DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-161, October 28, 2006 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 2006 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1333 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 [and 0730?] Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Wed 1030 WWCR1 9985 Latest edition of this schedule version, including standard timeshifts, and AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml WORLD OF RADIO B-06 The new time-shifted B-06 World of Radio, Continent of Media, and Mundo Radial schedule is now available (below the previous schedule which has not yet expired), at http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html Some additional updating has been done. Editors facing a deadline, who would like to publish it, or portions of it, may now go get it (gh) DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS OCT. 29: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AUSTRIA. Österrich 1, English B-06 29 Oct 2006-24 March 2007 0005-0030 NA Su-M 7325 0013-0028 NA Tu-Sa 7325 0033-0100 NA Su-M 7325 0043-0058 NA Tu-Sa 7325 0605-0620 ME M 17870 0605-0630 ME Sa-Su 17870 0635-0700 ME Sa-Su 17870 0645-0700 ME Tu-F 17870 1305-1320 As,Oc M 17855 1305-1320 Eu,Af M 6155, 13730 1305-1330 As,Oc Sa-Su 17855 1305-1330 Eu,Af Sa-Su 6155, 13730 1315-1330 As,Oc Tu-F 17855 1335-1400 As,Oc Sa-Su 17855 1335-1400 Eu,Af Sa-Su 6155, 13730 1345-1400 As,Oc M 17855 1345-1400 As,Oc Tu-F 17855 1345-1400 Eu,Af Tu-F 6155, 13730 1605-1620 NA M 13675ca 1605-1630 NA Sa-Su 13675ca 1615-1630 NA Tu-F 13775ca 1635-1700 NA Sa-Su 13675ca 1645-1700 NA M 13675ca 1645-1700 NA Tu-F 13775ca 2335-2400 LA Su-M 9870 2343-2358 LA Tu-Sa 9870 (English reorganized excerpt from Österrich 1 website, via Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, dxldyg via DXLD) Needlessly complex ** BELGIUM [non]. TDP SW TRANSMITTER FREQUENCY SCHEDULE B06 PROGRAM TIME (UT) FREQUENCY AM/DRM DAYS LANGUAGE TARGET TDPradio 0000-0100 9790 DRM mtwtfss English Am Moj Them Radio 0100-0130 15260 AM .t.t... Hmong As Denge Mezopotamya 0300-0500 7590 AM mtwtfss Kurdish ME Denge Mezopotamya 0500-1500 11530 AM mtwtfss Kurdish ME Denge Mezopotamya 1500-1700 7590 AM mtwtfss Kurdish ME Que Huong Radio 1200-1300 15680 AM mtwtfs. Viet As TDPradio 1500-1600 6015 DRM mtwtfss English Eu Tensae Ethiopia V. of Unity 1500-1600 11900 AM mtwtfss Amharic Af Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia 1600-1700 9450 AM .t..... Somali Af Voice of Eritrea 1600-1700 9485 AM ...t... Tigrigna Af Radio Voice of ENUPF 1600-1700 9450 AM ....f.. Amharic Af Dejen Radio 1600-1700 9450 AM .....s. Tigrigna Af Voice of Delina 1700-1730 7335 AM mtwtf.. Tigrigna Af Denge Rojhelat 1700-1900 7590 AM mtwtfss Farsi ME (via Eric Zhou, China, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Tuning around 25m Oct 28 at 0539 came upon a good signal but deep fades on 11815, with lively songs in Portuguese, and immediately an ID for R. Brasil Central. Another ID a few minutes later. Unless there was a narrow pipeline Goiânia-Enid, this was the only Brazilian on 25m at the moment. No signals at all on 11780, 11925, and not much from elsewhere either. These Brazilian stations which do run all-night seem to cater to the wide-awake (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Firedrake, 10450, VG signal but flutter, Oct 28 at 1353; more than an hour later at 1502 recheck during the break, I could detect a very weak signal on 10450, presumably Sound of Hope, also fluttery (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Glenn: We're starting a new weekly one-hour program to Cuba tonight called Cuba Virtual -- 0100-0200 UT Sunday on 9955 kHz (0200-0300 UT Sunday as of next week because of the time change). (Jeff White, WRMI, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Cuba Virtual c/o Radio Miami Internacional Apartado Postal 526862 Miami, Florida 33152 USA Correo Electrónico: cubavirtual @ yahoo.com http://www.cubavirtual.org Cuba Virtual es la plataforma que facilita la cooperación entre los cubanos y las organizaciones que los agrupan, permitiendo -- a la manera de las cámaras de comercio, gremios empresariales, etc. -- aunar voluntades, suman fuerzas, encausar recursos, propiciar el debate constructivo, y ante todo presentar un frente unido de cara a la comunidad internacional. Horario de Transmisión via WRMI: 9:00-10:00 pm sábado hora de Miami en 9955 kHz (via Jeff White, DXLD) ** FRANCE. Agence France Presse reported Oct 26 that RFI director- general Antoine Schwarz introduced a reorganization plan that will see a greater split in programming aimed at Africa and the rest of the world. He also proposes greater use of multimedia, grouping editors into 8 groups -- four of them geographic (Africa, America-Asia-Far East, Europe and France) and four of the thematic (sports, culture, economy, science). RFI will continue to broadcast in 19 languages but with a "repositioning" of each of them. Most will see their programming "modified. Schwarz controls a 126-million-Euro budget for 2007, according to AFP's French-language story. Labor unions say RFI is being isolated and marginalized (Mike Cooper, GA, Oct 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. RFI, 6120 via Japan, made it to the last day of A-06 with unscheduled English, checked at 1412 with correspondent report; not as good as previous days (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [and non]. Re 6-160: Despite Glenn's disbelief, RFI does have a programme in Turkish at 0800-0900 UTC on Sundays according to its website. Frequencies of 738 AM - confirmed by listing at http://www.emwg.info - and 105.1 FM are mentioned in the text, also 88.6 "Radio Soleil" whatever that is. http://www.rfi.fr/langues/statiques/rfi_turc.asp (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t disbelieve it; I disbelieve WRTH which skips over such non-SW foreign-language services. We can`t call them external, as 738 at least is in Paris (Glenn, ibid.) Hello Glenn, Broadcasts in Turkish were on Medium Wave all over France, until the mid of the 80's. Now it's on the web, on MW 738 kHz in Paris, and FM 103 MHz in Istanbul. Time: 0800-0900 UT on Sundays. Regards from Nice, (Christian Ghibaudo, France, ibid.) Now 0900? (gh) ** GABON. ANO harmonic on 19160, 2 x 9580, JBA at 1414 check Oct 28 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Re 6-160: The Neumünster-Arpsdorf transmitter is again on air since 1609 UT: ----- Original Message----- Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:17:43 +0200 Subject: [A-DX] 1269 kHz From: "Patrick Robic" To: "A-DX" Hallo ! Ich habe gerade Radio Novi Sad auf 1269 kHz gelauscht, als um 1609 UTC der DLF wieder zurückkehrte. Mit dem Empfang von Novi Sad war´s dann natürlich vorbei. 73, Patrick (via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Oct 28 I checked again on how DW handles closing the 0500 English transmission. It`s on both 9700 via Rwanda, and 9630 via Portugal. Woman singing a German folk song was interrupted at 0558 as 9630 cut off, but 9700 continued to 0600 sharp after a DW IS, tho Bonaire carrier was on from before 0557, and modulation mixing for a minute from 0559 with RN opening English. Then rechecked 9630, and another Bonaire transmitter had started in Dutch, but no overlap on this frequency. All this is now moot, for from Oct 29, DW reduces its 0500 English broadcast to half an hour on other frequencies, and RN quits broadcasting in English at 0600, only Dutch, also on other frequencies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. VOG, 15630, Sat Oct 28 at 1403 music with a heavy beat, OM with announcement in Greek; later in the hour sounded like silly bola game. So much for Hellenes Around the World, which from next week may or may not be at 1500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Katerina: I tried to hear your 1400-1500 UT broadcast "Greeks Everywhere" on 15630, but it sounded as though they were dealing with futball. The live radio web site seems to be down. Next Saturday, it will probably be on at 1500-1600, if things work out like last year. (John Babbis, MD, to ERA via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Suara Indonesia is back to its old pattern of leaving the 9525 carrier on after sign-off at 1400, tough luck for CRI in Russian, but the latter transmission is not planned to continue in B- 06. Oct 29 at 1349, SI with music in the clear, only one program at a time! 1350 usual canned English ID with e-mail voi @ rri-online.com and website for news, http://www.rri-online.com but which is STILL unavailable. At 1412 and 1449 rechecks, the OC was still on, way atop CRI Russian. But you never know what they will do the next day (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. This may be a new one; don`t recall seeing this name before, from the TDP schedule under BELGIUM [non] above (gh) Denge Rojhelat 1700-1900 7590 AM mtwtfss Farsi ME (via Eric Zhou, China, dxldyg via DXLD) Hmm, ``Denge`` indicates it`s in Kurdish, not Farsi (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. I received one of my most beautiful QSL cards ever during the week. It is from Radio Zamaneh and pictures a book (The Holy Qur`an?) with a complete QSL text to the left and a very nice logo of the station (I think!) to the right. Also a small paper from Mehdi Jami, RZ Director, thanking for the "excellent report". Addresses on the envelope: Linnaeusstraat 35-F, 1093 EE Amsterdam, Postbox 92027, 1090 AA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The first address is a good remembrance of the Swedish "Linneaus Year", celebrated over all Sweden next year! Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ [and non]. IRAQI MEDIA GUIDE - UPDATED OCTOBER 2006 Since the overthrow of Saddam Husayn in 2003, there has been a profound transformation in the Iraqi media scene. Instead of a few, tightly-controlled media outlets, Iraqis now have a choice of hundreds of printed publications and dozens of radio stations and television channels, broadcasting from both inside and outside the country. After the rapid expansion in the number of Iraqi media sources, the divisions and increasing polarization in the political arena are making themselves evident in the media as well. Media development and violence In 2006, the US-based media watchdog Freedom House rated the media in Iraq as "not free." The "ferocious and systematic attacks" on journalists and media outlets in Iraq undermine any attempts to establish democracy in the war-torn country and overcome decades of oppression and violence, the head of the United Nations organization entrusted with defending freedom of the press has warned. "The international community and the authorities in Iraq must take determined action to support the media," said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, according to the http://adnki.com website. Since March 2003, a lack of rules and protection, together with a wave of sectarian influence, are among the biggest problems facing the Iraqi news media, according to a report posted on the Washington-based International Journalists' Network (IJNet) website. The report highlights the conditions of Iraqi media professionals who face threats, physical danger and financial difficulties. It says print and broadcast media in Iraq are primarily controlled by sectarian, religious or political groups. Iraqi media organizations, either government-run or funded by religious or political groups, are frequent targets for militant groups, Reuters reported on 12 October. International media watchdogs, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), have estimated the