Thirty days after seasonal changes took
place, International radio schedules show how deep reductions are affecting
short and mediumwave.
From
Russia, the Voice of Russia announced that their Swiss relay on medium wave 558
kHz will be closed down as from December 31st, 2012. The future of the antenna is still
uncertain. It used to be the main outlet
for Swiss Italian language public radio until 2005 but it found a new life as
German, French and Italian programs from Radio Moscow were re-directed to
Central Europe from its powerful antenna looking over the Alps.
The
Voice of Russia will concentrate its mediumwave broadcasts to Southern Europe
on 1548 kHz from Moldova but also through a digital TV channel in North West
Italy. As you know digital TV is
offering also a new chance to listen to radio and at the Voice of Russia
they’re testing this opportunity to get in touch with old and new listeners.
Similar
tests have been conducted also by Radio France Internationale and the Vatican
Radio but coverage is proving to be very limited while costs are still unknown.
On
short wave we notice heavy cuts and many frequencies have been silenced. I’m truly upset as I find nothing on the 49
meters band, once the most popular European short wave band. Some broadcasts are still aired from Vienna,
Austria, in German at 07.00 UTC on 6155 kHz.
A taste of the past.
During
daytime only, Romania, Spain and Turkey seem to be active as usual in Southern
Europe, especially on higher frequencies, for instance:
* Radio Romania
International in French on 15150 kHz at 11.30 UTC,
* Radio
Exterior de España in Spanish on 15585 kHz at 11.45 UTC,
* The Voice of
Turkey in German on 17755 kHz at 12.45 UTC.
Some
broadcasts to Africa are also heard in Europe.
From Woofferton England, Deutsche Welle is beaming its French program to
Central Africa at 12:00 UTC on 17800 kHz, thus giving a chance to shortwave
listeners in Europe too, after they abandoned all broadcasts to the Old
Continent.
If
you wish to be informed on what is going on in the Italian and European
international broadcasting scene, please check our website www.italradio.org . You will find a web
portal with current news in English.
(AWR Wavescan/NWS199/A Peterson)
