"Resumed" radio broadcast from South to North Korea

AP, 24 May 2010: Hyung-Jin Kim "South Korea's military resumed radio broadcasts airing Western music, news and comparisons between the South and North Korean political and economic situations late Monday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The military also planned to launch propaganda leaflets Tuesday to inform North Koreans about the ship sinking. In coming weeks, South Korea also will install dozens of propaganda loudspeakers and towering electronic billboards along the heavily armed land border between the two Koreas.

The action, which ends a six-year suspension, is expected to draw an angry response from North Korea. The country's military already warned Monday it would fire at any propaganda facilities installed in the Demilitarized Zone." -- The Korean Broadcasting System's KBS Global Radio, on three powerful medium wave transmitters which can easily reach into North Korea, has always been on the air. Is it reverting to more aggressive reporting about North Korea? This network has been criticized in recent years for holding back in its coverage of North Korea, in line with the ROK's policy of reaching out to Pyongyang. Or are the "resumed" broadcasts a revival or revitalization of clandestine stations beamed to North Korea?

BBC News, 25 May 2010: "South Korea's defence ministry said the first radio programme, entitled Voice of Freedom, went out on Monday evening. Broadcasts would take place three times a day, a spokesman said. He said the programme would be broadcast through high-performance loudspeakers that will be installed along the demilitarised zone. 'Initially we are installing loudspeakers at 14 places along the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone). The installation requires several months of work,' the spokesman told AFP news agency. South Korea says it will also drop propaganda leaflets into the North to tell people about the Cheonan incident as soon as possible, and set up giant electronic billboards to flash messages."

Bloomberg, 24 May 2010, Bomi Lim: "South Korea broadcast a pop song extolling freedom of choice and a warning on the dangers of overeating into North Korea, ending a six-year moratorium on propaganda in retaliation for the sinking of a warship. The four-hour radio program yesterday evening included a speech by South Korean President Lee Myung Bak outlining his government’s response to the March 26 sinking, which an international panel concluded was caused by a North Korean torpedo. ...

The propaganda broadcast made on FM radio began at 6 p.m. local time yesterday when a woman anchor announced what she called the 'voice of freedom.' North Korean listeners were regaled with a song by a South Korean girl band, Four Minute. ... The broadcast then explained how South Koreans no longer experience hunger, and are more worried about getting fat. 'Always remember, we want to share our prosperity with you,' the anchor said, accusing North Korean officials of enriching themselves while the people go hungry."

AFP, 25 May 2010: "One group of loudspeakers on the Seoul side could be heard more than 20km from the frontline at night time." See previous post about same subject.

VOA correspondent Steve Herman tweets: "ROK military reported to have launched broadcasts targeting DPRK called 'Voice of Freedom' on 103.1 & 107.3 MHz FM." -- So does the South Korean military know that most North Koreans now have radios with FM bands? Or are they using FM because it is the predominant waveband in the South?
(Kim Elliott)

VOA Amharic broadcasts jammed in Ethiopia

International shortwave radio monitors have confirmed that VOA broadcasts in the Amharic language are being jammed. Amharic is the main official language and the language of commerce in Ethiopia. VOA representatives in Ethiopia have been received complaints from listeners about noise drowning out its Amharic Service broadcasts. People trying to tune in can hear occasional snippets of the VOA broadcast covered by a loud crackle.

The static began on 22 February on all five VOA shortwave frequencies aimed at East Africa [1800-1900 UTC on 9320/9485/9860/11675/11905 kHz] Deutsche Welle’s Amharic language programme, also reports experiencing some interference in the past few days.

Voice of America jammed
Monitors say VOA transmissions in two other Ethiopian languages, Afan Oromo and Tigrinya, are being heard normally. They are broadcast on the same frequencies, before and after the hour-long Amharic programme.

VOA and Deutsche Welle were jammed around the time of the last parliament election in 2005, and again before the 2008 nationwide local elections. The next crucial parliament vote is scheduled for 23 May. In 2008, BBC Monitoring reported that it was able to determine that the jamming signals originated from within Ethiopia. This time, however, no such determination has been made.

In a telephone interview, Ethiopian Communications Office spokesman Shimelis Kemal denied any government involvement in the jamming. “This is a baseless allegation. The government doesn’t espouse a policy of restricting media outlets from disseminating their messages to Ethiopian audiences,” he said.

Ethiopian officials have often described VOA’s Amharic Service as the ‘voice of the opposition’, saying its broadcasts reveal an anti-government bias. Meleskachew Ameha, an Amharic Service reporter in Addis Ababa, was detained for two weeks, last year, in a case involving alleged possession of illegal broadcast equipment. He was released without charge.

