wednesday edition *** Recording of HJZD, R. Panzenú, Montería, 2020.18 kHz. This harmonic recording I made this Wednesday morning at 1015 UT. Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. Coming on Friday, October 1st (really!) - New Internet Radio Format - 16 kbps - MP4 streaming audio - optimized for dialup modems. Currently the Webcast is offline while we complete the conversion to the new global standard in streaming media - MP4 (http://www.rfpi.org Sept 29 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Searching International Telecommunications Union (ITU) data, Bill [Hepburn or Hale?] found a list of the transmitters for the new Cuban network "Canal Educativo 2". Powers are unknown but cities, channels, and coördinates are: City Ch Coördinates Isla de la Juventud (Sierra Caballos) 5 21-52-12/82-46-28 Havana (Televilla) 15 23-02-34/82-27-24 Nuevitas 20 21-32-23/77-16-04 Pinar del Rio (Guanito) 20 22-27-08/83-46-54 Santa Clara 20 22-22-18/79-57-55 Ciego de Ávila 21 21-49-57/78-43-57 Santiago de Cuba (Puerto Boniato) 21 20-05-53/75-49-47 Cajalbana 22 22-47-22/83-26-40 Moa (Miraflores) 22 20-37-26/75-02-15 Sancti Spíritus 23 21-53-27/79-26-33 Victoria de las Tunas 23 20-56-15/76-56-55 Camagüey 24 21-21-50/77-52-32 Cueva Arriba 24 20-06-00/75-50-00 Matanzas (Jacán) 24 22-51-23/81-20-52 Salón 25 22-49-44/82-57-17 Yaguajay 25 22-12-00/79-06-00 La Capitana 26 22-19-21/83-57-40 Loma La Cruz 28 20-53-58/76-16-03 Baracoa (Los Guineos) 32 20-19-38/74-35-36 Santa Cruz 32 23-09-00/81-55-58 Güines 33 22-52-38/82-04-10 La Cumbre 34 23-04-09/81-34-08 Trinidad 34 21-48-48/79-58-35 Mayari (El Ramón) 35 20-48-20/75-34-45 Bartolomé Maso 44 20-09-32/76-56-42 Havana Libre 44 23-08-21/82-22-57 Bayamo 48 20-22-21/76-38-42 Cienfuegos (Los Mangos) 48 22-08-36/80-24-06 Manzanillo 54 20-20-28/77-07-01 (Doug Smith, TV News, Oct WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) ** DENMARK. World Music Radio, captada en los 5814.99 kHz, el 27/09, a las 0344 UT. SINPO 3/3. Ha mejorado mucho la calidad de señal por acá. Música pop, Sean Paul "I'm still in love" y Lenny Kravitz "It is not over until it's over". 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. The Frankfurt region will become the next one after Berlin with digital-only terrestrial TV service. On Dec 6 the Großer Feldberg channels 8 (ARD Das Erste), 34 (ZDF) and 54 (hessen-fernsehen, to be renamed into hr-fernsehen from Oct 3), the only remaining analogue PAL signals at Frankfurt already by now, will be switched to DVB-T. A core service will already start on Oct 4 on channels 22 and 57; by then AFN Wiesbaden will have moved from ch. 22 to ch. 42 ("E" channels despite this transmitter using the "M" system, i.e. NTSC 525/60). For offered programs see http://www.rhein-main.ueberallfernsehen.de/website/extern/ueberallfernsehen/index.jsp?rubrik=6814 ``DVB-T-Programmangebot ab 4. Oktober 2004`` is the ch. 22 and 57 core service starting on Oct 4, ``DVB-T-Programmangebot ab 6. Dezember 2004`` the full service with PAL being completely replaced by DVB-T from Dec 6, with possibly delayed activation of ch. 64. The DVB-T service requires an extensive refitting of the Großer Feldberg facilities. See as reference http://www.dxradio-ffm.de/Gr.Feldberg20045.JPG To the left the Hessischer Rundfunk (HR) main facility. This will be the home of all Feldberg DVB-T transmitters. At present this (sub-) site is off air altogether due to the necessary modifications. For the time being ch. 8 has been switched to the back-up facility that can be seen as second one in the picture. The FM outlets of HR (89.3, 94.4, 96.7, 102.5) at present originate from HR's FM back-up facility on the look-out tower, the third one in the photo. The observation platform there is closed until Dec 6 because it gets the full blow of the ch. 8 aux transmitter. In the right of the picture the facility of the former postal office, now T-Systems. At present still ch. 34 and 54 originate from there, but with the switch to DVB-T no TV services will be operated from this facility anymore. Only the FM services that were once in the responsibility of the postal office will remain on this tower, specifically 98.7 (AFN Z-98) and 105.9 (Hit-Radio FFH). And something very special: A sketch of the microwave links to the ZDF transmitters can be seen at http://www.procom.de/de/products/solutions/projects/qssra.html For eastern Germany the links are widely still the same than in the old days, except in the north. South from Berlin one has only to add the link from Petkus (the relay station between Berlin and Calau) to Roitzsch (near Leipzig), then not much differences should be left I think. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non?]. I do not remember the discussion about the alleged Friendship Radio offshore operation in detail. Anyway a QSL card for this operation has been sent out, also including a location specification as quoted in the enclosed message: -----Original Message----- Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 20:26:35 +0200 Subject: [A-DX] QSL "FriedShipRadio" [sic] From: "Thomas M. Rösner" dl8aam @ gmx.de To: liste@a-dx.at Hallo, heute kam für meinen eRR aus dem Juni 2004 eine DIN A5 Papier- QSL von "FriendShipRadio" QTH laut QSL: M/S Sheena, verankert vor den Lofoten (Norwegen) bei 68 03N / 13 28E "Offshore Sound ... From the North Sea" Auf der QSL ist ein Bild dieses Schiffes. Die waren im Juni aktiv, hrd 13.865 kHz. Die Frage: seinerzeit haben alle gezweifelt, dass es sich hier um einen Seesender handelte. Nun: Laut QSL war/ist es einer, aber wirklich, oder nur Behauptung? Hat jemand nach Juni/Juli nochmals etwas von diesem Seesender gehört? v/s Maynard Wesley, Chief Manager Absender: Box 2702, NL-6049 ZG Herten Abgestempelt ist der Brief in Finnland. 73, (Tom DL8AAM, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Those coördinates would put it near Flakstad, in the Lofoten Islands, on the far northwestern Arctic coast of Norway, FWIW (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Clandestine (Iran). During a research (with no results!) for the Voice of Khmer Krom at 1400-1500 from the transmitting station in Vladivostok on 15660 kHz, via DX Tuners in Australia, Canada, USA, Sweden and UK, I noted at 1425 (DX Tuner Edinburgh 2-UK) that on the frequency it switched on a carrier and at 1430-1459 and transmitted RADIO SEDAYE MELLAT-E IRAN. Ex 1330-1400 on 15670 kHz? (LUCA BOTTO FIORA, QTH: Rapallo (Genova) - Italy, RXs: R7 Drake - Satellit 500 Grundig, DX Tuners; ANTs: Ferrite 85cm amplificata LW-MW - Dipolo 49m - Filare 20m - MFJ1026, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Or in addition? ** ISRAEL. IBA HEAD BAREL GIVEN DEADLINE TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS By Anat Balint --- Last update - 02:21 29/09/2004 http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=483028 Ehud Olmert, the minister in charge of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, yesterday informed IBA Director-General Yosef Barel that he is "leaning toward" ousting him from his post. If he does, it would be the first time a sitting IBA director-general has ever been dismissed. In a letter to Barel, a copy of which was obtained by Haaretz, Olmert detailed a series of complaints against his management and demanded that Barel either respond in writing by October 12 or schedule a formal hearing with the minister by October 19. Should Olmert deem Barel's response unpersuasive, he will probably first convene the IBA board for consultations and only then submit a motion for Barel's ouster to the cabinet, which must approve it. The letter detailed three main areas in which Olmert considered Barel's management problematic: inappropriate appointments, financial irregularities, and an operation to enhance collection of television license fees by stopping citizens at illegal roadblocks and threatening them with sanctions that the IBA had no authority to impose, such as impounding their cars, if they did not pay immediately - regardless of whether they actually owed the money. The roadblock scheme was first revealed in Haaretz. On the first issue, Olmert noted that Barel's cronies had enjoyed meteoric rises through the IBA ranks over the last two years. For instance, his personal assistant, Ilana Zangelbaf-Rabinovich, was recently named director of Channel 33, and her husband, Zelig Rabinovich, was at one point made director of