number of journalists and media staff killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion in March 2003 now exceeds 150, with some 51 journalists kidnapped. Reporting in January 2006 that Iraq was "a death trap for journalists", the IFJ has subsequently warned that targeted attacks on Iraqi media are increasing. The financial viability of media companies in Iraq, especially television channels, is also seriously affected by the security situation. The general director of Ashur TV, William Warda, told Middle East Broadcasters Journal that between 15 and 20 per cent of the channel's budget was spent on security-related issues such as guards and employee protection schemes. Just as many Western media organizations have reduced their presence in Iraq because of the continuing violence, a number of Iraqi satellite broadcasters have chosen to base themselves abroad, in Dubai, Beirut and Cairo. Broadcasters linked to other organizations Media observers have reported that Iraqi viewers are exposed to a daily dose of violence and often-negative impressions of the US role in Iraq through a wide range of programming. However, approaches vary widely in accordance with each Iraqi channel's political orientation and degree of independence, according to observers. Violence is most evident on the Iraqi channels independent of the Iraqi government - Al-Sharqiyah and the Sunni-orientated channels, Baghdad Satellite Channel and Al-Baghdadiyah. Lower levels of reporting on incidents of violence are on the pro-government channels Al-Iraqiyah and Al-Furat (Euphrates) - which work to maintain the appearance that the authorities are in control - and on the pan-Arab channels, where news from Iraq competes with world news. What is noticeable about Iraq is the number of broadcasters that are funded by, or at least associated with, religious and political organizations. These are less susceptible to standard market forces, and often broadcast terrestrially over a limited local region. In addition, journalists not only have to contend with the difficult conditions prevailing within Iraq, they also have to face the traditions of a journalistic culture in which the media have long seen their job as to promote the interests of their backers. A comparison of the two leading Kurdish channels illustrates this attitude. In Kurdistan, the Islamic Union of Kurdistan operates local channels in a number of cities. However, the leading stations in the region are operated by the two main, secular political parties. Kurdistan Satellite TV broadcasts in support of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Mas'ud Barzani. KurdSat TV supports the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan of Jalal Talabani, a long-time rival of Barzani and currently president of Iraq. Similar divergences can be detected in two of the main Iraqi Arabic- language TV channels, Al-Sharqiyah and Al-Iraqiyah. Al-Sharqiyah was set up by Sa'd al-Bazzaz, who held a number of top media posts under Saddam Husayn before leaving the country in 1992. Al-Sharqiyah is seen as reporting events from a Sunni perspective. Al-Iraqiyah was formerly known as the Iraqi Media Network. This was set up in 2003 by the Coalition Provisional Authority with the intention of providing a national broadcaster, but was viewed with distrust by many Iraqis because of its US connections. However, according to observers, since Al-Iraqiyah was handed over to the Iraqi government, it has become increasingly seen as presenting the view of the Shi'i-dominated government. One of the main Shi'i groups, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, is linked with Al-Furat TV from Baghdad, Al- Nahrayn (Two Rivers) TV in Kut and Ghadir TV in Najaf. Al-Masar TV is affiliated with the Al-Da'wah Islamic Party, while at least two other stations, Al-Salam TV and Ahl al-Bayt TV, are associated with leading Shi'i clerics. Al-Furat frequently focuses on violence directed at the Shi'is, media observers report. Significance of the attack on new Al-Sha'biya TV On 12 October 2006, in what Reuters described as the biggest attack yet on media in Iraq, gunmen in Baghdad raided Al-Sha'biya TV, killing 11 staff members. AFP quoted an Iraqi government spokesman who described the raid as an act "which aimed to muzzle the [Iraqi] media". Yet, significantly, Al-Sha'biya TV had still to formally launch regular programming, and was broadcasting only music and advertising during a period of test transmissions. . Reuters reported that Al-Sha'biya is owned by the secular National Justice and Progress Party, which contested the last elections but failed to win any seats. Al-Sha'biya's executive manager, Hassan Kamil, stressed the station had no political agenda and that the staff had been a mix of Sunnis, Shi'is and Kurds. Despite this secular mix of staff, the Associated Press reported Al- Sha'biya had a reputation among Shi'is as a "Sunni channel" broadcasting patriotic songs calling for Iraqi unity - but also songs denouncing the US "occupation." According to Associated Press, that may have convinced Shi'i militias that Al-Sha'biya supported Sunni insurgents. Reporters Without Borders, quoting "local sources", said the attack could have been carried out by a Shi'i group as Al-Sha'biya TV was funded by Libyan capital. Iraqi government sensitive to criticism On 3 January 2006, the state-controlled public service TV channel Al- Iraqiyah aired a report which claimed that "some" satellite channels may influence people into "committing criminal and terror acts" through the transmission of "suggestive material". The channel condemned, without naming them, television channels whose programmes are "driving misled people into committing criminal and terror acts". The station called acts such as abduction, robbery and killing "against Islam", and blamed television channels - and in particular "world satellite channels" - that routinely reported and showed graphic images of such activities for influencing people into taking up crime as "a kind of hobby". RSF has reported that Iraqi authorities find it hard to tolerate critical comments made by pan-Arabic TV stations. The Baghdad bureau of Dubai-based Al-Arabiya was closed on the orders of the Iraqi government between 7 August and 12 October 2006 and the Baghdad bureau of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera has been closed since August 2005. Al-Sharqiyah Television on 16 October, quoting from a Reuters report, announced that "a statement issued by the Iraqi Council of Representatives on Monday, [16 October], called on the Iraqi prime minister to take action to close the Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah Television and Al-Zaman newspaper for their coverage of the parliament's session, which witnessed the passing of the Regions Law last week". The Reuters statement added that "in their coverage, the television channel and the newspaper claimed that the law will lead to the partitioning of Iraq and drowning it in a civil war...". On 14 June 2006, the Hewler Post newspaper in Arbil reported the closure of Harem TV by the regional government's ministry of culture. The station was closed because it "...has not been able to convey its message." TV audiences According to audience research sources, television is the most popular medium in Iraq, with ownership near-universal and an estimated 70 per cent of Iraqis having access to satellite TV. In 2005, US media market analysts InterMedia reported that ongoing hostilities had motivated Iraqis to seek accurate information about current affairs, resulting in higher television viewing rates and a big boost for satellite TV channels. According to InterMedia, the four most popular television stations in Iraq - Al-Sharqiyah, Al-Iraqiyah, Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera - are also the most important sources for news and information. In 2004, BBC audience research reported that Al-Iraqiyah was the most watched television station in Iraq, with a weekly reach of 84 per cent of adults. In contrast, InterMedia reported in 2005 that Al-Sharqiyah was the most-watched TV station. Among other leading TV stations, US government funded Al-Hurra (The Free One) with its dedicated stream of programmes for Iraq had a reach of 43 per cent and Iraqi stations Al- Furat and Al-Baghdadiyah had a reach of 22 per cent and 17 per cent respectively of sampled Iraqis, according to InterMedia. A US State Department-sponsored poll, published in 2006, examined Iraqis' preferences and audience trust in various TV media, based on religious and ethnic affiliation. Some of the key findings included: Shi'is tend to prefer local news from state-run Al-Iraqiyah; Sunnis tend to prefer local news from Al-Sharqiyah and are more likely to watch Al-Jazeera or Al-Arabiya. A majority of Shi'is prefer Al-Arabiya for its national and international news, followed by Al-Iraqiyah. Very few Shi'is use Al-Jazeera as their first choice for local, national or international news. Radio audiences Most international radio broadcasters have also seen an increase in their audiences, as they still dominate the radio market despite the proliferation of domestic stations, according to InterMedia. BBC audience research has reported that almost half of Iraqis said they never use the radio as a source for news and information. Among international radio broadcasters, US government-funded Radio Sawa was the most-listened to with a rating of 56 per cent of respondents, followed by BBC World Service and Radio Monte Carlo at 34 per cent each, according to InterMedia. InterMedia has reported audiences for domestic radio stations are low, as most stations are regionally-based or cater to specific political or religious groups. The leading domestic stations are: state-owned Republic of Iraq Radio (14 per cent reach); Radio Dijla (13 per cent) and Radio Nawa (10 per cent). Radio Basra (formerly Iraqi Media Network's Radio Nahrain, which broadcasts in Basra) is popular in the south of Iraq. PUK Radio is the official station of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party; it has a national reach of 9 per cent and a 42 per cent reach of ethnic Kurds. Recent developments In August 2006, the Washington Post reported the US military in Iraq had invited bids for a two-year public relations contract that called for monitoring the tone of Iraqi stories filed by US and Middle Eastern media. The multimillion dollar contract was awarded to US- based Lincoln Group and is to promote more positive coverage of news from Iraq and designed to help coalition forces understand "the communications environment". Al-Iraqiyah on 30 August 2006 broadcast a report about IMN inaugurating the Al-Jil (Generation) and Shahrazad radio stations. During the report, IMM director Habib al-Sadr said that IMN will establish six new studios, which will be prepared to host six new satellite channels. The Iraq Freedom Congress is planning to launch a Baghdad-based satellite TV channel, Al-Sanna (Light). Broadcasting for an hour a week in Arabic, programme content will feature secular values and issues such as democracy and human rights, according to the Iraq Freedom Congress. Cairo-based (and privately owned) Al-Rafidayn (Tigris and Euphrates) satellite channel launched on 10 April 2006. The station has a website at http://www.alrafiden.tv Umm al-Qura (The Centre of Villages - often used to refer to Mecca) was reported to have launched in Baghdad in March 2006. Broadcasting on 810 kHz, Umm Al-Qura is believed to be the official radio station of the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq. Dubai-based Al-Fayhaa television, ("The Vast", one