Friday, January 04, 2008

HOT SPOT DXING: VOA Increases broadcast amid violence in Kenya


VOA INCREASES SWAHILI BROADCASTS AMID VIOLENCE IN KENYA

The 30-minute daily radio program will include live news reports from throughout Kenya, as well as analysis and discussion Washington, D.C., January 2, 2008 - The Voice of America (VOA) will begin broadcasting a new Swahili program to East Africa on January 3.
The 30-minute daily radio program will include live news reports from throughout Kenya, as well as analysis and discussion. The inaugural broadcast will carry an exclusive interview with U.S. presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama, who stated, "The way forward is not through violence; it is through democracy and the rule of law. To all of Kenya's people I ask you to renew Kenya's democratic tradition and seek your dreams in peace."

The Kenyan government has banned local radio and television stations from broadcasting coverage of the post-election crisis that has left over 300 people dead and thousands displaced from their homes. "With such devastating violence and new restrictions on local media,
our role in providing the Kenyan people with accurate news and information is ever more critical," said VOA director Danforth Austin. The new program can be heard in Kenya from 6:00 to 6:30 a.m. Monday through Friday via shortwave (7380 and 9440 kHz). VOA also broadcasts a Swahili evening program from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. seven days a week on shortwave (9565, 13865, and 15730 kHz). VOA broadcasts forty-five hours of regional and world news in English each week to East Africa by shortwave and FM. All VOA programs are available on the Internet at www.VOANews.com/Swahili/ and www.VOANews.com/English/Africa .
(Source: Alokesh Gupta)

Voice of America
English service to Africa

0300-0400 UTC 909 1530 4930 6080 9885 15580
0400-0430 UTC 909 1530 4930 4960 6080 9885 15580
0430-0500 UTC 909 4930 4960 6080 9885 15580
0500-0600 UTC 909 4930 5855 6080 9885 15580
0600-0700 UTC 909 1530 6080 9885 15580
1400-1600 UTC 4930 6080 15580 17715 17895
1600-1700 UTC 909 1530 4930 6080 15580 17715 17895
1700-1800 UTC 6080 13710 15580
1700-1800 UTC 909 17895 Saturday & Sunday only
1800-1830 UTC 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895
1800-1830 UTC 909 4930 Saturday & Sunday only
1830-1900 UTC 909 4930 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895
1900-2000 UTC 909 4930 4940 6080 11975 13710 15580 17895
2000-2030 UTC 909 1530 4930 4940 6080 11975 13710
2030-2100 UTC 909 1530 4930 6080 11975 13710
2030-2100 UTC 4940 Saturday & Sunday only
2100-2200 UTC 1530 6080 15580

English to Zimbabwe
1730-1800 UTC 909 4930 12080 15775 Monday-Friday only
1720-1740 UTC 909 4930 12080 15775 Saturday & Sunday only
(Monitoring Times SW Guide)

Violence in Kenya Over Election Wait
By KATHARINE HOURELD, Associated Press Writer

NAIROBI, Kenya — Thousands of Kenyans enraged over delays in announcing the country's next president burned down homes and attacked political rivals with sticks and machetes on Saturday, tainting a vote that initially was seen as a beacon of hope for democracy in Africa.

Three people were shot dead during protests in Migori, 360 miles west of Nairobi, said area police chief Grace Kaindi. In the capital Nairobi, hundreds of supporters of opposition candidate Raila Odinga marching on the electoral commission were beaten back by police using tear gas.

With votes in 180 of 210 constituencies counted, Odinga clung to his razor-thin lead by 38,000 votes. Despite pleas from both parties to release final results quickly, electoral commission chairman Samuel Kivuitu suspended announcing tallies for the night, promising to look into allegations of rigging from both sides
Read more from Fox News at:
http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Dec29/0,4670,KenyaElections,00.htm l

Thousands of Machete-Wielding Kenyans Loot Shops in Election Clash
Read more from Fox News at:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318988,00.html

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, formerly on 4915 kHz, is currently inactive on shortwave.

Internet Streamng Audio Links from Kenya
Capital 98.4 FM http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/capitalRadio/
TBN Family Media http://www.familykenya.com/
Hope FM http://www.hopefm.org/
KASS FM http://www.kassfm.co.ke/
KISS 100 FM Nairobi http://www.kissfm.co.ke/
Kenya TV channels abandon international news relays
Kenya’s top TV channels by audience, NTV, KTN and Citizen, have all abandoned live feeds of international news channels for the time being. The main local TV stations used to switch over to round-the-clock news channels like CNN and BBC World overnight. But when international media networks increasingly started focusing on events in Kenya, local media abandoned that and screened repeats instead.
“When we met the Permanent Secretary at the Information Ministry, Bitange Ndemo, he said that news like those (channels) should not be shown,” Hannington Gaya, chairman of Kenya’s 20-member Media Owners’ Association, told Reuters. ”That directive was given verbally by the PS. Ndemo said it was too risky to put it in writing.” Satellite broadcasters continued beaming international news to subscribers.
Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the authorities had not put any limit on local content, just forced a delay, and were determined to ensure freedom of speech was protected. ”But as you are aware, there are ongoing skirmishes across the country that have to be contained and it is essential not to perpetuate them through incitement,” he said.
Paris-based media watchdog Reporters without Borders has condemned the move. “The news blackout could result in the streets being ruled by rumour and disinformation,” it said on Monday. “It imposes a climate of intimidation and plunges the country into confusion.”
(Source: Reuters/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)