The Internet’s Impact on International Radio

Many broadcasters saved money by moving from high-power shortwave transmissions to the web. But at what cost?

James Careless

OTTAWA — During the height of the Cold War (1947–1991), the shortwave radio bands were alive with international state-run broadcasters; transmitting their respective views in multiple languages to listeners around the globe.

The western bloc’s advocates were led by the BBC World Service, and included Voice of America, Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe, Radio Canada International and a host of influential European broadcasters. The eastern bloc’s de facto team captain was the USSR’s Radio Moscow (with its unique hollow, echoing sound), supplemented by broadcasters in Soviet satellite countries (like East Germany’s Radio Berlin International) and allies like Fidel Castro’s Radio Havana Cuba

Additional text at Radio World:
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Photos of listeners to the Swiss shortwave service, 1930s-1950s

"This year the internet portal swissinfo.ch is marking its 75th anniversary. The Swiss shortwave service was set up in 1935 and was renamed Swiss Radio International (SRI) in 1978. Listeners from all over the world were very motivated to write in, as a look in our archive reveals."
(Kim Elliott)