of the Arabic names for Basra), whose target audience was primarily in the southern, largely Shi'i, areas of Iraq, carried the following "urgent news" as a screen caption at 1030 gmt on Monday 9 October 2006: "Dubai Media City notifies Al-Fayhaa channel to end transmission at 2400 tonight." On 15 May 2005, one of the station's announcers had said that it would be forced to close following the UAE government's decision not to renew its licence. Internet The internet scene is rapidly changing. Numerous privately-owned cybercafés have opened, mainly in Baghdad. Weekly internet use grew by 300 per cent between 2004-2005, most users logging on in internet cafes or the workplace, according to InterMedia. However, there were still only about 36,000 internet users as of January 2006, according to ITU figures cited on the website http://www.internetworldstats.com Leading Iraqi television stations Al-Iraqiyah, formerly known as Iraqi Media Network television launched on 13 May 2003. The station now broadcasts 24-hours a day. IMN TV was renamed Al-Iraqiyah TV in November 2003. The station is available on different channels in 26 major cities and towns across Iraq and via satellite. For channel details, see the IMN website at http://www.iraqimedianet.net Al-Sharqiyah, launched in March 2004 and is owned by Iraqi businessman Sa'd al-Bazzaz, who is also the publisher of the Arabic-language daily newspaper Al-Zaman. The channel began regular transmission on 4 May 2004. It describes itself as "the first private, national media project that does not represent any political, ethnic or sectarian group". Al-Sharqiyah is a channel with an Iraqi flavour. The channel's newscasts focus on developments in Iraq and the political, economic and social conditions there. Between newscasts, the channel carries talk shows and interviews, Iraqi music and drama programmes and cartoons for children. All drama series are Iraqi in terms of production, actors and dialect. The only non-Iraqi content is the cartoons. Al-Sharqiyah does not air religious programming and does not carry the calls for prayers or Friday sermons. The channel frequently broadcasts the slogan seen in its logo "Al-Sharqiyah - the truth television". Al-Sharqiyah broadcasts 24 hours a day via satellite and terrestrially. It has offices in Baghdad and Dubai Media City. The channel has a website at http://www.alsharqiyatv.com Al-Diyar TV, (The Homeland) began official transmissions on 20 June 2004. The station is run by Iraqi media figure Faysal al-Yasiri in cooperation with the pan-Arab satellite pay-TV service Arab Radio and Television Network, ART, which contributed to setting up and financing the new channel. ART is owned by the Saudi billionaire entrepreneur Salih Kamil. Under Saddam Husayn's regime, Faysal al-Yasiri served in various high- level media posts, including head of Iraqi Radio and Television. Afaq (Horizons) TV has been observed showing video footage in support of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party and the cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Babil TV (Babylon), has been observed carrying statements in support of the Sunni Iraqi Front for National Dialogue. Baghdad Satellite Channel, began transmission in August 2005 on the Nilesat and Eutelsat W6 satellites. Owned by the Al-Tawafuq Front grouping of political parties (the biggest Sunni political bloc), the station's ownership is reflected by its partisan programming, which opposes the US military presence in Iraq. Many of the station's programmes appear to be of an Islamic and political nature. The station's website at http://www.baghdad-tv.net is currently inactive. Al-Baghdadiyah is an Iraqi satellite channel broadcasting on the Nilesat, Hotbird and Badr 3 satellites. Based in Cairo, the station appears to be independent, having no obvious political leaning or affiliation. News is produced in Iraq, by Iraqis. Observers believe the station is backed by Iraqi Sunni businessmen, with some Egyptian investment. Programme content is neutral in tone, but the station does oppose the continuing presence of coalition forces in Iraq. The station's website is at: http://www.albaghdadia.com Ahl al-Bayt (The House of the Prophet Muhammad), a satellite channel aimed at Iraqi audiences, was noted testing on the Arabsat satellite at 26 degrees east since November 2005. On-screen captions indicate that the channel will be based in Karbala and air predominately Shi'i Islamic programming. Website is at: http://www.ahlulbayt.com Biladi TV (My Country) has been observed to carry programming in support of the United Iraqi Alliance. Al-Mirbad, a television channel based in Basra for the southern part of Iraq. Al-Mirbad radio and television launched in the south of Iraq in the summer of 2005 with the aid of a grant from the UK Department for International Development and technical, infrastructure and training from the BBC World Service Trust. All Al-Mirbad staff undertook an eight-week training course in Jordan with WST trainers, the Trust said. Al-Mirbad TV is available on terrestrial transmitters in Basra (Ch 59), Al Amara (Ch 42), Nasiriyah (Ch 46) and on satellite via Arabsat 2C, 11182 MHz vertical polarization, SR 2894, FEC 3/4 and 12518 MHz vertical, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Al-Anwar (The Lights), a Shi'i satellite channel, was observed on 15 September 2004 broadcasting test transmissions on the Nilesat 102 satellite at 7 degrees west. Al-Anwar was observed to carry the following two messages to describe itself: "Al-Anwar: A truth in the centre of the sky" and "Al-Anwar: Truth has only one colour." The channel has a website at http://www.alanwar.tv Al-Furat (The Euphrates), based in Baghdad, began test transmissions in June 2004. The channel transmits via satellite. In an on-screen message on 4 January 2005, Al-Furat described itself as "the voice of genuineness and moderation". Al-Furat was observed to express its total support for the election platform of the Unified Iraqi Coalition, which has the backing of Iraq's most senior Shi'i cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and whose electoral list comprises other key Shi'i figures such as Al-Sayyid Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim, Dr Ibrahim al-Ja'fari, Dr Ahmad Chalabi, Dr Ibrahim Bahr-al-Ulum, Dr Muwaffaq al-Rubay'i and others. The station has a website at www.alforattv.com featuring reception parameters, contact details and a live feed of the channel. InterMedia reports the station is owned by the Supreme Council for the Islamic revolution of Iraq (SCIRI). Al-Sumariyah (reference to Sumer, an ancient region of southern Mesopotamia in present-day southern Iraq) - This satellite TV channel began broadcasting from Beirut on 27 September 2004. The channel has stated that although it "operates under the licence of the Iraqi government", it would start its broadcasts from the Lebanese capital "for security reasons." Its shareholders are predominantly Iraqi. Al-Sumariya describes itself as "an independent satellite television which aims at showing the world the true face of Iraq, and not only images of violence." The station is owned by CET (Communication Entertainment and Television) SAL (Offshore), according to its website at: http://www.alsumaria.tv Nahrain TV is a Baghdad-based terrestrial TV channel which announced plans to launch in August 2004. Nahrain ("rivers"), was financed by an initial 25m-US dollar investment from Naguib Sawiris, chief executive of Orascom, an Egyptian telecommunications group. Orascom also owns Iraq's main wireless operator, Iraqna. It is operated by Video Cairo Sat, an Egyptian production company. Mohammed Gohar, the founder of Video Cairo Sat, told the International Herald Tribune in remarks published on 16 August 2004: "We have no agenda... We just want to inform and entertain and basically to help people to cope with their daily lives in what is a very shaky and chaotic situation." Nahrain's offices in Baghdad employ a staff of around 80, all of them Iraqi nationals. A poll published by the Egypt Times on 3 May 2005 claimed that Nahrain TV was the "most popular terrestrial channel" in Iraq. According to the International Herald Tribune, Nahrain's 10-hour daily programming schedule "includes ample doses of news and public affairs content... interspersed with musical variety shows, children's cartoons and recent Arabic sitcoms or dramas from Egypt or the Gulf". The station has a website at http://www.imnsr.com/ Arabic News Broadcast, a UK-based pan-Arab satellite TV channel. The channel is reported to have four regional bureaus in the Middle East and is believed to be uplinked from Beirut. ANB is a venture launched by a group of businessmen from different parts of the Arab world and has "the single goal of conquering the Iraqi market", according to the Transnational Broadcasting Studies (TBS) journal (spring-summer 2004). The general manager of ANB is Butrus al-Khuri, who states that ANB "is financed by a group of businessmen from Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine and Tunisia, and will depend exclusively on advertisements for revenue. It will not be based only in London, but will have centres in all of those countries. ANB's programming will be entirely in Arabic, except for one daily news bulletin in English, as well as a weekly talk show that will host an English native speaker." Al-Mashriq TV (The East), an independent television channel which started broadcasting in June 2004 on UHF channel 54 in Baghdad. Channel describes itself as "Al-Mashriq, the television of Iraq and Iraqis". Ashur TV (Assyrian), this terrestrial TV station transmits on UHF channel 45. It is run by the Assyrian Democratic Movement. The channel has been observed to carry a variety of programmes that include newscasts, science programmes, songs, drama series and other programmes. Ashur TV has a website at http://www.ashurtv.org Kurdsat television, broadcasts in Kurdish on UHF channel 30 and via the Hotbird satellite. It is run by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Al-Hurriyah (Freedom) television - broadcasts in Arabic on UHF channel 31. It is also run by the PUK. Kurdistan Television - received in Baghdad on UHF channel 33. It is run by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Karbala, is a local TV channel was launched on 16 April 2003, according to United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi TV on 6 May. Similar small-scale local channels are reported to be operating in Najaf and Kut, according to BBC News Online reporter Tarik Kafala, who visited the stations in June 2003. Ninawa TV was launched in mid-July 2003. The Baghdad newspaper Al-Ittihad reported on 14 July that an independent radio station called Ninawa Radio also operates. Mosul TV was the "first station" to resume transmission in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Husayn, Dubai-based news channel Al-Arabiya TV reported on 10 May 2003. Kirkuk TV channel started broadcasts on 23 April 2003 "under the supervision of the coalition forces", according to a report by the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) newspaper Brayati on 25 April. PUK TV in Kirkuk. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan launched a new TV channel in Kirkuk on 23 March 2004, the Baghdad newspaper Al-Mashriq reported. The report says that its broadcasts covers Kirkuk and surrounding areas. An official source at the station said that its goal was to enhance brotherly relations among ethnic groups in the city. He added that broadcasting will be in Arabic, Kurdish, Turkomen and Syriac to include all ethnic groups in Kirkuk. ATB TV in Kirkuk. Local TV channel ATB began test broadcasts in Kirkuk in June 2004, initially for eight hours a day. The channel is affiliated with the Kurdistan Communist Party. "ATB is the seventh television channel broadcasting to Kirkuk citizens, along with other channels affiliated with the main Kurdish, Islamic and Turkomen parties, in addition to Kirkuk Television, sponsored and supervised by the coalition forces. Moreover, Kirkuk has eight radio stations broadcasting programmes in local languages spoken by various ethnic groups in the governorate," the Baghdad newspaper Al-Ahali reported on 16 June 2004. Turkomaneli TV and radio was launched in Kirkuk in April 2003 and broadcasts on behalf of the Iraqi Turkoman Front. Turkomaneli Radio opened radio stations in Talla'far and Mosul on 6 and 8 May 2003 respectively, the Iraqi Turkoman Front newspaper Turkomaneli reported on 11 May. The channel is available on UHF channel 56 in Kirkuk, and on the Eurasiasat satellite at 42 degrees east. The channel operates a website at http://www.turkomenelitv.com Dijlah (Tigris) satellite channel, with headquarters in Mosul, launched at the start of August 2004. It broadcasts in Kurdish and Arabic. Zagros TV is a Kurdish language satellite channel, based in Arbil. Leading Iraqi radio stations Republic of Iraq Radio is the successor to Iraqi Media Network-Radio Baghdad, which was operated by the Coalition Provisional Authority. It is currently observed on air in Baghdad round the clock on 98.3 MHz FM, and for a shorter daily period (0500-1510 gmt) on 675 kHz mediumwave. It has also been observed in southern Iraq on 603 kHz. Republic of Iraq Radio started broadcasting via the 13 degrees east Hotbird satellite to Europe in April 2005, in parallel with transmissions on satellite. The station is also available with a live audio stream available from its website at: http://www.iraqimedianet.net Radio Dijla (Tigris Radio) is Iraq's first independent talk radio station and identifies itself as "Radio Dijla from Baghdad, the first independent Iraqi radio". Radio Dijla broadcasts on 105.2 MHz in the FM band in Baghdad, on a slightly variable schedule of 0800-0415 local time (0500-0115 gmt). The station is also available with a live audio stream available from its website at: http://www.radiodijla.com As far as can be ascertained, Radio Dijla is not available on satellite. The commercial station, which is the first independent talk radio station in Iraq, was founded by Dr Ahmad al-Rikabi, a former London bureau chief of US-funded Radio Free Iraq. After the Coalition war against Iraq in 2003, Rikabi helped to set up Coalition-run radio and TV stations in his role as head of the Iraqi Media Network. Radio Dijla carries a mix of programming including live phone-in programmes during which callers express their opinions on issue of concern to the Iraqi people and society; interviews; programmes on social issues; and Arab and Iraqi pop songs and entertainment programmes. During phone-in programmes, the announcers say: "Our opinion does not count, but what always counts is your opinion." According to a feature article in the London newspaper The Guardian on 10 June 2004, the station broadcasts in the local Iraqi dialect and not classical Arabic, and operates from "a modest family house somewhere in a western Baghdad suburb". The station claims to receive up to 18,000 calls a day, although it can only answer a fraction of that number. "It has become Baghdad's favourite," the Guardian reported, noting: "Radio Dijla has also become required listening for the country's new authorities." Voice of Iraq was launched in Baghdad in summer 2003, and is currently on the air at 0700-2100 local time (0400-1800 gmt). The station has a website entirely in Arabic at http://www.voiraq.com which states that the radio "covers an area with 12 million Iraqi inhabitants". The site adds, among other things: "The Voice of Iraq, which transmits from Baghdad on 1179 kHz, is the first independent radio in Iraq's history. It started transmitting on 15 July 2003 after a month of testing. The founders of the radio wanted the station to be a distinguished media organ in terms of both accuracy and objectivity, broadcasting all news reports and analysing developments in a serious, impartial, professional and unbiased manner. "The Voice of Iraq presents a wide variety of intellectual talks, field investigations, panel discussions and many programmes on various subjects. "The radio is eager to safeguard unity and amity among the Iraqi people following decades of attempts to foment sectarianism and practise murder and oppression against the majority of the Iraqi people and the rest of Iraq's citizens. "The editorial policy of the Voice of Iraq takes great care of the Iraqi people's national unity, encouraging close relations among the various ethnic groups - Arabs, Kurds and Turkomans - who must have equal rights without any form of prejudice. "The Voice of Iraq is also eager to strengthen relations with neighbouring states and peoples and promote them in a way that would eradicate the harm that the defunct regime's aggression against these states had caused." Al-Mustaqbal (The Future) Radio. This station is operated by the Iraqi National Accord movement (INA) and transmits from Baghdad on FM 95.5 MHz. The station no longer broadcasts on 1305 kHz. The radio describes itself as "the voice of the Iraqi National Accord." The INA movement has a website in English and Arabic at www.wifaq.com. Al-Salam TV and Radio from Baghdad. The following report headlined "This is Al-Salam television and radio from Al-Kazimiyah city" was published by the Iraqi National Accord newspaper Baghdad on 14 February 2004: "After the fall of the former regime and the end of the phase of propaganda media and obscuring the voice of others, Al-Salam Television and Radio station was established in Al-Kazimiyah City, in Baghdad, to broadcast programmes that call for love and harmony among the people of Iraq. "This station also provides people with useful media and reflects the wishes of the people from all ethnic, religious and sectarian affiliation within the framework of democracy and freedom of expression, which they were deprived of under the former regime, without favouritism or taking the side of any sect or religion, and without circulating this or that ideology. "The television station has started its daily test transmission on Channel 5 from 1600 until 2000. "This station has an elite range of well-known media figures, including announcer Amal al-Mudarris, director Ali al-Ansari, writer Sabah Ruhaymah, and announcer Samirah Jiyad." Al-Salam (Peace) Radio is on the air daily at 1000-2000 local time (0700-1700 gmt) 1030 or 1035 kHz mediumwave. It is not known if this station has any connection with a similarly named music station on 106.0 MHz FM, Al-Salam Radio FM. Dar al-Salam Radio (Haven of Peace) broadcasts from Baghdad and identifies itself as the radio of the Iraqi Islamic Party. The station was first monitored on 24 March 2004. Initial broadcasts focused on the activities of Iraqi Islamic Party leader Mushin Abd al-Hamid and Islamic issues. In its initial broadcasts, Dar al-Salam Radio highlighted the importance of Islam in Iraqi society. The station also aired religious songs. BBC Monitoring observed a station identifying in Arabic as Dar al- Salam Radio on 91.0 MHz in the FM band at 1400 gmt on 18 September 2004. Programming on this new frequency was in parallel with the mediumwave service on 1152 kHz, first observed in March 2004. "Telephone FM" is a new radio programme produced in the German capital Berlin by young Iraqis and targeting a youth audience inside Iraq. Since 10 July the 90-minute "Telephone FM" programmes has been five afternoons a week by the Baghdad-based private station Hot FM, which is on 104.1 MHz. As well as reports and interviews conducted by telephone for the most part and then compiled in Berlin, Telephone FM will air a mix of Arabic and mainstream Western music. The project is sponsored by the German Foreign Ministry, which has provided 102,000 dollars in aid. Al-Nas Radio (People's Radio) broadcasts nationally on 594 kHz from Baghdad, planning to open an FM outlet in June 2005. Rebroadcast's German external radio Deutsche Welle for four hours per day. Ashur Radio was first observed on FM in Baghdad by BBC Monitoring on 24 July 2004. Programmes in Arabic and Assyrian are broadcast at 0910- 2000 local time (0610-1700 gmt) on 99.4 MHz FM in Baghdad. Ashur was one of the ancient capitals of the Assyrian Empire, situated on the River Tigris in northern Iraq. A clandestine radio station of this name broadcast on 9155 kHz shortwave prior to the 2003 Iraq war. Bilad Radio operates on 999 kHz mediumwave in Baghdad. Programming consists entirely of Koranic recitations and the call to prayer. The station is on the air daily at 0800-1600 hours local time (0500-1300 gmt). Radio Friendship, Voice of Iraqi Women (Radio al-Mahabbah, Sawt al- Mar'ah al-Iraqiyah), a Baghdad-based station aimed at a female audience, first noted by BBC Monitoring on 10 June 2005 on 96.0 MHz. Radio Nawa, launched in January 2005, broadcasts from Sulaymaniyah in both Arabic and Kurdish with a news and current affairs format. British Forces Broadcasting Service BFBS radio and TV stations are available as follows (all frequencies are in MHz): BFBS Radio 1 Umm Qasr 106.5 Shaybah 106.5 Basra 106.5 Al-Amarah 106.5 Baghdad 106.9 BFBS Radio 2 Umm Qasr 102.1 Shaybah 102.1 Al-Amarah 87.5 Basra 102.1 BFBS Gurkha Radio Basra 104.0 BFBS TV is available only via DTH satellite and closed cable systems. US American Forces Radio AFN-Iraq has been observed on 107.7 MHz in Baghdad with local programming, identifying on air as "Freedom Radio" and "Freedom Radio 107.7." AFN Radio on 92.3 MHz in Baghdad carries a separate non-local programme stream. AFN Radio is available on the FM band as follows (all frequencies are in MHz): Baghdad 92.3 (Voice Channel) & 107.7 (AFN-Iraq/Freedom Radio) Balad 107.3 Kirkuk 100.1 & 107.3 Mosul 105.1 Quyarrah/Q-West base 93.3 Sinjar 107.9 Tallil 100.1 (Voice Channel) & 107.3 (Bright AC) Tikrit 93.3 AFN-Iraq has a website at http://www.afniraq.army.mil The following are stations in operation before April 2003 that continue to be heard inside Iraq: Voice of the People of Kurdistan, operated by the PUK, currently broadcasts on 1206 kHz mediumwave and 4025 kHz shortwave, and also on 97.5 MHz in Baghdad. Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, operated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), currently broadcasts on shortwave 6340 kHz and FM 91.4 MHz (Salah al-Din), 91.5 MHz (Arbil) and 93.3 MHz (Dohuk). This station also noted on 13 February 2005 broadcasting via the Hotbird 6 satellite at 13 degrees east. Radio Azadi, Voice of the Communist Party of Iraqi Kurdistan Voice of the Iraqi People, Voice of the Iraqi Communist Party - The station broadcasts from northern Iraq, possibly using Kurdish facilities. Radio from Iran in Persian and Arabic, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Egypt and Israel is also heard at times. Iranian broadcast media accessible in Iraq The following Arabic-language broadcasts from Iran may be available in Iraq. Television: Al-Alam (The World) is IRIB's 24-hour Arabic TV news channel, targetting a pan-Arab audience. It began broadcasting in February 2003, shortly before the start of the Iraq war. Its style of presentation is similar to that of the major pan-Arab satellite news channels such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. It has bureaus in Baghdad and Beirut. Its news bulletins give extensive coverage to the Middle East, particularly Iraq and the Palestinian territories. In addition to satellite, it is broadcast from a terrestrial transmitter in Iran, making it easily accessible in large areas of southern and eastern Iraq and the only international channel available without a satellite dish. However, this fact is less significant than it was. An Intermedia survey in mid-2004 found that 78 per cent of Iraqi viewers had access to satellite dishes. Al-Alam's total audience reach was put at 15 per cent compared with over 60 per cent for the most popular channels, Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera. It only rated single figures for reliability and importance as a source of information. Al-Kawthar/Sahar TV - Sahar TV began as an international television service broadcasting news and general progamming on two channels in several languages with the aim of "delivering the message of the Iranian revolution to the outside world". In February 2006, Sahar 1 changed its name to Al-Kawthar (Fount of abundance, and the name of a Koranic sura). The revamped channel now broadcasts 16 hours a day in Arabic with the aim of promoting Shi'i Islam. Although the programming is mostly religious, the channel has four 20-minute news bulletins and some political discussions and phone-ins. It is transmitted on Hot Bird 3 (Europe) and Nilesat 102 (Middle East). Radio: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Arabic Service broadcasts 24 hours a day. It can be heard on mediumwave and on FM in some parts of eastern and southern Iraq. Leading international media Major international radio and television stations, such as pan-Arab satellite television stations, the BBC Arabic and World Service radio, the Paris-based Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, US Radio Sawa and US- sponsored Radio Free Iraq are available in Iraq. BBC World Service is now 24 hours a day on FM in Baghdad and Basra. The FM frequencies for Arabic programming are 89.0 MHz in Baghdad and 90.0 MHz in Basra. BBC World Service in English can be heard on FM in Baghdad on 97.9 MHz, and in Basra on 88.0 MHz. Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East is on FM on 88.0 MHz in Baghdad for 24 hours a day. Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East can also be heard in Basra on 88.8 MHz and in Mosul on 88.0 MHz. Programming is mostly in Arabic, however with 30-minute news bulletins in French from Radio France International three times a day. Radio France Internationale started a relay of its French-language programme on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad on 16 February. Radio Sawa is on FM in Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5 MHz), Mosul (106.6 MHz), Sulaymaniyah (88.0 MHz) and Basra (107.0), as well as on 1548 kHz MW from Kuwait. Panorama FM replaced MBC FM on 88.6 MHz in the latter half of 2004, both brands being owned by the Dubai-based Middle East Broadcasting Corporation. 98.8 FM is owned by the Channel 4 Radio Network, which is also based in the United Arab Emirates. Al-Hurra TV Since 14 February 2004 satellite viewers in Iraq and the rest of the Arab world have been able to watch a new US government- funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel, Al-Hurra (meaning "the free"). The station broadcasts free-to-air via the direct-to-home Arabsat and Nilesat satellites. It is also distributed via other satellites. In April 2004 a second channel, Al-Hurra Iraq, was added specifically for Iraqi audiences. It is available by satellite and terrestrially in Baghdad and Basra. Syrian Arab Republic Radio is the Syrian state-owned radio. The Main Programme broadcasts on shortwave on 12085 and 13610 kHz. It has also been heard in Iraq on the MW frequencies of 819, 828 and 918 kHz. Radio Kuwait is the state-owned Kuwaiti radio. It can be received in Iraq on the MW frequency of 540 kHz 24 hours. Leading print media The following is a list of the main newspapers published in Iraq. Although more than 250 newspapers and magazines appeared in Iraq since the fall of the former regime in April 2003, reportedly only about 100 are still publishing, many of them on an irregular basis. Two local dailies dominate the Iraqi newspaper market: Al-Sabah and Al-Zaman, InterMedia reports. The London-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting website reported on 18 August 2006 that selling - or reading - the wrong newspaper in the wrong neighbourhood could prove deadly. In a Sunni- populated area of Baghdad, threats by armed militants resulted in vendors ceasing to sell titles that dealt with Shi'is and Shi'i issues, including SCIRI's Al-Adalah; the Dawah party's Al-Bayan and the Sadrists' Ishraqat. Al-Adalah - daily published by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq Al-Ahali - independent weekly; website - http://www.ahali-iraq.com Al-Basa'ir - weekly published by the Association of Muslim Scholars in Iraq; website - http://www.basaernews.com Al-Bayan - published by the Islamic Da'wah Party, chaired by prime minister Ibrahim al-Jafari; website http://www.idp-baghdad.org/bayan/ Al-Bayyinah - weekly published by the Hezbollah movement in Iraq Al-Da'wah - daily published by the Islamic Da'wah Party Al-Dustur - Independent daily published by former journalist Basim al- Shaykh Al-Furat - political daily; website - http://www.alfourat.com Al-Iraq al-Yawm - weekly newspaper published by Isra Shakir Ishraqat Al-Sadr - Islamic weekly associated with Muqtada al-Sadr Al-Ittihad - daily published by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Al-Ittijah al-Akhar - weekly of the United Nation Party, led by Mish'an al-Juburi; website - http://www.alitijahalakhar.com/ Al-Mada - independent daily published by Al-Mada Institution for Media, Culture and Arts; website - http://www.almadapaper.com Al-Manar al-Yawm - independent daily Al-Manarah - independent political daily published by Sawt al-Janub press, print and publishing institution in Basra; website - http://www.almannarah.com Al-Mashriq - daily published by Al-Mashriq Institution for Media and Cultural Investments Al-Mu'tamar - daily published by the Iraqi National Congress Al-Sa'ah - biweekly of the Unified National Movement, led by prominent Sunni cleric Prof Ahmad al-Kubaysi Al-Sabah - daily published by the Iraqi Media Network; website - http://www.alsabaah.com/ Al-Sabah al-Jadid - independent political daily; website - http://newsabah.com/ Al-Shira - independent daily Tariq al-Sha'b - political and cultural weekly of the Iraqi Communist Party; website - http://www.tareekalshaab.com Al-Taakhi - daily published by the Kurdistan Democratic Party Al-Ufuq - political daily published by Al-Ufuq Cultural Foundation; website - http://www.alufuqnews.com/ Al-Zaman - Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily; website - http://www.azzaman.com Al-Zawra - weekly published by the Iraqi Journalists Association Ansar al-Mahdi - Islamic political weekly affiliated with Shi'i cleric Muqtada al-Sadr Baghdad - daily published by the Iraqi National Accord Bahra - general political weekly of the Assyrian Democratic Movement; website - http://www.zowaa.org/BahraADM.htm Dar al-Salam - weekly of the Iraqi Islamic Party; website - http://www.dar-ussalam.net/ Sawt al-Ahali - political daily (published weekly for the time being) of the National Democratic Party Appendix One: Radio in Baghdad BBC Monitoring can confirm the reception in Baghdad of the following broadcasters as of March 2006: FM stations in Baghdad (all frequencies in MHz) 88.0 MHz Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, in Arabic and French http://www.rmc-mo.com 88.0 MHz BFBS, Basra, in English. http://www.ssvc.com 88.6 MHz Panorama FM http://www.panorama.fm 88.8 MHz Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, in Arabic & French, Basra. http://www.rmc-mo.com 89.0 MHz BBC World Service, in Arabic http://www.bbcarabic.com 89.5 MHz Turkoman FM, in Turkoman and Arabic. 0510-2200 http://www.kerkuk.net 89.9 MHz Radio Nawa. 0000-2400 http://www.nawartv.com 90.0 MHz BBC World Service, in Arabic, Basra http://www.bbcarabic.com 90.3 MHz Radio Al-Nur (inactive) 90.4 MHz Today Radio (ex-90.5 MHz) 91.0 MHz Dar al-Salam Radio. 0400-1700. (parallel with 756, 1116 kHz) http://www.darusalam.org 91.5 MHz Radio Rashid. 0300-2300 92.5 MHz Holy Koran Radio (IMN) 93.0 MHz IRIB Radio Javan network, in Persian 93.5 MHz Radio France Internationale, in French http://www.rfi.fr 94.8 MHz Radio Diyala (IMN). 0300-2000 95.5 MHz Radio Al-Mustaqbal. 0400-1600. (parallel with 1305 kHz) 96.0 MHz Radio Al-Mahaba, Voice of Iraqi Women 96.6 MHz Radio Anass (parallel with 594 kHz) (ex-96.3 MHz) http://www.radioannas.com 96.7 MHz IRIB Arabic Service 96.9 MHz BBC World Service, in English (ex-97.9 MHz) http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice 97.3 MHz Voice of the University. (ex-97.0 MHz) 97.9 MHz Freedom Radio. 0400-1500 (ex-97.5 MHz) Voice of the People of Kurdistan, in Arabic/Kurd/Turkoman. 1500-2100. (ex-97.5 MHz) 98.1 MHz IRIB Radio Payam network, in Persian 98.3 MHz Republic of Iraq Radio (IMN). 0000-2400 http://www.iraqimedianet.net 98.8 MHz Ur FM. 0000-2400. Owned by Channel 4 Radio Network, UAE. http://www.ur.fm 99.4 MHz Ashur Radio, in Arabic & Assyrian. 0510-1600 99.8 MHz Sumer FM. 0000-2400 http://www.sumerfm.com 100.4 MHz Radio Sawa. http://www.radiosawa.com 101.0 MHz Al-Ahd [Oath] Radio 101.5 MHz Congress Radio, Voice of the Iraqi National Congress 101.6 MHz IRIB Radio Javan network, in Persian 102.0 MHz Shafaq [Twilight] Radio, in Arabic & Kurdish 102.4 MHz Radio Free Iraq (RFE/RL)/VOA in English & Kurdish http://www.iraqhurr.org 104.1 MHz AFN Voice Channel, in English. (ex-92.3 MHz) http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil 105.2 MHz Radio Dijla. 0400-0015. http://www.radiodijla.com 106.0 MHz Peace 106 FM. 0000-2400 http://www.peace106fm.com 106.9 MHz BFBS Radio 1, in English http://www.ssvc.com 107.7 MHz AFN-Iraq ["Freedom Radio"], in English. http://www.afniraq.army.mil AM stations (all frequencies in kHz) 531 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 540 kHz Radio Kuwait Main Programme 549 kHz BSKSA General Programme 558 kHz IRIB Radio Farhang network, in Persian 567 kHz GTRK Volgograd, in Russian 576 kHz IRIB Arabic Service 585 kHz BSKSA General Programme 594 kHz Radio Anass. 0300-1400S (parallel with 96.6 MHz) http://www.radioannas.com 594 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 603 kHz Republic of Iraq Radio, southern Iraq. http://www.imnsr.com 612 kHz IRIB Arabic Service 621 kHz Voice of the Arabs, Egypt 630 kHz Radio Kuwait Koran Programme 639 kHz IRIB World Service, in Kurdish 648 kHz BSKSA General Programme 666 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 675 kHz Republic of Iraq Radio (parallel with 98.3 MHz). 0400-1410 (inactive since June 2006) 684 kHz BSKSA General Programme [2210] 702 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 711 kHz IRIB Ahwaz regional, in Arabic and Persian 720 kHz Voice of the Mojahidin 729 kHz Emirates Radio, Abu Dhabi, UAE 747 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 756 kHz Dar al-Salam Radio. 