resources at Channel 1. Olmert also cited the improper hiring of two journalists and Barel's attempt, eventually thwarted by Olmert, to lower the qualifications for filling various senior positions. "You have often acted contrary to legal opinions ... and in the end, the courts have rejected your position in many cases," he wrote. "Such behavior attests ... to improper management and undermining of the rule of law." On the financial front, Olmert cited Barel's persistent efforts to thwart efforts to rehabilitate the financially troubled IBA, particularly his interference in the work of an auditor appointed by the Finance Ministry and his submission of falsified financial data to Olmert himself. The roadblock scheme, which succeeded in collecting some NIS 20 million before it was halted, raised the IBA's mismanagement to new heights, Olmert wrote. The police have not yet opened a criminal investigation into the affair, but "on the face of things, the IBA's collection division under your management acted illegally ... There is no need to waste words on the grave import of these acts." Olmert has wanted to fire Barel for months, but had hitherto refrained from taking action because he did not have Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's support. Without Sharon's backing, he had no chance of getting cabinet approval for the ouster. Sharon changed his mind this week, after the two finally agreed on a replacement for Barel (via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) MINISTRY DENIES IBA CHIEF UNDER THREAT | Text of report in English by Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post web site on 26 September The Communications Ministry would not verify the report in Sunday's Haaretz that Minister Ehud Olmert intends to fire [Israel] Broadcasting Authority Director-General Yosef Barel. "When we have something to say on the matter, we'll put out a proper press release," the ministry's spokesman said. IBA spokesman Oren Helman said simply: "The IBA does not respond to reports of this kind." Federation of Israeli Journalists chairman Aryeh Shaked was more blunt. "It's time someone created order at the Broadcasting Authority," he said. "We're happy that the minister... has decided to intervene and bring some order into the IBA." Barel, 70, has been head of the IBA since June 2002, following a three-month stint as acting director-general. He was previously the founding head of Channel 33, and before that director-general of Channel 1 and director of Arabic Television. Many questioned some of Barel's more controversial moves during his tenure, including his attempts to move IBA's English- and Arabic- language news from Channel 1 to cable's Channel 33, as well as his endeavor to cancel REKA, the Israel Radio offshoot that broadcasts in Russian and Amharic. There were budgetary problems as well. The Finance Ministry assigned accountant Dan Jona to take control of the IBA budget, but he and Barel, however, were reportedly constantly at odds, to the extent that Barel tried to get Jona fired. In November 2003, Finance Ministry accountant-general Yaron Zilkha wrote a letter to Olmert recommending that Barel be replaced. There was also a sharp decline in ratings, at least partly attributable to the number of Channel 1 personnel who resigned or were fired. Staff morale reportedly plummeted as Barel canceled perks and daily newspapers, confiscated cellphones, and appointed cronies to positions for which they were not qualified. Channel 1's news coverage lost its competitive edge, especially in view of Barel's attitude toward Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He has publicly said that if the prime minister asked him to do something, it was his patriotic duty to carry out the order. If Barel is dismissed - which can only happen with the agreement of the cabinet - he will be the first IBA director-general to be ousted. It almost happened to his predecessor Uri Porat, but Porat resigned instead. According to the Haaretz report, Olmert has at least two possible replacements in mind for Barel: Army Radio Commander Avi Benayahu and Reshet CEO Yohanan Tsangan, who served for many years as head of the IBA finance department before joining Reshet. Source: The Jerusalem Post web site, in English 26 Sep 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 9595, JOZ3 Radio Nikkei or Nikkei Radio Broadcasting Corporation, Nagara is not by any means an easy DX-catch at my QTH. However noted 12 UTC on vacant frequency 9595 kHz. Signal strength only poor to fair. Their name was R Tampa (Nippon Tampa Hoso) NSB etc.... what next? 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. VOICE OF IRAQI KURDISTAN ANNOUNCES NEW FREQUENCIES Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan broadcasts its programmes from 0700 until 2200 [local time - 0300-1800 gmt] on two FM frequencies 93.1 MHz and 89.4 MHz; and on shortwave frequency 49 m., 6340 kHz at 0700-1000 and 1800-2200. Source: Kurdistan Satellite TV, Salah-al-Din, in Sorani Kurdish 0700 gmt 29 Sep 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** LATVIA. RADIO JOYSTICK will be in the air on 2nd October, 0900 h UT on 9290 kHz and 6th of November, 0900 h UT on 9290 kHz --- and we have new 4C[olour]-QSL-cards for you! RADIO JOYSTICK ist wieder zu hoeren am 02. Oktober, 0900 h UT, 9290 kHz und 06. November, 0900 h UT, 9290 kHz - und wir haben neue 4- Farb-QSL-Karten fuer euch! -- Mit freundlichen Gruessen / Kind regards Charlie Prince, RADIO JOYSTICK Post Office Box 10 08 12, 45408 Muelheim an der Ruhr, FRG - RFA - BRD Cell.: +49 179 3 615 394 mail to: chapri @ radiojoystick.de web: http://www.radiojoystick.de (via Radio Strike, Italy, shortwave yg via DXLD) Nice to see one station not making a DST shift --- or did they forget? (gh) 9290 KHZ THIS WEEKEND Radio Joystick [Sat] October 2 from 0900 to 1000 UT Q103 [Sat] October 2 from 1300 to 1400 UT R&Rmedienservice [Sun] October 3 from 1300 to 1400 UT GOOD LISTENING (Tom Taylor, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6185, R. Educación, 1038-1051, Sept. 28, Spanish, Noted back on the air with lively Spanish music, after several days absence last week as observed by Jerry Berg and myself. Re-checked at 1108 to hear China Huayi B.C and co-channel RSI, Singapore, both with good signals, battling for dominance (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Still missing in the evening, e.g. Sept 30 at 0255 on 6185 heard only Vatican in Russian, tho there was some weak signal under (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. Re DXLD 4-146: Voice of Mongolia on 12085 heard with Japanese 0830, Mongolian 0900, Chinese 0930 and English 1000 September 28th, fair strength at 0830 but poor but still readable at start of English 1000 (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth Garden City, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For the past two days I have heard Voice of Mongolia's English broadcast from 1000-1030 on 12085 kHz. The signal is very weak but clear at this time. It appears that transmission times are now back to normal as English had been reported at 1100 UT following Mongolia's switch back to winter time on 25 September. Reception today is somewhat better than usual - the broadcast is in progress right now. 73s (Dave Kenny, 1005 UT Sept 28, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Voice of Mongolia, Khonkhor on 12085 kHz noted 0850 UT with Japanese program with really excellent reception gradually getting worse with 30 minute segments in Mongolian (09), Chinese (0930) and finally English at 10 UT. Reception still being fair to good. Carrier wave at 1454 UT and English program 15 UTC on 12014.8 kHz by the Voice of Mongolia in English with very poor reception. Some aid from AOR´s PBS. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) (gh) ** MYANMAR. Heard a song on 5985.9, Sept 29 across 1300 UT hourtop, and a brief announcement in Myanmarianese, so I have no doubt it was Yangon. There was no het until after the hour, and then only very slight. One might have guessed it was actually on 5985.0 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also BURMA [non] ** NEPAL. ``THIS IS RADIO PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC`` --- The Maoists are taking the revolution to the airwaves with their own FM radio [by] RAMESWOR BOHARA in NEPALGANJ An increasing number of antennas are popping up on rooftops all over midwestern Nepal. They aren't for tv, but radio aerials to help people in the western tarai catch the FM broadcasts of the Maoists' clandestine Radio Janabadi Ganatantra. The broadcasts are feeble and not regular since the mobile transmitters are always on the move to avoid detection. But people listen anyway, more to find out the Maoist partyline than out of a desire to get information. "We don't really believe what they say on the radio, it's mostly political slogans, but it is interesting to find out what they are saying and planning," says one Gulariya resident, who did not want to be named. A year ago, the rebels launched the broadcasts without much fanfare. The Maoists are currently broadcasting on 100 MHz and say they have a transmitter mast with a capacity of up to 500 kilowatt [sic]. This would make the station as powerful as Radio Sagarmatha in Kathmandu. Locals need to hook their battery radio to an aerial to be able to catch the signal properly. The broadcasts began last year from the Maoist heartland of Thawang in Rolpa. The Bheri-Karnali Broadcasting Service followed, and now they have also begun the Seti- Mahakali Broadcasting Service. A typical news broadcast this week went as follows: "Because of a courageous ambush laid by the brave people's liberation army, 22 Royal American Army soldiers have been killed and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered." The rest of the news contained excerpts of speeches by various leaders of the autonomous regional 'people's governments', information on those on whom a sentence of 'safaya' has been declared as well as announcements on forthcoming bandas and blockades. Locals are not very surprised by the propaganda-laden style and language of the Maoists broadcast, and tell us it is not so different from what state-owned Radio Nepal broadcasts in its news about "so many terrorists killed and a large amount of explosives, detonators and documents captured". But the rebel radio is one notch ahead in the use of jargon and derogatory labels like "killer king" or "Royal American Army". Lately, there is also a lot of abuse hurled at the "reactionary Indian government for supporting the fascist regime" in Kathmandu. For programs that are supposed to create awareness and win over public opinion, the language is crude and provocative, but it does seem to work in some places. One recent evening, the radio announcer repeated in a shrill voice: "We must uproot any state power responsible for discrimination." Some dalit listeners nodded their heads in agreement. Rebel leaders told us they have been trying to improve their radio presentation skills by being less propagandistic and more persuasive. "We have already begun giving journalism training to our correspondents and program producers," says Maoist Banke-Bardia in- charge, Anal. The Bheri-Karnali service broadcasts three times a day on 100 MHz. From 6 to 7 AM [0015-0115 UT at +5:45 offset] there are discussions, current affairs and liberation songs with a news bulletin at the end. The afternoon transmission airs 'people's songs' and a news bulletin. In the evening, transmission begins at approximately 6 PM and usually goes on for three hours with the day's news in Nepali and local languages. Agriculture, health, education, communist philosophy and rousing liberation songs are also aired. The radio targets minorities and ethnic communities, and exhorts them to rise up against oppression. A rebel journalist told us their studio equipment is still rudimentary, and none of the programs are aired live. The broadcasts are irregular, and sometimes the transmissions stop for weeks without explanation. The Maoists' regional communication in-charge, Biswajit, explains that this is because their transmitter has to be moved often to avoid detection. The stations have their own correspondents across the midwest. One of the senior Maoists looking after the broadcasts, Hari Das 'Prakhar', was killed in action three months ago, an event covered in detail by Radio Ganatantra. Ironically, the first people to notice the Maoist's Bheri-Karnali broadcasts were the security forces. Sentries guarding the television tower in Surkhet intercepted the signals but were not able to pinpoint the location of the transmitter accurately. The most dedicated listeners in fact seem to be the security forces, who say they tune in to find out what the enemy has to say. SOURCE: The Nepali Times, No. 215, 24-30 September, 2004 via Kishor Pradhan, Sept 28, PanosSouthAsiaUpdate via George Lessard, 'cr-india' mailing list via Alokesh Gupta, India, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Radio Nacional del Paraguay, en los 9736.94 kHz, a las 2258 UT, el 18/09. Identificaciones como: "Ésta es la nueva RNP, la emisora más potente del Paraguay". Promociones. SINPO 3/3. (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PITCAIRN ISLAND. The sexual-abuse trials got underway today, I heard on a brief R. Australia report. Among the names mentioned was Christian. Some of those testifying will do so remotely from New Zealand (where I believe there are more Pitcairners than on the Island itself). Since the population is so small, it is highly likely that some of those involved are hams and Seventh Day Adventists. Recommend monitoring RNZI or RA for news about this. NETS TO YOU toward the bottom includes Pitcairn ham monitoring tips (Glenn Hauser, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. Cadena Radio Voz Televisión, sintonizada el 26/09, a las 0254 UT, en los 1660 kHz. SINPO 3/3. También se identifica como La Gigante de Puerto Rico, desde la localidad de Carolina. Transmitía rumba flamenca (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WGIT ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO [non]. Re 4-148: This is all very confusing still! I think the word Kai was looking for is "continuity" - certainly not "continuation" which doesn't make sense in this context. In BBC terminology, the continuity announcer (who would work from the continuity studio), is the one who makes the announcements in between programmes, basically filling gaps, announcing what programme is coming up next, etc. These days probably only the BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4 still have continuity announcers as such. In the UK, at least in the BBC`s Bush House and Broadcasting House, the Control Room is the main operations rooms where all the feeds to and from the building to studios, transmitters, etc., are controlled. I think what Kai is calling the control room would be something like studio ops (operations) room here. Hope this makes sense, Regards (Dave Kenny, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ``The shortwave transmitter on 7200 kHz is situated at RTS facilities in Bijeljina`` --- Really RTS? I understand that Radio Srbija i Crna Gora is a completely different body, not a subsidiary of RTS. At least they are housed in another promise at Belgrade. And re ``programming was in parallel with their satellite signal on the Hotbird satellite at 13 degrees East`` --- perhaps also in synch? Looks like an afternoon visit of a certain neighbour is due (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. PUBLIC BROADCASTER SEEKS LICENCE AMENDMENTS SABC application opposed by rivals September 27, 2004 By Thabiso Mochiko and Gugulakhe Masango Johannesburg - A conflict is brewing between broadcasters over the "proper" interpretation of legislation relevant to the amendment of SABC licences to reflect its reorganisation. The SABC urged the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to amend its licences to reflect its obligations after reorganisation under the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act and Broadcasting Act. But during the hearings free-to-air channel e.tv accused the SABC of asking the regulator to rubber-stamp its application. Yfm, the Gauteng youth radio station, said the SABC's application in effect sought to allow the public broadcaster to regulate itself rather than being independently regulated under the law. . . http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=561&fArticleId=2239281 (via Art Blair, DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Overcomer Ministery auf 702 kHz - Jülich ??? Last night around local midnight Brother Scare was heard on 702 according to the enclosed e-mail. Right now only Slovakia and some other