Sixty-five years ago, in May 1959, Tunisia launched its international service on short waves. The first short wave transmitter was in Djedeida near Tunis (36°50'12.4"N 9°55'45.5"E). This is a 50 kW Telefunken.
Ten years later, a new transmitter center is installed in Sidi-Mansour, near Sfax (34°49'13.9"N 10°51'08.5"E). It comes equipped with 2 100 kW Telefunken transmitters. Antennas point to the Maghreb, Europe and the Middle East.
In 1975, a third transmitter of the same type came to strengthen broadcasting.
In 1999, after the end of the Cold War and as all countries reduced their investment in short waves, Tunisia did the opposite! The transmitter center was modernized at a great cost. All transmitters were replaced by four 500 kW Thales TSW2500. To finance the works the Tunisian state made a thirty-year loan that it must repay by 2028.
After repayment of the first deadlines, the National Office of Television noted it is necessary to save money and the transmitters are only used at reduced capacity. Worse yet, while only half the loan is repaid, the government is trying to find a buyer for this material.
Unfortunately, the shortwave market had collapsed and 500 kW transmitters had become unsellable. At the end of 2013, broadcast on shortwave were suppressed, because it costs nearly 3 million dinars/year to taxpayers.
Since then, Radio Tunis International has broadcasted its programs in French, Italian, English, German and Spanish on medium waves 963 kHz, 100kW and FM at Bizerte 92.0 MHz Tunis 98.2 MHz Sousse 92.0 Mhz Sfax 99.5 MHz Kef 88.2 MHz Gafsa 101.8 MHz and fortunately on the net at http://www.rtci.tn/ and apps.
Over the years, this large international chain has served more foreign residents and tourists.
(Radio World/FB)
(edited by Teak Publishing for clarity)