Audience research in 2008 suggested about 11 percent of adult Ethiopians regularly tune in to VOA language service broadcasts. Voice of America Director Danforth Austin has issued a statement saying, ‘VOA deplores jamming and any other form of censorship of the media’.
(Source: VOA/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

VOA and Radio Martí launch joint news program

The Voice of America and Radio Martí have launched a joint news program in Spanish called A fondo (In Depth). According to the VOA website, in a co-production of the Voice of America and Radio Martí, a team of journalists, correspondents and producers gathers to offer, from Monday to Friday, the main news that happened in Latin America and United States.

A fondo presents news, interviews and special reports of interest for the countries of the Latin American region. It is transmitted through the frequencies of the Voice of America and Radio Martí at 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm Washington time (0100-0200 UTC), as well as on the Internet at www.voanoticias.com and www.martinoticias.com.
(Source: VOA website/R Netherlands Media Netowrk Weblog)

VOA and Radio Liberty schedule updates

All times UTC
NF = new frequency

USA(non)
Frequency change of Voice of America:
1400-1500 NF 17500 LAM 100 kW / 077 deg, addit. in Tibetan
1500-1600 on 9700 UDO 250 kW / 292 deg, deleted in English

1500-1600 NF 7520 PHT 250 kW / 200 deg, x 15550 in English Special
1500-1600 on 9760 PHT 250 kW / 270 deg, deleted in English Special
1530-1630 on 9940 PHT 250 kW / 283 deg, deleted in Burmese
1530-1600 NF 9390 IRA 250 kW / 299 deg, ex 9405 in Farsi
1900-2100 NF 6070 PHT 250 kW / 021 deg, ex 9510 in Korean

USA(non)
Frequency changes of Radio Liberty:
0000-0130 NF 7490 IRA 250 kW / 299 deg, additional Farsi Radio Farda
0300-0400 NF 17825 PHL 250 kW / 315 deg, ex 9855 in Uzbek
0300-0500 NF 13860 IRA 250 kW / 316 deg, additional Farsi Radio Farda
0630-0800 NF 13860 IRA 250 kW / 322 deg, additional Farsi Radio Farda
1500-1530 on 7465 BIB 100 kW / 088 deg, deleted in Kyrgyz
1500-1600 NF 9405 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg, ex 7480 in Azeri
1500-1600 NF 7430 BIB 100 kw / 088 deg, ex 7420 in Turkmen
1600-1700 NF 9760 WER 250 kW / 105 deg, ex 7340 in Farsi Radio Farda
1800-1900 on 11670 LAM 100 kW / 092 deg, new program in Azeri
(DX Mix News #592 via Jaisakthivel, India & wb, Germany)

Karzai Apparant Afghan Winner in Spite of Election Fraud: CIA Chief

VOA has exclusive interview with Panetta

Washington, D.C., September 18, 2009 – Afghan President Hamid Karzai appears to have won re-election despite "some degree of corruption and fraud" in last month's presidential contest, CIA Director Leon Panetta told the Voice of America (VOA) in an exclusive interview aired today.

"I think that what appears to be the case is that even after they eliminate some of the votes that resulted because of fraud, that Karzai … still looks like the individual who is going to win that election," Panetta told VOA (www.VOANews.com ) in an interview in Dearborn, Mich., before he spoke at an Arab-American community dinner.

'It's clear that there was some degree of corruption and fraud involved in the election," Panetta said. "It's being viewed now by commissions involved in counting those votes."

A U.N. electoral oversight group has ordered a partial recount in the election which has preliminary final results giving Karzai enough of a lead to avoid a runoff with former Foreign Minister Abdullah Adbullah.

Panetta also told VOA that the Taliban NATO troops are fighting in Afghanistan today are much different from the Taliban that existed prior to 2001. "You don’t just have one brand of Taliban. The ones that we're most concerned with, however, are those that are obviously engaging in military action, are taking American lives…."

The Taliban, Panetta said, also continue to "receive encouragement from the terrorists who are located in Pakistan."

On other issues, Panetta said:

• He's urged CIA officials to "do our job. Let's stick together" in the face of the Justice Department's probe of the CIA's past interrogation tactics. "I think that if we get trapped by the politics of the past, it'll take away our future and impact on our ability to do our jobs," he said.

