Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Cotton Tree News monitoring update


Dxers continue to log and QSL Cotton Tree News, the daily service of live news and information, broadcast from the studios of Radio Mount Aureol at Fourah College. Good luck on this one.
Gayle VH/WQB

ASCENSION ISL [SIERRA LEONE]Cotton Tree News. (CTN) 9525, Cotton Tree News (CTN), via Ascension, new daily broadcast at 0730-0800 UT to Sierra Leone in English, Krio, Limba, Mende and Temne, following broadcasts from Star R at 0700-0730 UT to Liberia.
Address: Fourah Bay College, Mount Aureol, P.O.Box 766, Freetown.
Email: abennett@hirondelle.org

Heard 0730-0800* UT, May 10, 12 and 13, news in English and African languages, items about: HIV/AIDS (soundtrack of the Sierra Leone National AIDS Director); "This news comes to you from CTN, Freetown"; the United Nations Development Program Goodwill Ambassador (soundtrack of I assume Adisa Jelani Andwele, who was visiting Freetown this past week and held a workshop at the Fourah Bay College branch), drums, "This is CTN", drums, followed by the same news items in their "local languages", no sign-off ann, mostly fair. (Churchill, Herkimer and Howard).

Also heard at *0730-0800*, May 08 and 09.
(Churchill, Herkimer, Howard via SWN dswci)

9525, "Cotton Tree News" - Email reply from George Bennett gbennett76@yahoo.co.uk for email with audio clip to Anne Bennett at abennett@hirondelle.org

"Dear Mr Herkimer,
Thank you so much for your email. I am impressed that you picked up CTN's short-wave bulletins so clearly in New York. It is early days for our project but the students and journalists here at Fourah Bay College in Freetown are very enthusiastic and learning fast. As you may know, the country went through more than ten years of devastating conflict and is emerging as a fledgling democracy - but there is a long way to go and much to do. We at Fondation Hirondelle are proud to help the College develop its radio services and will continue to work here till the end of 2008.
Sincerely, George Bennett, Editor in Chief, CTN, Freetown, Sierra Leone". (John Herkimer-USA & Ron Howard-USA, DXplorer, via RNZDXT July)
(Source: WWDXC Top News -BC DX #814)