Friday, June 07, 2019

AIR India may have to power off shortwave transmissions


Sobhana K. Nair

Prasar Bharati has asked it to come up with a proposal to phase out SW transmitters
If Prasar Bharati has its way, All India Radio will have to stop all global short wave transmissions — eighty years after it began international broadcasting in 1939. AIR is resisting the move arguing that it will curtail its global reach.

There are about 46 short wave transmitters that run both domestic and external services. Out of these, 28 are used for the external services alone. Barring three transmitters that were recently installed, all the others will have to be shut down over the next six-months. The external services are broadcast to 150 countries in 13 Indian languages and 15 foreign languages.

Prasar Bharati had written to the AIR in May third week asking it to come up with a proposal to phase out the short wave transmitters.

Additional story at: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/air-may-have-to-power-off-short-wave-transmissions/article27584333.ece