• There is a debate within Iran as to whether the country should become a nuclear weapons power. "Our intelligence is that they (Iran) are proceeding to develop a nuclear capability in terms of power and low-grade uranium," he said, adding that internal debate "provides an opening, hopefully, to try to influence the future direction of Iran."
(VOA)

BBC World Service does not want to report "from behind barriers" in Afghanistan

"News organisations have warned that the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan could affect their coverage of the conflict in the country, following the rescue of a kidnapped New York Times journalist in which a British soldier was killed early today. ... Peter Horrocks, the director of the BBC World Service, which runs a Persian-language TV and radio service in the country, said that the organisation was preparing for a long war. 'We hear what the politicians and the military are saying. We are gearing up for a story we have to cover for a long time to come,' he added. Horrocks ackowledged that 'there are some parts of the country where it is impossible to operate without being on the side of the western military', but said the BBC was determined to avoid 'report[ing] from behind barriers'. He added that 'experienced [local] stringers and reporters' could 'sometimes operate more effectively than western reporters' in Afghanistan and that the World Service would continue to use them widely. 'Some of the reporting about the aftermath of the elections and [allegations] of fraud has been dug up by members of the Persian TV team,' he said." James Robinson, The Guardian, 9 September 2009
(Kim Elliott blog)

RFE/RL & VOA to Expand Reach into Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Region

Washington, DC, 06/25/2009
Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) will receive additional resources to expand critical radio broadcasts to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region as part of the $106 billion emergency war bill signed today.

With the exception of VOA's Radio Deewa, little independent news and information is available in the volatile border region. Extremist radio stations have proliferated in recent months, and the new programs will bolster current U.S. efforts to provide an alternative source of independent news and information to the Pashto speaking people in Pakistan. The expanded programming of Radio Deewa, and new programming from RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, will feature a wide range of news, political, and cultural programs with call-in shows and content geared toward women and youth. Programs will be distributed via shortwave, FM and the Internet. "Radio is a powerful medium. Extremists encouraging violence understand this," said D. Jeffrey Hirschberg, of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) which oversees both VOA and RFE/RL. "Our broadcasts are an antidote to such extremism and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand our programs. They will be central to providing an alternate view, one based on accuracy and balance, which is generally absent from local media."

About Deewa Radio Created in October 2006, Deewa Radio targets an estimated 35 million Pashto-speaking people in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, including the NWFP where some 2.5 million people have been displaced as Pakistani military battle Taliban fighters. Deewa also reaches Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Baluchistan.

Earlier this month, Deewa Radio added three hours of programming in the morning to complement the six hours of evening news and information broadcasts. In addition to news, programs include information about health, shelter, social issues, education, science and culture. The program provides a lifeline to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in camps and elsewhere. Up to 300 people per day routinely call in to Deewa Radio programs. VOA also reaches millions of people daily through its popular radio and TV Ashna in Dari and Pashto, as well as its Urdu radio program Aap Ki Dunya and Beyond the Headlines Urdu television program. About Radio Azadi RFE/RL will launch a new radio program for the Pashto-speaking people of Pakistan, complementing VOA's existing programming to the volatile region.

This expands RFE/RL's existing Afghan service, Radio Azadi, the most popular radio station in Afghanistan which reaches more than 50% of the adult population with programs in Dari and Pashto. It was launched in 2001 as part of an effort to build a peaceful and democratic Afghanistan following the ouster of the Taliban.
(BBG Press Release/Alokesh Gupta)

VOA - Radio Sawa changes frequency

Via: São Tomé

Voice of America - Radio Sawa
Hello Darfur in Sudanese Arabic:
0300-0330 UTC new frequency 9650 SAO 100 kW / 076 deg, ex 11635, parrell 4960 SAO, 5995 NAU
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 22/DX Mix News # 578)

Kim Jong-Un profiled in VOA interview

A rare opportunity provides in-depth information


Washington, D.C., June 10, 2009 – Kim Jong Un, the likely successor to North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, looks like his father, plays computers and basketball and rates a Whitney Houston song as a favorite, the family’s former sushi chef said in an interview with VOA's Korean Service.

Kenji Fujimoto, who now lives in Japan, worked for Kim Jong-Il from 1988-2001. Fujimoto served sushi to, sneaked cigarettes to and played basketball with Jong Un from the time he was seven until he was 18. In 2001, Fujimoto manufactured an excuse to visit Japan and didn't return.

"He looked and acted like his father and everybody thought he would be his father's successor," Fujimoto told VOA recently.

Fujimoto also said Jong Un hated to be called "little general" because he doesn't want to be treated as the younger and smaller brother; started smoking and drinking when he became a teenager; liked to give orders and was regarded as having a "take charge" personality. He also enjoyed listening to Houston's “I Will Always Love You,” the theme song from The Bodyguard.

