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Friday, January 18, 2008

Radio New Zealand Int'l Mailbox Documentary


Pacific Island Public Radio
RNZI Mailbox documentary
January 21

The latest Radio Heritage Foundation documentary on Radio New Zealand International [RNZI] looks at the impending sale of government owned SBC Samoa and considers its impact on local public radio in Samoa.

Previous privatization examples include Radio Cook Islands and WVUV American Samoa. How have these stations fared since? What are the FM radio options that listeners in Apia, Pago Pago and Avarua currently enjoy.

Other broadcasters from outside the region, such as Radio China International and Radio Australia, are now opening commercial free FM relay stations across the region. Are the days of locally funded and operated public radio stations in the islands numbered?

Currently, the 540 AM signal of SBC1 provides cyclone warnings for a wide arc of islands including the two Samoas, Niue and Tokelau. With the station being sold, will this vital emergency service continue or be closed down to save costs?

Listen to Mailbox on RNZI on Monday January 21 as David Ricquish of the Radio Heritage Foundation explores some of the issues. Visit http://www.rnzi.com/ for shortwave frequencies and times, and to download an audio on demand version of the program that will be available online
for four weeks from January 21.

For more information about broadcasting in the two Samoas, Cook Islands and Tokelau, visit www.radioheritage.net. An online version of the program script along with exclusive images of Samoan radio will also be available from later in January at www.radioheritage.net.

Updated versions of the full Pacific Asian Log Radio Guides for Mediumwave and Shortwave stations across the region are also available, and a new series of Pacific Radio Guides including all FM stations in the region will be available shortly at http://www.radioheritage.net/.

The Radio Heritage Foundation
"Sharing the Stories of Pacific Radio" http://www.radioheritage.net/

Radio New Zealand International website: http://www.rnzi.com/
(Source:David Ricquish/Radio Heritage Foundation)