weak signals underneath are audible on this frequency here. The Jülich theory is absolutely plausible; the transmitter there exists and was already tested with Megaradio (when this station still existed of course) and some other unidentified audio. Of course one has to wonder if they couldn't use something else as modulation than this screaming. Don't be afraid: 702 was together with Nordkirchen 855 allocated to Truckradio. I understand that Truckradio intends to bring up its own programming, actually... See http://truckradio.starletmediaag.de/default.aspx?page=onair The "Demo" could be the stuff that goes out via L-band DAB in Halle and Magdeburg at present, while "Messeradio IAA" is actual live programming, produced as special event station for a truck fair that takes place at Hannover until Thursday (there it is transmitted with very low power on FM 107.4). They stated that the lack of a feed to Jülich and Nordkirchen prevents them from rolling off the mediumwave service so far (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -----Original Message----- Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 20:24:39 +0200 Subject: [A-DX] Overcomer Ministery auf 702 kHz - Jülich ??? From: Rick rickl @ arcor.de To: A-DX Liste liste@a-dx.at Hallo zusammen, gestern abend gegen Mitternacht Ortzszeit war hier auf 702 kHz eine religiöse Sendung (Overcomer Ministery) ziemlich stark zu hören. Kann das T-Systems aus Jülich gewesen sein ? Gruß, Rick -- QTH: Münster, NRW RX: Sony ICF-2001D ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (via Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s MONACO as in 4-148, and here`s more about that (gh): Hello, This morning, by phone Monte Carlo Radiodiffusion confirmed me the test broadcast this past Monday (September 27th). It was a one day test broadcast in English on 702 kHz (Col de la Madone) from 2100 to 2200 UT. Next tests aren't scheduled, waiting for listeners feedback. But if you're interested, try the frequency next Monday October 4th. Best 73's (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, France, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, and with these observations not much doubt is left that this was indeed the Col de la Madonne transmitter, especially since they should be on the search for new customers after RAI has leaved. Hmm, who is actually "they"; I seem to recall that the RMC transmitters belongs to TDF by now? And now that we know about the origin of B.S. on 702: What was actually the story behind his announced test transmissions via Sölvesborg-1179 which did not take place as far as I know? Teracom finally hesitating for some reason? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. I was enjoying listening to REE`s news in Basque, a language I don`t often get to hear, and noting the occasional Spanish word embedded, when it ended abruptly at 1255 UT Sept 29 on 17595 for a frequency change announcement and IS over and over, this not being one of the frequencies going off (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: MediaScan :: :: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS :: :: from Radio Sweden :: :: Edition 2486 - September 29, 2004 :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Electronic media news from Radio Sweden. Editor: George Wood Packet Radio BID SCDX2486 Updated Web edition and blog at: http://mediascan.org Contributions to: media@radiosweden.org All times UTC unless otherwise noted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Many apologies for disappearing for so many weeks. After I came back from my summer vacation, I took over responsibility for getting the new Radio Sweden website up and running. Editions in the next few weeks will be sporadic, but I will definitely be sending out our new shortwave schedule in a couple of weeks. NORDIC MEDIA NEWS --- RADIO SWEDEN -- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: Feature Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: "Network Europe" Sunday: "In Touch with Stockholm" Our new website ought to be going online next week. It will be more consistent with the rest of Swedish Radio, and we will be sharing the same Content Management System used by the rest of SR. We also have some shake-ups in our English programming coming up. The first changes should be coming around November 1. For the immediate future I'm moving the MediaScan website to http://MediaScan.org where I've had the blog (George Wood, SCDX/MediaScan Sept 29 via DXLD) ** TONGA. US REPORT ACCUSES TONGAN BROADCASTER OF LIMITING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM | Text of report by Radio Australia on 29 September A US government report on religious freedom in the Pacific Islands has found that the government-owned Tonga Broadcasting Commission [TBC] limits the rights of some faiths to preach, or even discuss their beliefs in broadcasts. According to the report, the TBC has in place a strict policy that disallows churches other than the island kingdom's mainstream churches to discuss their principles or founders in programmes. The TBC guidelines also reportedly state that in view of the character of the listening public, those who preach on Radio Tonga must confine their preaching within the limits of the mainstream Christian tradition. The US government discussed religious freedom issues with the Tongan government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. Source: Radio Australia, Melbourne, in English 0700 gmt 29 Sep 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. Dear Mr Hauser, Have you any idea what I'm hearing regularly (on US West Coast) from about 0400 GMT on 7275 kHz? Seems to be in Arabic, with ME music. I've searched various listings, but still can't find it. It's usually the next strong station above VON on 7255 in the evenings here. One candidate might be Tunisia, but the frequency listing for them I saw was a few years old. Thank you very much, (Eric Bryan, Sept 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s certainly Tunisia, still scheduled per HFCC A-04 at 0400-0700, 340 degrees, favorable for you; the same programming is on 7190, aimed further south. The two also produce mixing products 85 kHz above and below (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) ** U K. UK AMATEURS POISED TO GET BIGGER 40-METER BAND (SEP 29, 2004) Amateur Radio operators in the United Kingdom hope to soon have a bigger 40 meter band. UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom has announced plans to extend 40 meters by an additional 100 kHz to 7000-7200 kHz for Foundation, Intermediate and Full Amateur Radio licensees in the UK. Ofcom says the band extension would be a secondary allocation to the Amateur Service on the basis that amateurs not cause interference to other services within or outside the UK. Allowable modes would include CW, phone, RTTY, data, facsimile and SSTV. Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) Spectrum Forum Chairman and HF Manager Colin Thomas, G3PSM, says that barring the unlikely event of an objection, the additional 100 kHz should become available to UK amateurs Sunday, October 31. Ofcom has invited comments on the proposal until October 23.--The Daily DX; RSGB (via ARRL main page via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) Well, of course, any hams using 7100-7200 kHz are bound to cause interference to (and suffer interference from) broadcasting stations in Europe, Africa, Asia and Pacific. Isn`t this patently obvious? What dimension are these people living in??? Have sesquidecades of experience in how well sharing does NOT work in the Americas had no impact whatsoever?? It can only be worse in the UK, since the hams and broadcasters will be on the same band in the same continent! The broadcasters will before long be vacating 7100-7200, so what`s the big hurry? (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. MARGE Simpson is to go head-to-head with the Queen by giving an alternative Christmas speech. . . The alternative speech has previously been done by Ali G and Sharon Osbourne. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001320029-2004451662,00.html (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. Hello George, WYFR took a direct hit from Hurricane Jeanne. Power and phones are out, and damage is major. We're working at restoring things, but have no schedule on the return of electrical power. Meantime, we do the best we can at setting things to rights. For the present, this yahoo address is the only way to reach me, as the regular server I use is still out of service. Best regards, (Dan Elyea, WYFR, 1721 UT Sept 28 via George Thurman, TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. It seems things were a bit confused at WBCQ today Wednesday. At 2100 on 9330-CLSB, WOR Extra 50 appeared tho new 1247 was available. At 2200 on 7415, 1247 ran as scheduled. At 2300 on 17495- CUSB, open carrier (at least when checked at 2325). They say they will run WOR at 2330 instead this week, sorry. So maybe you can catch it right now if needed. 73, Glenn, 2326 UT, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [They did] This is merely the latest instance of countless operational foulups I have noticed on WBCQ. Apparently they have one operator on duty at any time, and it`s just too much for one person to keep track of four (or five, including the MW) stations at once. Programs run over, or continue with whatever follows them on the feedline, which was not supposed to be on WBCQ. Programs run out and there is dead air. Programs start, then stop, more dead air and no one notices. Modulation levels vary widely. Even two audio feeds mixing at once on one frequency, as happened at 2100 UT Sept 29 on 9330. But hey, what can I do? If WBCQ doesn`t think it matters to operate each station/ frequency as flawlessly as possible, all I can do is hope for the best, keep monitoring, and keep on the phone, when WOR is involved, never assuming the nominal schedule will necessarily be followed. What I am saying will not be news to any other regular listeners (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Shortwave in WWII --- Hi, Glenn. I recently saw a old radio for sale on E-Bay where the seller claimed that because his Canadian (DeForest-Crosley) tube set had an HF band it would have required a special permit to use in Canada during WWII. This surprised me, but the consensus I got from asking this question on Antique Radio Forum was that it was probably true and that the fear of enemy agents getting instructions via shortwave was high. I then got some anecdotal stories of American citizens of German or Italian ancestry having their shortwave sets confiscated or HF- disabled during the war. One guy tells me he's fixed a radio that had a note inside saying it had been HF-disabled (they just cut the coil). If this is true, I can't imagine how hard it must have been for amateur radio operators with German or Italian names during that time. I imagine they must have been forced to give up their rigs for the national good (or at least to avoid going to jail). Now granted this isn't your usual line, but with your broad knowledge of all things radio, do you know anything about these sad chapters in radio history? Are there any articles or books out there which address this? Maybe ARRL stuff? In any case, thank you for your time and keep up the good work (Bob Rydzewski, Newark, California, USA, Sept 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing specific, but I think it was common knowledge such things happened. Perhaps a reader can fill in some details. If it were not for the internet today, which makes security problems with SW equipment pale in comparison, the same thing would be happening now due to The War On Terrorism (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I have been trying over a longer time to access the website of the US Air Force Special Operations Command (which is linked with the Commando Solo operations) http://www.socom.mil - but without success ("Cannot find server or DNS error"). Since Google is reproducing a daily copy of pages from this website in its cache, it seems that this site is well alive. Apparently the access is blocked for IPs from certain countries including NATO member states (or any IP from outside of the US)? (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bernd, I tried your link and it came right in without any problems (Chuck Bolland, FL, ibid.) It seems to be blocked in the Netherlands too (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) But it seems to work from (socialist?!?) Sweden (not even member of NATO). At least I could reach the page a minute ago (Sven Ohlsson, http://www.swl.nu ibid.) It could, of course, be due to a setting in my firewall. I'll see tomorrow if I can access it from work. Another site (George Wood's, actually) is inaccessible here, though comes up just fine at Radio Netherlands (Andy Sennitt, Holland, ibid.) A good thought, but even after disabling my personal firewall, the situation remains the same (both via IE or other browsers). And there are more websites that a not accessible, like the homepage of the Commando Solo 193rd Special Operations Wing: http://www.paharr.ang.af.mil 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) I am in the same country as Sven but I cannot access the http://www.socom.mil - only cachés from different search engines. On the other hand, I have no problem in accessing http://www.paharr.ang.af.mil (Henrik Klemetz, ibid.) Same as Henrik, but could access trying via anonymizer.com and pasting the http://www.socom.mil url in the box up right. Or pasting http://anon.free.anonymizer.com/http://www.socom.mil in the navigation window of the browser (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, ibid.) The anonymizer solution works fine for me to. Thanks for the tip, Horacio. I'd heard of it but never needed to use it - until now :-( Interesting that one of the first things you see is "Freedom of Information Act." Hmm (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) Anyway, some subpages remain hard to access. One of them detected I am not a .mil domain, and couldn't go further. BTW, Where is the link to Commando Solo? The same problem of banned access happens here in S. Am with the widely known qsl.net based in the U.S., which hosts hundreds of webpages made by ham radio operators. Here, I also have to use the "anonymizer" solution. Too bad --- which reveals there are sub classes and boundaries despite the universal spread acquired with the Internet. 73 (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) ** U S A. WATCHDOG GROUP WANTS TBN LEADERS TO STEP ASIDE --- Televangelists reject the request. Wall Watchers seeks reforms and an inquiry into finances. By William Lobdell, Times Staff Writer, September 29, 2004 A church watchdog group recommended Tuesday that Jan and Paul Crouch step aside as leaders of Orange County-based Trinity Broadcasting Network while a panel of Christian leaders investigates its finances. An executive for TBN, the world's largest Christian network, rejected the idea but said he would meet with critics and review audited financial statements and other related documents with them. "We will turn over to them whatever we need to turn over," said Paul Crouch Jr., a network executive. Wall Watchers, a North Carolina group that monitors the finances of more than 500 Christian nonprofits, proposed the series of reforms in response to recent stories in The Times that detailed the Crouches' luxury lifestyle. The stories have reported that the network takes in far more money than it spends and provided a $425,000 settlement to a former employee who said he had had a homosexual encounter with Paul Crouch. The televangelist has denied the accuser's claim. Wall Watchers, a nonprofit organization founded in 1998, provides donors with independent financial analyses of ministries. In addition to ranking ministries for financial stability and openness, Wall Watchers officials warn donors about some Christian nonprofits. Last year, for instance, Wall Watchers and news reports raised concerns about the finances of Joyce Meyer Ministries, which then released its 2002 audited financial statement. Wall Watchers officials recommended that TBN revamp its board of directors, which consists of Jan and Paul Crouch and his sister, Ruth Brown, to be independent of the Crouch family. The group also proposed that the network stop relying on the "prosperity gospel" -- a religious principle that donors will receive financial rewards from God by giving money to TBN -- for fundraising. [SUCKERS --- gh] "The new board should ... complete a thorough overhaul of the ministry to put it on a path to teaching authentic Christian theology and operating in a manner that rejects self-serving financial transactions and embraces sound management practices," the organization said in a statement scheduled to be released today. Crouch, who has run the network for 31 years, has maintained tight control over TBN since the 1970s, when he survived a series of attempted board takeovers. TBN officials said the ministry already had extensive independent oversight. Its tax records and executive salaries are public record. And TBN's finances are audited annually by accounting firms and available to the public, officials said. "Trinity has more accountability and oversight than virtually any other organization, regardless of size," according to a TBN statement. Howard "Rusty" Leonard, chief executive of Wall Watchers, praised TBN for offering to share financial information with his group. "We've called TBN many times asking for information" without success, he said. "It's a wonderful turn of events." But Wall Watcher officials said that if TBN didn't adequately address their concerns involving donor money, they would ask the IRS and relevant state attorneys general to investigate whether "the ministry's charitable purpose, rather than the Crouches' reported lavish lifestyle, is being diligently pursued." Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. W-G-N: What a find... The 2-hour "WGN Radio 40th Anniversary Special"!!! http://wgngold.com/features/40thanniversary.htm (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re Jim Bohannon Show: ``There's always good old 100kw - select "talk" under format search and then just search the results for "Bohannon." I come up with a few possibilities for Fort Wayne reception of Boho: WKZO 590 Kalamazoo, WPTF 680 Raleigh, WHO 1040 Des Moines (probably the best choice), WXNT 1430 Indianapolis and KDNZ 1650 Cedar Falls IA (Scott Fybush)`` Actually, WHO is the worst choice, since he`s not on there. I vaguely recall he was several years ago before the blowtorches started dropping him left and right. According to KRNT-1350 webpage, that`s his Des Moines affiliate, but I won`t believe it till I hear him next to an ID (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Scott, Jimbo's only on a few hours during the weekends on WPTF over the weekend, and not at all on WHO except for his America in the Morning show (Powell ( waterlogged in Columbia ) E. Way III, NRC-AM via DXLD) Re: ``I had researched a few webcasting stations carrying him, and reconfirmed a few from their current websites, not yet from webmonitoring: WEVD http://www.1050wevd.com and KRMG http://www.krmg.com --- both delayed until 0607-0859 UT ---gh`` Talk about websites from the grave - 1050's been ESPN sports as WEPN for at least a couple of years now! No more Jimbo there... s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) Altho WMEL`s webpage leads you to believe they webcast, I checked again and came up with another page which says it`s suspended, but they hope to resume. I did confirm by actual listening that WNTK webcasts, but as happens far too often, Tuesday night Jimbo was pre-empted by a silly ballgame, when I checked right after the 0207 UT start. Someone`s recent log referred to them playing country music, which seems strange for a `NewsTalK` station, so I shouldn`t make any assumptions about Jimbo still being heard. Ah, upon 0350 recheck WNTK 1010 New London NH does have The Jim Bohannon Show, but guest-hosted by some woman named Rosie, who almost convinced me JimBo Show was gone there too until she IDed the show. Scratch WEVD! Whenever I try to research where Jim Bohannon can ACTUALLY be heard, I run into this problem of commercial stations maintaining outdated, sometimes far outdated websites, if you can find a so-called program schedule on them at all. And there`s seldom any date on them. Why don`t they give a damn about posting an accurate schedule? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Your question in DXLD 4-148 on Jim Bohannon carried by WHO --- they carry America in the Morning at 4 am [CDT = UT -5]. Jim's 3-hour talk show is on 1350-KRNT in Des Moines Mid-3 am. Both stations have been carrying the shows for a long time. Bohannon on KRNT goes back to when he took over from Larry King. I don't know if it's common for Bohannon to be on two stations in the same market, but that's the case in Des Moines. WHO has been promoting Coast to Coast with George Noory and Art Bell, so probably running it all seven days. But their web site still lists Truckin' Bozo, so maybe it hasn't started yet? (Joel Hermann, Storm Lake, IA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting that while Bohannon isn't on that many blowtorches, Drudge is seemingly carried on every 50 kW station between 700 and 1200 on Sunday nights! Well, not ALL of them, but in my neck'o'the woods Matt's easily audible on KRMG-740, WJR-760, WBAP-820, WHAS-840 (and when I logged KXNT the other night, THEY were carrying him too), KOA- 850, WLS-890, KTOK-1000, KFAB-1110, WRVA-1140, WHAM-1180, WOWO-1190, WOAI-1200, WPHT-1210, as well as my local KWTO-560 & KSWM (Aurora MO)- 940, KARN Little Rock-920, KMBZ Kansas City-980, and when it's audible, his flagship WABC-770. Sheesh! I really dislike the guy, so it makes bandscanning on Sunday nights a real chore! (Randy Stewart, Springfield MO, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. We have had some press reports that KPRC radio in Houston has cancelled Dan Rather`s CBS radio spot because of you-know-what. No doubt the right-wing extremists running this station were just waiting for an excuse. Surprise: Rather`s radio piece, only a few minutes long, is supposed to be commentary and analysis, not straight news, and a few other CBS correspondents have the same privilege. Well, there`s always AFRTS on SSB (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NEW YORK (AP) -- Satirist-commentator Al Franken is taking his radio show on the campaign trail. "The Al Franken Show" will broadcast live across the country starting Thursday and ending Oct. 9, making stops in eight cities including swing state battlegrounds Minneapolis; Columbus, Ohio; and Miami. "It serves a lot of purposes," Franken told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "The main one is to drive me into the ground before the elections." Franken shares hosting duties with Katherine Lanpher for the show, one of the daily programs on the six-month-old liberal talk radio network Air America Radio. Franken jokes that his audiences will weed out Republicans the way liberals are kept at bay from Bush campaign events: "We will arrest anyone with a Bush/Cheney sticker!" He adds: "There will be no loyalty oaths." The tour will open in San Diego and then head to San Francisco and other cities all the way to Florida. When asked about Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly's recent interview on "60 Minutes," in which O'Reilly called Franken a "character assassin," the comedian said he wasn't surprised. And Franken says he'll pay O'Reilly $1 million (C0.8 million [is this an attempt to convert to Canadian $? If so they got it backwards --- gh]) if he can prove his blue-collar history of a childhood in Levittown, New York. (O'Reilly has defended his upbringing as being in a part of Levittown, but technically in the adjoining town of Westbury.) And with the presidential debates beginning Thursday, Franken says he would take President George W. Bush to task for flip-flops of his own -- a frequent criticism the administration levels at Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Franken says in a singsong voice: "You declare support for free trade, flippity! You set steel tariffs, floppity! Then you take them off ... flippity, floppity!" ------ On the Net: http://www.airamericaradio.com http://www.al-franken.com/ (APws 09/28 1637 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. US ELECTIONS -- When vice president Al Gore squared off against George W. Bush in their first televised debate of the hotly contested 2000 White House race, polls showed the Democrat a clear winner. But after the press harped for days on Gore's "insufferable" sighs, head shakes and interruptions during the encounter, his poll numbers plunged and his chances for the presidency melted into the Florida haze. "That's not a debate effect, that's a media effect," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. "The press ought not to change people's opinions about a