0400-2000. (1116 kHz, //91.0 MHz). Not audible in Baghdad. http://www.darusalam.org 765 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 774 kHz IRIB Arak regional, in Persian 783 kHz BSKSA 2nd Programme 792 kHz VOA Rhodes, Greece, various languages [1845] 792 kHz IRIB Zanjan regional, in Persian 810 kHz Radio Umm al-Qura. 0300-1800S 819 kHz Syrian Arab Republic Radio Main Programme 828 kHz Syrian Arab Republic Radio Main Programme 837 kHz IRIB Isfahan regional, in Persian 846 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 855 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 864 kHz IRIB Kermanshah regional, in Persian 864 kHz Trans World Radio, in various languages, via Armenia 864 kHz RFE/RL in Turkmen, via Armenia 873 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 882 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 882 kHz IRIB Mahabad regional, in Persian 900 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network in Persian 909 kHz Radio Basra (IMN). (formerly Radio Nahrain). http://www.imnsr.com 918 kHz Syrian Arab Republic Radio Main Programme 936 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 954 kHz Radio Qatar 963 kHz Radio Kuwait Multilingual Programme 972 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 981 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 990 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 990 kHz Radio Sawa, Cyprus 999 kHz Bilad Radio 1008 kHz IRIB Semnan regional, in Persian 1017 kHz TRT-1, in Turkish, Turkey [2150] 1044 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian [2145] 1053 kHz Al-Salam Radio. 0600-1600. 1053 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1062 kHz TRT-4 Diyarbakir, Turkey, in Turkish [1850] 1071 kHz Radio Babil (IMN), Hilla 1080 kHz IRIB Arabic Service [2215] 1089 kHz BSKSA 2nd Programme 1089 kHz GTRK Kuban, Krasnodar, in Russian 1107 kHz Voice of the Arabs, Egypt 1116 kHz Dar al-Salam Radio. 0300-1900S. (parallel with 756 kHz, 91.0 MHz) http://www.darusalam.org 1134 kHz Radio Kuwait Main Programme 1143 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1152 kHz IRIB Radio Farhang network, in Persian 1161 kHz IRIB Arabic Service 1170 kHz Radio Sawa, via UAE http://www.radiosawa.com 1179 kHz Voice of Iraq. http://www.voiraq.com 1188 kHz Radio Payam network, in Persian 1197 kHz IRIB Moghan regional, in Persian 1206 kHz Voice of the People of Kurdistan, in Arabic, Kurdish and Turkoman 1215 kHz BSKSA General Programme [2130] 1224 kHz IRIB Arabic Service 1233 kHz Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East, Cyprus, in Arabic & French* 1242 kHz Radio Sultanate of Oman 1251 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1260 kHz Radio Sawa, Rhodes, Greece 1269 kHz Radio Kuwait Classical Arabic Music Service 1278 kHz IRIB Kermanshah regional, in Persian 1287 kHz IDF Radio, Israel, in Hebrew 1295 kHz Voice of Azerbaijan in various languages - including Radio Liberty relay 1305 kHz Radio Al-Mustaqbal (parallel with 95.5 MHz) 1305 kHz IRIB Bushehr regional in Persian 1314 kHz BBC World Service in Persian, via Abu Dhabi 1323 kHz BBC World Service, Cyprus, in English 1332 kHz IRIB Tehran regional, in Persian 1341 kHz Radio Kuwait 2nd Programme 1350 kHz Transworld Radio, via Armenia, multilingual 1350 kHz Radio Russia, via Armenia, in Russian 1350 kHz Deutsche Welle, via Armenia, in Arabic [2100-2130] 1359 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1368 kHz IDF Radio, Israel, in Hebrew 1377 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1395 kHz Voice of Armenia, in Armenian 1404 kHz IDF Radio, Israel, in Hebrew [2130] 1422 kHz BSKSA Radio Riyadh, in English and French 1430 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1440 kHz BSKSA General Programme 1449 kHz IRIB World Service, in Russian 1458 kHz Radio Tirana, Albania, in Albanian 1467 kHz BSKSA General Programme 1476 kHz Emirates Radio, Dubai, UAE 1485 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network in Persian 1494 kHz Radio Jordan General Programme (1700-0130) 1494 kHz ERA Rhodes regional, Greece, in Greek 1503 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1512 kHz BSKSA Koran Programme 1521 kHz BSKSA General Programme 1521 kHz IRIB Radio Farhang network, in Persian 1530 kHz IRIB Radio Iran network, in Persian 1548 kHz Radio Sawa, via Kuwait 1575 kHz Radio Farda, in Persian, via UAE 1593 kHz Radio Free Iraq, in Arabic/VOA in English, Kurdish, Persian. Via Kuwait Appendix two: Basra broadcast media The following television and radio stations are believed to broadcast from Basra, as of August 2006. Television Al-Fayhaa - UAE-based service for southern Iraq. Broadcasts terrestrially on UHF Ch22 in Basra, and on the following satellites: Hotbird 2 at 13 degrees East, frequency 11747 MHz, horizontal polarization, SR 27500, FEC 3/4. Nilesat 102 at 7 degrees West, frequency 12226 MHz, horizontal polarization, SR27500, FEC 3/4. Website: http://www.alfayhaatv.net Al-Iraqiya - National network operated by public broadcaster Iraqi Media Network (IMN), not known to carry any regional programming. Broadcasts terrestrially on UHF Ch44 in Basra. Website: http://www.iraqimedianet.net Al-Mirbad - Independent broadcaster launched in August 2005. Broadcasts terrestrially on UHF Ch59 in Basra, Ch42 in Amara, Ch46 in Nasiriyah, and on the following satellites: Eurobird 2 at 25.8 degrees East, frequency 12518 MHz, vertical polarization, SR27500, FEC 3/4 Arabsat 2B at 30.5 degrees East, frequency 12505 MHz, horizontal polarization, SR2892, FEC 3/4. Website: http://www.almirbad.com (under construction). Al-Nakhil - Operated by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), broadcasting terrestrially on UHF Ch26 in Basra. Website (SCIRI): http://www.sciri.org Voice of the South - Independent broadcaster operated by the Voice of the South Press, Printing and Publishing Corporation. Broadcasts terrestrially on UHF Ch33 in Basra. Website (associated Al-Manarah newspaper): http://www.almannarah.com Radio Al-Mirbad Radio - Independent broadcaster launched in June 2005. Broadcasts terrestrially on 93.3 MHz FM in Basra, 89.3 MHz in Amara, and on 101.4 MHz in Nasiriyah. Also on the Arabsat 2B satellite at 30.5 degrees East, frequency 12505 MHz, horizontal polarization, SR2892, FEC 3/4. Website: http://www.almirbad.com (under construction - live audio stream promised "soon"). Al-Nakhil Radio - Operated by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, broadcasting terrestrially on 92.8 MHz FM in Basra. Website (SCIRI): http://www.sciri.org Radio Basra - Formerly British Army-run Radio Nahrain, now operated by public broadcaster IMN. Carries local programming and relays of IMN's national network, Republic of Iraq Radio. Broadcasts terrestrially on 96.0 MHz FM and 909 kHz mediumwave in Basra. Website (IMN Southern Region): http://www.imnsr.com Radio Shanasheel - Independent broadcaster airing political, cultural and religious programmes. On the air 19 hours a day on 1395 kHz mediumwave. Radio Shatt al-Arab - Has links with German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle. Frequency not known. Voice of the South - Independent broadcaster operated by the Voice of the South Press, Printing and Publishing Corporation. Broadcasts terrestrially on 91.6 MHz FM and 1044 kHz mediumwave in Basra. Website (associated Al-Manarah newspaper): http://www.almannarah.com Basra also hosts FM relays of the following foreign broadcasters: BBC, BFBS, Radio Free Iraq, Voice of America, Radio Sawa, Radio Monte Carlo-Middle East. Appendix three: TV stations in Iraq (Sound frequencies in MHz) [gh corrected some channel numbers] E5 175.25/180.75 MHz Al-Salam E6 182.25/187.75 MHz Al-Nahrain, Wasit-al-Kut E7 189.25/194.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah Television (IMN) 189.25/194.75 MHz Al-Ghadeer TV, Najaf E9 203.25/208.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah (IMN) E22 479.25/484.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah Television (IMN) E25 503.25/508.75 MHz Al-Ghadeer TV, Najaf E26 511.25/516.75 MHz Iraq Online TV 511.25/516.75 MHz Al-Nakhil, Basra E30 543.25/548.75 MHz Kurdsat, Sulaymaniyah E31 551.25/556.75 MHz Al-Hurriyah E33 567.75/572.75 MHz Kurdistan TV (KTVS) 567.25/572.75 MHz Voice of the South, Basra E36 591.25/596.75 MHz Al-Rashid E37 599.25/604.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah (IMN) E41 631.25/636.75 MHz Nahrain TV E42 639.25/654.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah, Mosul E44 655.25/660.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah, Basra E45 663.25/668.75 MHz Ashur TV E46 671.25/676.75 MHz Al-Hikmah E48 687.25/692.75 MHz Al-Iraqiyah E51 711.25/716.75 MHz Al-Rafidayn E54 735.25/740.75 MHz Al-Mashriq (test transmission) E56 751.25/756.75 MHz Al-Diyar TV E61 791.25/796.75 MHz Al-Wataniyah E68 847.25/852.75 MHz Ahl al-Bayt, Karbala Source: BBC Monitoring research 27 Oct 06 (via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. 6215, Korean numbers station (presumed), Oct 28, 1002- 1020*, YL with pop song, 1004 into assume list of numbers. Fair. Must be the same station as reported by Jari Savolainen (Finland) and Glenn in mid-January, but heard back then at about 1430 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. V. of Mesopotamia, 11530 via Moldova, fair with Kurdish music, Oct 28 at 1506 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. Good signal from V. of Africa, 21695 via France, at 1402 Oct 28, with Arabic music; did not stay with it long enough to tell whether they would go into English as scheduled (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. AFTERNOON VISITORS --- Today, Oct 28, I noted the Afropop station on the air on 17660 already at 1150. At 1200 V of Africa in English started on 17625, 17660, 17670, with the frequency of 17660 being perfectly synchronized with the Afropop station. At 1203 V. of Africa 17660 moved to 17630, where VOH was opening with the usual procedure. The Afropop continued on 17660. At 1315 recheck VOH and 17625 had moved to 17640, messing up the BBC. At 1415 the Afropopper was still active on 17660. The fact that there is always a SAH when VOH is operating co-channel with another station indicates that the site could be Kostinbrod (Bulgaria), as this site a couple of years ago was regularly noted to be 2 to 4 Hz off channel (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I heard some of this afternoon's "performance" myself. VOH was said to be coming via Moldova so that's an astute observation of yours, Olle. It's usually a very strong signal here, and I also think that Bulgaria could be an ideal site. And what's more, there are "people" in charge there who could monitor the situation and know what they were doing when moving the VOH transmission from one frequency to another. Would the Russians/Moldovans be able to do the same thing? And I believe I read that some of the Libyan transmissions were via a Russian site - whether that is true or not I can't tell but they usually are well heard too. But then RFI 17620 was also good again today. I also heard the African music, and just why it came up on, and stayed on 17660, is difficult to say. It hasn't been operating at all in recent times. My impression is that the jammers are being outwitted for a large percentage of the time - you would expect them to be getting used to it by now! I didn't hear a bubble jammer today - again - so have they given up on that method? Unfortunately the genuine broadcasters are suffering as a result of all this activity - the BBC 17640 for example. And BTW I noted that the loud hum/buzz on 17610 had disappeared today and it was actually possible to hear the programme. I wonder if the battleground will still be on 17 MHz from tomorrow? 