Unfortunate news from the Voice of America: Congress has approved major cuts to US international broadcasting over shortwave. Thanks to Dan Robinson for sharing this significant news. Dan writes:
This news emerging from VOA late Friday:
VOA to end shortwave broadcasts in English and several language services Monday.
Received this late Friday afternoon: "FAREWELL TO SHORTWAVE".
We were informed late Friday that BBG's proposed shortwave cuts for FY2014 have been approved by theCongress. As of the end of the day on Monday, June 30th, all shortwave frequencies for the English News
programs to Asia will be eliminated. We will no longer be heard via shortwave in the morning (12-16 UT),
and in the evening (22-02 UT) ... mostly in Asia.
Shortwave frequencies for the following services will also be eliminated:
Azerbaijani, Bangla, English (Learning), Khmer, Kurdish, Lao and Uzbek.
Shortwave being used by services at RFE/RL and RFA are also being cut. Because shortwave has been a cheap and effective way to receive communications in countries with poor infrastructure or repressive
regimes, it was a good way to deliver information. But broadcasting via shortwave is expensive, and its use by listeners has been on the decline for years. At the BBG, the cost vs. impact equation no longer favors
broadcasts via this medium to most of the world.
Important for us is that we will continue to be heard on shortwave frequencies during those hours we broadcast to Africa. Also, we know through our listener surveys that about half of our audience in Asia and the rest of the world listens to us via the web and podcast - so all is not lost.
Let's break the news about this change to our audiences starting Sunday night. I doubt specific frequencies are critical to announce. The important point to make for our listeners is that we encourage their continued
listening through local affiliates, and on the web at "voanews.com."
(Dan Robinson-USA via Dave Porter G4OYX {ex-VoA / BBC Woofferton site}
Sweeping cuts to VOA, RFE and RFA shortwave services.
Bureaucrats gave listeners little time to learn about shortwave cuts by VOA, RFA, and RFE/RL.
(WWDXC/Top News 1167/29 June 2014)
BBG Watch Commentary
Executives in charge of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), which operates radio transmissions for
the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), have once again shown their contempt for loyal radio listeners of many years, as well as for Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and Radio Free Europe /
Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalists and broadcasters who prepare shortwave radio broadcasts, which IBB
just announced it wants to terminate at the end of the day on June 30, 2014 in a massive and in most cases
complete cut affecting many countries without free media:
Belarus, Caucasus, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iraq (Kurdish), Cambodia, Laosand Vietnam.
At the very least, BBG members should intervene and tell IBB executives that they cannot give radio listeners only a day or two to adjust to such a major change. They should also demand that IBB executives show a
little more respect for managers and journalists at VOA, RFA, and RFE/RL.
All shortwave frequencies will also be eliminated for Voice of America English radio broadcasts to Asia,
Voice of America's English teaching programs, and VOA programs to Bangladesh.
(additional story at: http://bbgwatch.com/bbgwatch/bureaucrats-gave-listeners-little-time-to-learn-about-shortwave-cuts-by-voa-rfa-and-rferl/
USA
Voice of America to end shortwave broadcasts in English and several language services. From Monday June 30 all shortwave frequencies for English News programs to Asia will be eliminated. We will no longer be heard via shortwave in the morning 2200-0200 UT and in the evening 1200-1600 UT.
Shortwave frequencies for the following services will also be eliminated:
There are no listings below for additional VOA Asian services including Burmese, Cantonese,
Chinese, Korean and Tibetan.
All times UTC
Azerbaijani
1730-1800 7435 KWT 250 kW 058 deg to CeAs
1730-1800 9490 BIB 100 kW 080 deg to CeAs
1730-1800 11985 SMG 250 kW 073 deg to CeAs
Bangla
1600-1700 7475 UDO 250 kW 300 deg to SoAs
1600-1700 11850 UDO 250 kW 300 deg to SoAs
English
2200-2300 5895 IRA 250 kW 065 deg to SoEaAS Sun-Thu
2200-2300 5915 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAS Sun-Thu
2200-2300 7480 KWT 250 kW 058 deg to SoAS Sun-Thu
2200-2300 7575 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SoEaAS Sun-Thu
2200-2300 12150 TIN 250 kW 313 deg to EaAS Sun-Thu
2300-2400 5895 PHT 250 kW 275 deg to SEAs
2300-2400 7480 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAs
2300-2400 7575 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
2300-2400 12150 TIN 250 kW 313 deg to EaAs
0100-0200 7425 KWT 250 kW 082 deg to SoAs
0100-0200 9780 IRA 250 kW 356 deg to SoAs
0100-0200 15205 UDO 250 kW 292 deg to SoAs
1200-1300 7575 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAs
1200-1300 9510 PHT 250 kW 283 deg to SEAs
1200-1300 12075 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to SEAs
1200-1300 12150 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to EaAs
1300-1400 7575 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAS Sat/Sun
1300-1400 9510 PHT 250 kW 283 deg to SoEaAS Sat/Sun
1300-1400 12075 TIN 250 kW 305 deg to EaAS Sat/Sun
1300-1400 12150 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to SoEaAS Sat/Sun
1400-1500 7575 UDO 250 kW 268 deg to SoAS Mon-Fri
1400-1500 12110 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SoAS Mon-Fri
1400-1500 15490 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SoEaAS Mon-Fri
1500-1600 7575 UDO 250 kW 268 deg to SoAs
1500-1600 12110 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SoAs
1500-1600 15490 UDO 250 kW 280 deg to SoAs
English Learning
2230-2300 7460 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
2230-2300 9570 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAs
2230-2300 11840 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to EaAs
2300-2400 7460 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
2300-2400 9570 UDO 250 kW 018 deg to EaAs
2300-2400 11840 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to EaAs
0030-0100 7425 KWT 250 kW 082 deg to SoAs
0030-0100 9790 KWT 250 kW 078 deg to SEAs
0030-0100 12015 UDO 250 kW 030 deg to EaAs
0030-0100 12150 UDO 250 kW 280 deg to SEAs
0030-0100 15290 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to EaAs
0030-0100 17820 PHT 250 kW 021 deg to EaAs
1500-1600 6140 UDO 250 kW 284 deg to SoAs
1500-1600 7540 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SoAs
1500-1600 9400 PHT 250 kW 349 deg to EaAs
Khmer
2200-2230 5905 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
2200-2230 9320 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
1330-1430 11695 IRA 250 kW 073 deg to SEAs
Kurdish
0500-0600 11995 SMG 250 kW 114 deg to WeAS
0500-0600 15560 IRA 250 kW 310 deg to WeAS
0500-0600 17870 BIB 100 kW 085 deg to WeAS
1400-1500 15470 BOT 100 kW 010 deg to WeAS
1400-1500 17870 IRA 250 kW 299 deg to WeAS
1700-1800 7365 BIB 100 kW 105 deg to WeAS
1700-1800 9850 BIB 100 kW 105 deg to WeAS
1700-1800 11995 IRA 250 kW 315 deg to WeAS
Lao
1230-1300 11965 PHT 250 kW 270 deg to SEAs
Uzbek
1500-1530 11810 KWT 250 kW 046 deg to CeAs
1500-1530 11920 SMG 250 kW 073 deg to CeAs
1500-1530 13650 UDO 250 kW 316 deg to CeAs
1500-1530 17600 KWT 250 kW 046 deg to CeAs
Shortwave being used by services at Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia are also being
cut. (Ivo Ivanov-BUL, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 28)
(Top Nx 1167/WWDXC)