debate that people haven't seen." If television, newspapers and magazines have a key role reporting on elections here, questions have been raised whether they sometimes step over the line and become more players than observers in the political process. Amy Mitchell, associate director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, said the media's election-year influence has always been high but is now spreading through new channels such as the Internet. "I don't think it's fair to say the press determines the election, or the press determines everything citizens know about it," Mitchell told AFP. "But absolutely it has a huge impact in the way they choose to report on it." Studies have punctured the notion the media is simply a convenient conduit for the candidates to pass on their views and campaign attacks. The Pew Research Center looked at how notions about the character of Bush and his Democratic rival John Kerry developed in the news media, advertising and late-night comedy programs from March to June. It found journalists were the source of these impressions 34 percent of the time, compared with 39 percent originating from the candidates or their surrogates and 11 percent from outside experts. Forty-four percent of the judgments delivered by political reporters were not supported by any evidence and nine percent were attributed to someone else. Only 42 percent were based on public statements or positions by the candidate. The media has been particularly conspicuous this year. It gave national prominence to a small, rearguard offensive against Kerry by a group of Vietnam swift boat veterans questioning his vaunted combat record. Their ad ran in just three states but dominated the campaign for weeks. Yet when CBS News ran a blockbuster report purportedly proving Bush used his family ties to get a cushy job in the National Guard, its scoop turned to disaster as it finally had to acknowledge its supporting documents may be bogus. For a country that still prizes journalistic traditions of objectivity and balance, the election is playing out on what increasing numbers of voters see as a partisan media landscape. Only 38 percent of Americans say election coverage is free of bias, down from 62 percent in 1987, according to Pew. If the bulk of Fox News' viewers are Republican, a plurality of CNN's audience are Democrats, it said. Mitchell said people now often confine themselves to ideologically comfortable media outlets. "What that tends to do is just reaffirm views that one might already have, as opposed to raising questions or providing a fuller picture," she said. And the Internet is the new wild card, analysts said, with a proliferation of political web logs providing points of view and purported information with little means of verifying its accuracy or source (AFP via SCDX/MediaScan Sept 29 via DXLD) ** U S A. Who are these "Liberals" again? FAIR-L Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting Media analysis, critiques and activism http://www.fair.org/activism/brokaw-bible-ban.html ACTION ALERT: Brokaw fails to question RNC "Bible Ban" mass mailing. September 28, 2004 --- On the September 24 NBC Nightly News, Tom Brokaw gave this brief report: "The Republican National Committee now has acknowledged sending mass mailings to two states that say liberals want to ban the Bible. Republican Party officials say the mailings in Arkansas and West Virginia are aimed at mobilizing Christian voters for President Bush. Some Christian commentators say liberal support for same-sex marriage could lead to laws that punish sermons denouncing homosexuality as sinful." It's clear how one should describe the claim that "liberals want to ban the Bible": It's a lie, and a blatant and incendiary one. But not only does Brokaw not tell his viewers that the RNC smear isn't true, he gives "Christian commentators" a chance to justify that deceit with another, that gay marriage could lead to censorship of sermons. Why does such an unsubstantiated and frankly bizarre claim deserve space on a national newscast? Meanwhile, the victims of the lie don't get any chance to speak in Brokaw's report; the entire item is sourced either to Republicans or to the religious right. It's a crucial function of journalism during an election campaign to expose and correct political distortions. Brokaw's report did nothing to set the record straight, however, but simply served to amplify the RNC's dirty tricks, while lending to the false claims whatever credibility NBC has. The election is too important for this kind of lazy and destructive journalism. ACTION: Please call Tom Brokaw and tell him that it's a journalist's job to correct lies, not to give them national distribution. CONTACT: NBC Nightly News --- Phone: (212) 664-4971 nightly@msnbc.com As always, please remember that your comments are taken more seriously if you maintain a polite tone. Please cc fair @ fair.org with your correspondence (FAIR via Franklin Seiberling, DXLD) To E-mail NBC Nightly News try ... nightly@nbc.com (Franklin Seiberling, IA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NBC BLOWS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Monday, September 27th, 2004 New York Daily News Everything that's wrong with television these days, and with NBC in particular, is reflected in tonight's stunning disregard for TV history, tradition and quality. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the "The Tonight Show" - and NBC isn't bothering to mount a retrospective special in prime time. Instead, while it could be celebrating one of the most durable and influential entertainment series in network history, Jeff Zucker's NBC proudly presents another first-run edition of "Fear Factor." To be fair, NBC hasn't turned its back on its past completely. "Today" started showing anniversary "Tonight Show" clips on Friday, and features special retrospective segments today. Also, this evening's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" features Garry Shandling and musical guest Hilary Duff in what it's describing as "a special show paying tribute to NBC late-night's 50th anniversary." So even though Leno famously failed to thank his 30-year predecessor, Johnny Carson, the night he took over "The Tonight Show," there will be some form of homage tonight on "Tonight" - presumably not only to Carson, but to Carson's equally pioneering predecessors, Jack Paar and Steve Allen. Even so, there are two horrendously misguided aspects to this. First, if NBC is choosing tonight to celebrate, in its own words, "NBC late- night's 50th anniversary," it's throwing the party about five years too late. Any true golden-age anniversary of NBC late-night should be keyed to "Broadway Open House," which aired weeknights on the network from 11 p.m.-midnight beginning in May 1950. Jerry Lester was the live program's host three days a week, with a company that included the statuesque Dagmar, TV's first sex symbol. Morey Amsterdam, later of "The Dick Van Dyke Show," was the other host when "Broadway Open House" launched. NBC late night, for the record, started there. The other ghastly aspect of NBC's treatment of its own history is the absence of a prime-time special tonight. The network is planning a major "Seinfeld" reunion special this Thanksgiving, fondly remembering a show that left the air only six years ago. But "The Tonight Show," in prime time, is old news. Even "Today," when it turned 50 two years ago, celebrated in prime time. So why not "Tonight"? The current NBC regime is either too young or too unappreciative, or both, to comprehend what a stupendous, stupid snub this is. When "Tonight!" was launched on Sept. 27, 1954, Steve Allen warned his audience at the start, "This program is going to go on forever!" So far, it has, and each incarnation has made an indelible mark on TV and popular culture. The current host has given us "Jaywalking" spots, real-life ad and headline blunders - amusing variations on bits that can be traced to the original "Tonight" show, but are part of NBC's late-night continuum. Allen's "Tonight!" (1954-57) gave us "Stump the Band" and the "Answer Man," the desk-and-couch arrangement for guests, and lots of freewheeling comedy and stunts that David Letterman still echoes today. "The Jack Paar Tonight Show" (1957-62) elevated conversation, candor and the unpredictability of live TV to new, still unchallenged