73 from (Noel Green, UK, ibid.) It was the now defunct Libyan transmission of mostly continuous Arabic music that was coming from Moldova. It had the Maiac site pips before s/on (Olle Alm, Sweden, ibid.) ** MONACO. From November 30th, ALL religious programmes in French, on 216 kHz LW (0430-0500 local time) will be deleted. Radio Evangile was over RMC since 1961, the end after 45 years. From December 1st, RMC Infos will start own programmes at 0430 local time [0330 UT]. Regards from Nice, (Christian Ghibaudo, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. R. Sultanate of Oman seems to be in an active phase, heard again Oct 28 at 1404 with ID by YL amid news in English on 15140, but with the perpetual splatter from WYFR 15130. This situation will not change in B-06, even tho it`s only a 50 kW transmitter. There was also something adjacent on 15145. Recheck at 1452 with pop music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. PAKISTAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION Frequency Management, 303 Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan HF BROADCAST SCHEDULE B06 Lang Freq MB UTC UTC Target Area ----------------------------------------- Far East Chinese 9380 31 1200 1230 41,42,43,44,45 Chinese 11570 25 1200 1230 41,42,43,44,45 South East Asia Urdu 11580 25 0045 0215 41,44,45,49,50,51,54,55,59 Urdu 15480 19 0045 0215 41,44,45,49,50,51,54,55,59 South Asia Assami 7445 41 0045 0115 41 [partly in English] Assami 9340 31 0045 0115 41 ["""] Bangla-1 7445 41 0115 0200 41 Bangla-1 9340 31 0115 0200 41 Bangla-2 7445 41 1200 1245 41 Bangla-2 9350 31 1200 1245 41 Nepali 7445 41 1245 1315 41 Nepali 9350 31 1245 1315 41 Hindi-1 7445 41 0215 0300 41 Hindi-1 9340 31 0215 0300 41 Hindi-2 7445 41 1100 1145 41 Hindi-2 9350 31 1100 1145 41 Gujrati 7445 41 0400 0430 41 Gujrati 9350 31 0400 0430 41 Tamil-1 11565 25 0315 0345 41 Tamil-1 15620 19 0315 0345 41 Tamil-2 15625 19 0945 1015 41 Tamil-2 17480 17 0945 1015 41 Sinhali 15625 19 1015 1045 41 Sinhali 17480 17 1015 1045 41 Middle East, Iran, Turkey, & N/West Africa Turkish 6215 48 1630 1700 38,39 Turkish 7545 40 1630 1700 38,39 Irani 5835 51 1715 1800 40 Irani 6235 48 1715 1800 40 Arabic 6235 48 1815 1900 37-39 Arabic 7545 31 1815 1900 38,39,46,47 Urdu 11570 25 0500 0700 40 Urdu 15100 19 0500 0700 38,39,46,47 Urdu 15625 19 0500 0700 37-39 Urdu 7530 40 1330 1530 37-39 Urdu 11570 25 1330 1530 38,39,46,47 English 6215 48 1600 1615 37-39 English 7530 40 1600 1615 38,39,46,47 Urdu 5835 51 1915 0045 40 East/South East Africa English 11570 25 1600 1615 48s,52,53,57 West Europe English 15100 19 0730 0830 17,18SE,27-29 English 17835 17 0730 0830 17,18SE,27-29 Urdu 15100 19 0830 1104 17,18SE,27-29 [English at 1100] Urdu 17835 17 0830 1104 17,18SE,27-29 ["""] Urdu 7530 40 1700 1900 17,18SE,27-29 Urdu 9380 31 1700 1900 17,18SE,27-29 CIS & Russia Turki 4835 62 1330 1400 39NE,40 Dari 4835 62 1515 1545 39NE,40 Russian 7550 40 1415 1445 29,30E Russian 9300 31 1415 1445 29,30E Pushto 5095 59 1500 1545 39E,40 (Rearranged from excel sheet received on 10/28, PST removed, via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dxldyg via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 5920, Radio Rossii, 1111-1214, Oct 28, Russian programming, pop songs and ballads, many R. Rossii IDs, ToH 5 + 1 time pips, news, fair-good. Heard // 5940 also fair-good and // 7320 poor in QRN. Not sure of which sites (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 13m was hopping Oct 28, at 1358 with an old waltz, on 21600, leading up to R. Riyadh opening French at 1400 after 6-pip timesignal which was a few seconds fast. Then found all the other BSKSA 13m frequencies audible: 21460 in buzz, and 21505 // 21640 in Arabic, but none of the mixing products; not strong enough for that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. This Sabbath Oct 28, I tuned in 17810 early, to see just when TDF turns on the Guiana French transmitter with Brother Scare. It popped on at 1355, obliterating BBCWS. BS promptly started asking for reception reports on 9385 WWRB, whether it was ``muddy`` or clear, trying to determine where the problem is, at the station? (Well, I checked at 1411 and it was relatively clear this time, unlike previously, so Dave may have paid some attention.). However, Dan Sampson found a change to 17815 for B-06, plus one hour later, except I suppose that means it will really start at 1455: 17815 TDF N. America 250 kW Sabbath 1500-1700 Furthermore the below no longer shows a daily transmission via GUF in the morning, which might have shifted to 16-17 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Overcomer Ministry schedule effective Oct. 29. 3185 WWRB N. America 100 kW Daily 0500-1200 9385 WWRB N. America 100 kW Daily 1200-2200 15250 WWRB S. America 100 kW ? 1600-2100 6890 WWRB N. America 100 kW Daily 2200-0500 5085 WWRB N. America 100 kW Daily 0500-1200 9785 TDF Europe 250 kW Sun-Fri 2100-2159 [ex-13730, GUF?] 17815 TDF N. America 250 kW Sabbath 1500-1700 [GUF!] 6110 Juelich Europe 100 kW Daily 1300-1500 13810 Juelich Europe & ME 100 kW Daily 1400-1600 13855 Juelich Africa 100 kW Daily 1800-1900 This chart is effective starting Oct. 29th (schedule from Overcomer Ministry website with extraneous info removed, via Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, dxldyg via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. From October 29th, RTI will use 3985 kHz (instead of 3955) in French from Skelton at 1900-2000 UT. Normally 3955 will be use by the German service of RTI. Regards from Nice, (Christian Ghibaudo, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also VIETNAM ** UKRAINE. This week`s (month`s?) DX program on RUI discusses the difficulty of finding a clear frequency on the 50 m band, in response to comments by gh, Erik Køie, Ullmar Qvick, et al., as heard at 0018 UT Sunday on webcast; will the repeat be at 0418 after the time change? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Re 6-160, echo on 12095: I'm tuned to BBC WS on 12095 now at 1515 on Oct. 28 (SBG programming // Radio 5) and there's no trace of any echo; if there are two senders on air, they are perfectly in sync. So it would seem what was heard was dual path propagation (Noel Green, Blackpool, NW England, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hello Glenn: VOA has posted their B06 schedule. 73 from (Thomas Moyer, Bowmanville, On. Canada, 2131 UT October 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Starting here, in language order: http://www.voanews.com/english/about/Frequenciesatoz_a.cfm (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ, 9330, running two programs at once, Oct 29 at 1335, one just mentioning WRMI 7385 as I tuned in, so probably Christian Media Network also on that station; the other outright preaching, both at roughly the same modulation level. Aha, has WBCQ started broadcasting in independent sideband? No! Checking on the ICF-SW07 to be sure, BOTH were on LSB, and the reduced carrier slightly below 9330 as usual. At 1410 recheck, still two programs mixing, one talk, one music. How could they not notice this at WBCQ master control? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Found a new signal on 9340, Oct 29 at 1339, US talk show giving phone 1-800-259-9231; subject was lettuce leaves. Good signal, but not exactly solid. Probably KAIJ, as nothing on 9975 at the moment. Some adjacent QRM from P`yongyang 9335. 1343 herb ad with website, 1344 Hot Seeds ad, precious metals (oh, oh). Name of show is Magic Garden. Here`s their affiliate list, strangely enough not including KAIJ: http://www.themagicgarden.com/stations.html At 1409 recheck another talk show (infomercial?), Cruise Central Radio. Finally caught TOH ID at 1459, and yes, it`s ``KAIJ, Dallas, Texas``. Would be nice to get a definite B-06 schedule for it. Later I found out that 9340 is currently the daytime test frequency instead of 9895 or 9975, between 1300 and 2300 or 2400 UT, followed by the usual night frequency 5755 until 0500 or 0600, running 95 kW, but still can only aim NW. The 2-bay TCI antenna has 14 dB gain, but fairly hi takeoff angle, and broad beam of some 68 degrees also with significant side lobes (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. I've heard New York Radio back on 10051 in the past few days, despite NOTAM that says it is out of service "until UFN." On Oct 25, there was no meteo data, so the entire 20-minute broadcast consisted of repetition of city names followed by "missing." Problem was fixed the next day. I've heard this "missing" business a few times in recent months. Glad I'm not a pilot with 600 passengers tuning in to get SIGMETs and weather during my trans-Atlantic flight only to find either the radio signal or the weather information "missing." Wonder what the folks in Gander think of the way the U.S. runs a VOLMET -- intermittently and with no public explanation of why or when it goes on or off (Mike Cooper, GA, Oct 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Updating WOR 1333, New York Radio is still active on at least one frequency, 10051-USB, as pointed out by Mike Cooper, despite NOTAM to the contrary. However, as Mike also noticed, it might as well be off the air, since Oct 28 at 1500, after Gander`s weaker signal occupying the same frequency until hourtop, it opened with ID and then VOLMET for Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, each one followed by ``missing``. This was repeated over and over for the next 5 minutes. Then TC for 1505 and switched to terminal forecasts for Boston (? scribble not clear), Charlotte, Windsor Locks (or was that winds aloft?), Norfolk --- all of which were also MISSING! Mike`s remarks above sum up this sad situation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: You hear correctly -- it's Windsor Locks. There is a pattern for the reports on NY Radio. The first part of each five-minute segment is the aviation forecast for half of the stations covered during that segment, followed by the latest observations for all of the stations covered during that segment. For example, if I want to hear the latest Atlanta observation, it airs twice an hour at :15 and :45, but the terminal forecast only runs once an hour, during the :45 segment, as I recall. If I want Miami, the obs are also twice an hour, but their aviation forecast only runs at :15, as I recall. It's slightly laughable but mostly sad that this goes on for days and no one fixes it. Another argument against automation in radio, I guess. Maybe the FAA is trying to be more like Clear Channel... (rolling of the eyes).... (Mike Cooper, GA, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is FAA directly responsible for NY Radio? Seems I recall they contracted it out to ARINC or something (gh to Mike, via DXLD) Glenn: I think so. A quick Google search finds nothing to the contrary -- including material from Speechtech, a company that apparently provides the automated voice software. According to: http://speechtech.com/PDF/starcaster.doc The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has installed the StarCaster system at the New York Automated Flight Service Station in Islip, NY. The StarCaster system produces aviation weather broadcasts for their Volmet system. STR has partnered with ARINC Inc. to install the new StarCaster ATIS System at numerous Air Force Bases across the U.S. DND Canada has a StarCaster VOLMET Automation System installed at CFB Trenton in Ontario, used by the military to broadcast continuous aviation weather to military aircraft across Canada and several European sites. The U.S. FAA has installed and deployment new StarCaster TWEB system in the Alaska Region. The system automatically generates TWEB (Transcribed Weather Broadcast Service) forecasts, which are broadcast to pilots by the FAA at Automated Flight Service Stations (AFSS) in Alaska. The first installation occurred at the Kenai AFSS, and the second and third installations will occur at the Fairbanks and Juneau AFSSs in 2005. An FAA Web page on the International Flight Information Manual