heights. "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962-92) gave us just about everything. Leno, just the other night, frolicked with zoo animals the way Carson used to do, and with equal delight. What a legacy: Art Fern and Aunt Blabby, Carnac the magnificent, the monologues, the guests, the great times, from Ed McMahon screaming "Heeeeere's Johnny!" to Bette Midler serenading Carson goodbye with her own lyrics to "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)." Midler knew how to honor a legacy with taste and class. Too bad NBC doesn't. Seven years from now, though, NBC probably can be counted on to present a prime-time 10th anniversary special - of "Fear Factor." (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) The anniversary Tonight Show itself seemed to be more about Garry Shandling; strange. Also, news broke that Leno would retire in 5 years, to be succeeded by Conan O`Brien! Apparently, Conan wouldn`t sign for another stint at Late Nite unless he gets the big chair after that. Maybe the guy isn`t the doofus he pretends to be after all. But I don`t know if I can wait 5 more years to see Triumph, hopefully refurbished, before 11:38 pm and big shots with phony mouths! BTW, what`s the story about the CBS Late Late Show, whose host, Craig Kilborn, left for some reason, but who was still to be seen for some time, evidently reruns; and who is doing it now? Guest hosts, per http://www.interbridge.com/lineups.html#LLS which also lists upcoming guests on the other TV talkshows (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BOSTON U. TO DELAY SALE OF RADIO STATIONS The Associated Press Tuesday, September 28, 2004; 12:30 PM PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Boston University said it will delay putting two public radio stations it owns in Rhode Island up for sale - potentially to commercial owners - after state officials said the move would be unfair to donors and supporters. Gov. Don Carcieri and Attorney General Patrick Lynch asked BU in a letter Monday to change its decision to sell announced Sept. 17, and Lynch asked the station to turn over financial documents related to one station. "The president has taken into account the concerns of the governor and the attorney general and has decided to delay the sale," said Nancy Sterling, spokeswoman for the university's interim president, Aram Chobanian. Boston University owns Boston-based WBUR-FM, the parent station of Rhode Island's WRNI-AM in Providence and WXNI-AM in Westerly. The WRNI Foundation holds the licenses to both stations. "A group of Rhode Islanders donated a lot of time and a lot of money to make public radio happen in Rhode Island and now, seemingly from left field, they get news that the parent station wants to sell," said Mike Healey, a spokesman for Lynch. WBUR officials have said the decision to sell was not based on finances. But station documents received by The Boston Globe indicate financial troubles were a factor. "The investment in WRNI has adversely affected the financial performance of WBUR since their purchase in 1998," said one document dating from June. Financial reports obtained by The Providence Journal show the WRNI Foundation ran a deficit of more than $9 million in its first five years. WBUR had a deficit of nearly $5 million in fiscal years 1999 to 2003, the reports show. (c) 2004 The Associated Press (via Washington Post via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Radio Tashkent in English on 17775 at 1215 (Wednesday 29th). Sigs fair but marred by QSB and strong adjacent channel splatter from both sides. RX: Icom IC756 Ant: Miller Vertical @ 12m AGL. Regards, (Sean D. Gilbert, G4UCJ, International Editor - WRTH (World Radio TV Handbook), shortwaves yg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. VOICE OF VIETNAM RADIO TO AIR FOURTH CHANNEL FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES | Text of report in English by Vietnamese news agency VNA web site Hanoi, 29 September: Radio the Voice of Vietnam [VOV] on Tuesday [28 September] announced that it will launch one more [radio] channel to broadcast programmes in ethnic minority languages. The VOV 4, to be aired from Friday [1 October] is expected to increase the audiences of such programmes in the languages of eight ethnic minority groups: the H'mong, Khmer, E'de, Jo Rai, Bana, Xe Dang, K'ho and Thai [Frequencies 690, 873, 1089, 5035, 6020, 6165 and 7210 kHz]. Source: VNA news agency web site, Hanoi, in English 29 Sep 04 (via BBCm via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Glenn, I have a possible Papua New Guinea station(?) on 4960 KHz at this time (1218 UT)? I have been listening to it since about 1100. Sounds like English, but not really sure? Can you help? (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, FL, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later?:] Unident, 4960, 1055-1236 Noted various persons in comments during the period. Also noted music which was MOR type. The language seemed like English, but the signal was too threshold to really make certain. Someone reported a station as "CRN" from Papua New Guinea in June of this year on this frequency? No other details available in my database (Chuck Bolland, September 29, 2004, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, Sure, Catholic Radio Network, which started up earlier this year. Lots of items about it in DXLD. It`s pretty low powered, so getting it beyond the west coast has been difficult (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BPL: HOW ONE UTILITY PITCHES IT Was wandering around the web regarding BPL issues and came across the website from our local utility, PPL, which has been one of the most visible proponents and early trial users of BPL. The website they have set up specifically for BPL is http://www.pplbroadband.com If you click on the FAQ's link, one of the questions is "What scenarios have you had interference?" [sic]. The answer given is "Limited amateur radio interference. In that case an adjustment can be easily made to eliminate any interference." A follow-up question then appears, "Is that in the transmission line or point-of-use? " with the answer "Transmission line." A phone number of 1-800-291-7871 is given for service, apparently answered M-F 8a-7p ET. I might give them a holler to let them know that their FAQ isn't entirely correct -- that shortwave listeners are also subject to BPL RFI (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Sept 28, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) Anticipated response: Isn`t an SWL the same as an amateur? PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field was at quiet to minor storm levels. The period began with mostly quiet to unsettled levels, but quickly rose to active to minor storming by midday on 22 September as effects from the 19 September CME impacted the geomagnetic field. By early on 23 September, the geomagnetic field had relaxed to mostly quiet to unsettled and remained so for the balance of the summary period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 29 SEPTEMBER - 25 OCTOBER Solar activity is expected to be at predominately very low to low levels. Isolated moderate activity is possible after the return of old Region 667 on 29 September and old Region 672 on 05 October. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is not expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 12 – 17 October. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to active. From 11 to 15 October, a recurrent high speed coronal hole wind stream is expected to produce occasional active periods. The remainder of the forecast period is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 Sep 28 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2004 Sep 28 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 Sep 29 95 8 3 2004 Sep 30 100 5 2 2004 Oct 01 100 5 2 2004 Oct 02 100 8 3 2004 Oct 03 105 10 3 2004 Oct 04 110 10 3 2004 Oct 05 115 10 3 2004 Oct 06 120 5 2 2004 Oct 07 115 5 2 2004 Oct 08 110 5 2 2004 Oct 09 110 5 2 2004 Oct 10 110 8 3 2004 Oct 11 115 12 3 2004 Oct 12 115 15 3 2004 Oct 13 110 15 3 2004 Oct 14 105 15 3 2004 Oct 15 105 12 3 2004 Oct 16 105 8 3 2004 Oct 17 105 10 3 2004 Oct 18 100 10 3 2004 Oct 19 95 10 3 2004 Oct 20 95 10 3 2004 Oct 21 95 8 3 2004 Oct 22 100 8 3 2004 Oct 23 105 8 3 2004 Oct 24 105 10 3 2004 Oct 25 100 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ### s