http://www.faa.gov/ats/aat/ifim/ifim0109.htm specifically mentions FAA as the operator, as well as listing the cities mentioned in each segment: NEW YORK (FAA) New York Radio (Volmet) 3485* 6604 10051 13270* kHz *3485 broadcasts from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise. *13270 broadcasts from 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. Broadcasts at H+00-05; Aerodrome Forecasts, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland. Hourly Reports, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, Milwaukee, Indianapolis. Broadcasts at H+05-10; SIGMET, (Oceanic-New York). Aerodrome Forecasts, Bangor, Pittsburgh, Charlotte. Hourly Reports, Bangor, Pittsburgh, Windsor Locks, St. Louis, Charlotte, Minneapolis. Broadcasts at H+10-15; Aerodrome Forecasts, New York, Newark, Boston. Hourly reports, New York, Newark, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington. Broadcasts at H+15-20; SIGMET (Oceanic-Miami/San Juan). Aerodrome Forecasts, Bermuda, Miami, Atlanta. Hourly Reports, Bermuda, Miami, Nassau, Freeport, Tampa,West Palm Beach, Atlanta. [H+20-30 and 50-60 are occupied on same frequencies by Gander, right?] Broadcasts at H+30-35; Aerodrome Forecasts, Niagara Falls, Milwaukee, Indianapolis. Hourly Reports Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, Milwaukee, Indianapolis. Broadcasts at H+35-40; SIGMET (Oceanic-New York). Aerodrome Forecasts, Windsor Locks, St. Louis. Hourly Reports, Bangor, Pittsburgh, Windsor Locks, St. Louis, Charlotte. Minneapolis. Broadcasts at H+40-45; Aerodrome Forecasts, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington. Hourly Reports, New York, Newark, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington. (line missing as it appears on Web site) [H+45-50:] Juan). Aerodrome Forecasts, Nassau, Freeport. Hourly Reports, Bermuda, Miami, Nassau, Freeport, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Atlanta (via Cooper) It does look like ARINC operates the other trans-Atlantic communications frequencies (Mike Cooper, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN [and non]. Vatican Radio English B-06 0140-0200 5915, 7335 Asia & Oceania 0215-0220 12070 Asia & Oceania 0250-0320 7305, 9610 America 0300-0330 7360 Africa 0500-0530 7360, 9660, 11625 Africa 0600-0620 4005, 7250 Europe 0630-0700 7360, 9660, 11625 Africa 0730-0745 Mon-Sat 15595 Asia & Oceania 0730-0745 Mon-Sat 4005, 6185, 7250, 9645, 11740, 15595 Europe 0730-0745 Mon-Sat 9645, 15595 Africa 1130-1200 Mass 15595, 17765 Asia & Oceania 1130-1200 Mass 15595, 17765 Africa 1515-1530 9310, 11850, 13765 Asia & Oceania 1530-1600 Mass 9310, 11850, 13765 Asia & Oceania 1715-1730 9635 Asia & Oceania 1715-1730 4005, 7250, 9645, 9635 Europe 1715-1730 9635 Africa 1730-1800 9755, 11625, 13765 Africa 1945-2015 9800 drm America 2000-2030 7365, 9755, 11625 Africa 2050-2120 4005, 5885, 7250 Europe 2300-2330 7370 drm America Schedule OC created on 25 Oct 2006 (English excerpt, times adjusted, via Vatican Radio website, via Daniel Sampson, Prime Time Shortwave, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. Voice of Vietnam via UK on 3985 --- Enclosed a message Voice of Vietnam sent out to German service listeners, received via Volker Willschrey: From Nov 1 the German programs will be on air via a transmitter in the UK 2030-2130 on 3985. For the time being it will still be a 30 minutes program, broadcast twice. ----- Original Message ----- From: phong tieng duc ban doi ngoai Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2006 6:56 AM Subject: Neue Frequenz Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, Vom 1. November an wird unser deutschsprachiges Programm auf der Frequenz 3985 kHz von 20h30 bis 21h30 UTC gesendet. Es wird durch eine Station in Europa (Merlin) gesendet. Wir werden zwei mal nach einader ausstrahlen. Das heißt, es ist noch ein 30-minütiges Programm. Im Internet bleibt das Programm unverändert. Sie können von 15h30 bis 16h00, 18h00 bis 18h30 und 21h30 bis 22h00 UTC hören. Bitte melden Ihre Freunden, die die VOV hören! Vielen Dank. Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Ihr Deutsches Team (via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. CODAR pulses centered on 9260 and plus/minus 10 or so, Oct 28 at 1334; don`t recall hearing them in this part of the spectrum before. Anyone know whence? Maybe FE, as Taiwan 9280 was putting in a good signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ B-06 ENGLISH SHORTWAVE SCHEDULES The first issue of the B-06 English shortwave schedules is now available at Prime Time Shortwave, http://www.primetimeshortwave.com The next update should be sometime during next week. The schedules are available in ASCII, DBase and Excel formats with sorts by time, country and frequency. The PalmOS file will be available once Daniel Lyddy updates it. Something new this time. There are now listings to five target areas for those who would like a shorter listing. These areas as Africa, Americas, Asia/Oceania, Europe and Middle East. Keep in mind there will be easily heard stations targeting to other areas that can be heard but not listed. For example in the Americas you can easily hear Deutsche Welle and Radio Australia although they don't target the Americas (Daniel Sampson, PTSW, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) EiBi B-06 SCHEDULES Glenn, I don't have the email address to contact the author of the EiBi web page. I just visited his web page however, hoping to download the new B06 schedule that he so excellently publishes each 6 months. I didn't see that listed. Since my computer may be showing me an older page that I can't refresh, I thought I'd drop you a line to confirm whether or not EiBi has published his new list, B06? (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Oct 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, It usually takes him a few weeks to put together the new season`s schedules. He never has them up in advance. We must be patient. Besides, there will be some adjustments and maneuvering to work out some conflicts once the season actually starts. However, he usually does start posting the incomplete schedules in time order at least, before he is finished, with a progress report percentagewise (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ FESSENDEN: WORLD'S FIRST BROADCASTER? A RADIO HISTORY BUFF FINDS THAT EVIDENCE FOR THE FAMOUS BRANT ROCK BROADCAST IS LACKING Re 6-160: Christopher Sterling and I did an extended piece of research that was just published in the Antique Wireless Association journal. We are both academics and media historians but we came to a somewhat different, though similar, conclusion. (...) We decided after research that was even more exhaustive than Mr O'Neal's, that he probably DID make that Xmas eve broadcast, but it didn't matter because he had already done the exact same thing on 11 December 1906, and had done similar broadcasts throughout the years 1905-6. I personally checked every magazine and journal of that era and found that nobody mentioned an Xmas eve broadcast, including the inventor himself, till the mid 1920s -- and we DO have many of Fessenden's articles. If he thought he had first broadcast on Christmas eve, wouldn't he have said so? But throughout the years 1906-28, NO mention of such a broadcast occurs, even in the articles he wrote for other magazines. He does mention other dates, but not that one. So yes, he was undoubtedly the first to send voice and music, but not on Xmas eve (Donna Halper, U.S.A, in Ham-Radio-History yg, edited, via Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, Oct. 28, dxldyg via DXLD) Slightly later: The thread at Ham-Radio-History yg has just started and it's getting very delicious: Here's what John Dilks, K2TQN, says: "Yes. O'Neal is wrong! While O'Neal claims he searched and searched and found nothing, I searched and found something. It took me about 5- minutes. (I had read this before though, and remembered where, and dug out the source to verify it.) O'Neil claims in his article, "But what is truly remarkable about the 1906 story is this: Not only is there no mention in the press at the time; there is also apparently no mention of it for the next 26 years." I have a book written by a former employee of Fessenden, who worked at Brant Rock in 1910. (In 1906 he worked for DeForest.) Anyway, he mentioned this in his book which was published in 1923. (I have the first edition.) He said on page 20, "It is well known, however, that in 1906 Fessenden gave numerous practical demonstrations of radio- telephony between his experimental stations at Brant Rock and Plymouth, Massachusetts, and that in 1907 he increased his range from this distance of about twelve miles to such an extent that Brant Rock was able to communicate with New York, nearly two hundred miles away, and Washington, about five hundred miles." 1906 to 1923 is about 17 years, give or take depending on the months. In my opinion, O'Neal set out to dis-prove Fessenden's claim. Also in my opinion, There should have been a great outcry when Fessenden did [make?] note of his Christmas transmission. Not everyone was Fessenden's friend, he had his enemies. This would have been the time for them to dis-credit him. All the other radio inventors who might have beat him would have made sure it was mentioned loud and clear, long before Mr. O'Neal's article in 2006. The writer of my book was alive when the claim was made, and he outlived Fessenden. If he had disputed it, it would have been known then. The book: The Outline of Radio by John V. L. Hogan, himself a noted radio inventor, pioneer and co-founder of the IRE. Hogan's Bio: http://www.eht.com/oldradio/history/outline/hoganbio.html The first chapter of Hogan's book has been on line since 1996 on my web site: http://www.eht.com/oldradio/history/outline/Hogaxx.htm Additionally, I have a signed letter by Doctor Lee DeForest commenting to William Medd about the first broadcast which says, "If you heard a voice over the air before I began any early broadcasting you must have been listening to the early Fessenden high frequency generator set on or near Cape Cod. But I do not believe he did anything like that as early as 1904, in fact I am positive that it was not that early. It might have been 1905." This letter is posted on my site, in a slide show. You have to click on the letter to be able to read it: http://www.eht.com/oldradio/arrl/2006-02/show/medd-william.html Conclusion Since Hogan is well known and respected, I am willing to take his word for it. He and his book has more creditability for me than an unknown short wave listener's log book who "didn't" mention it. Doc DeForest's letter also adds creditably to Fessenden. Best of 73, John Dilks, K2TQN (via Nigro, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ NON-BROADCAST USE OF DRM: VT DATA TRANSMISSIONS [see BELGIUM; VATICAN] This thread includes some decoder software screenshots of what the obscure VT data transmissions contain (HTML pages produced for the purpose, at times also with cartoons and password-protected files): http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1516 Another one from yesterday: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,451822,453764,sv=1#msg-453764 Note also this statement: ``Please understand that I'm unable to publish technical details (also the new frequencies as of Oct 29) in the DRM schedule. Sorry, enquiries are pointless as well.`` http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,451822,453801,sv=1#msg-453801 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 28, dxld yg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###