"This interview was a rare opportunity, and we were able to get in-depth information about the family of Kim Jong-Il," said Dong Hyuk Lee, Chief of the VOA Korean Service. Fujimoto has rarely given interviews since Kim Jong-Un was tapped two weeks ago to replace his father.

VOA Korean broadcasts five hours of radio programming daily (8:00-11:00 a.m. and 3:00-5:00 p.m. in Korea). The full interview in Korean, the Service's regular broadcasts, and VOA's English language coverage relating to North Korea are available at www.VOANews.com/Korean and http://www.voanews.com/ .
(photo/Eric Lafforgue,flickr)

VOA & Radio Liberty schedule updates

All times UTC NF= new frequency

USA(non) Frequency changes of IBB:
0300-0400 NF 9435 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg, ex 11530 RL in No.Caucasus langs*
0330-0400 NF 5945 SAO 100 kW / 088 deg,new txion VOA in Somali
0330-0400 NF 12110 LAM 100 kW / 132 deg,new txion VOA in Somali
0330-0400 NF 15430 BOT 100 kW / 010 deg,new txion VOA in Somali
0500-0530 NF 5945 BIB 100 kW / 126 deg, ex 9460 VOA in Albanian
1400-1500 NF 12075 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg, ex 9685 RL in Turkmen
1500-1530 NF 12110 UDO 250 kW / 316 deg, ex 7280 VOA in Uzbek
1700-1800 NF 15455 BIB 100 kW / 085 deg, ex 9530 VOA in Georgian
1730-1800 NF 5830 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg, ex 5820 VOA in Azeri
1800-1830 NF 12080 GB 250 kW / 094 deg, ex 9815 VOA in Portuguese Mon-Fri
1800-1830 NF 11960 MEY 250 kW / 335 deg, ex 6170 VOA in Portuguese Mon-Fri
1800-1830 NF 15730 MDC 250 kW / 275 deg, ex 7310 VOA in Portuguese Mon-Fri
1900-2000 NF 6120 MEY 250 kW / 335 deg, ex 5990 VOA in English
*Avari/Chechen/Chercassi
(DX News # 576 via wb, Germany & Alokesh Gupta, India)

International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB)
330 Independence Avenue SW
Room 3360
Washington, DC 20237
USA

Non technical correspondence should be sent to the Voice of America address in Washington, DC.
Reception reports: letters@VOA.gov
Website: (Streaming/on-demand audio) http://www.voanews.com
Email: voanews@voanews.com
(Addresses via World QSL Book)

VOA increases broadcast hours to Pakistan

Starting this week, people in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province, as well as the rest of the country, can listen to a six-hour Voice of America (VOA) radio program of news and information in Pashto, Urdu and English on FM, AM, shortwave and the Internet. The trilingual program will feature news packages, talk shows and in-depth analysis of events in the United States and Pakistan. It will be broadcast across Pakistan, with a focus on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, from 12 am until 6 am. ( 1900-0100 UTC). The format replaces an existing program that was exclusively on music.
“This new program will give all Pakistanis, particularly those living in the remote region along the Afghan border, more opportunity to hear VOA’s objective news coverage of what’s happening in the world and in South Asia,” said VOA Director Danforth Austin.

VOA currently broadcasts six hours of radio news and information in Urdu daily to Pakistan, from 7 pm-12 am (1400-1900 UTC) and from 6 am-7 am (0100-0200 UTC) VOA also broadcasts from 6 pm-12 pm (1300-1900 UTC) to Pakistan in Pashto. In addition, VOA’s Urdu Service produces a daily television show, Beyond the Headlines.

Urdu and English are the official languages of Pakistan, a country with about 172 million people. But an estimated 40 million people in Pakistan speak Pashto, primarily those living near the Afghanistan border.

VOA’s broadcasting to Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province can be found online at www.VOANews.com, www.urduvoa.com and www.VOANews.com/deewa .
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

VOA Series Tackles Challenging Pakistani - India Issue
Format encourages engagement
Washington, D.C., January 28, 2009 - Voice of America's (VOA) Urdu and Hindi Services today launched a new television segment aimed at encouraging constructive dialogue about issues involving Pakistan and India.The weekly segments, called Samjhauta Express, feature Urdu journalist Kokab Farshori and Hindi journalist Niharika Acharya discussing traditionally tendentious issues between their two countries, such as trade, Kashmir, separated families and farming along the border.

The format encourages engagement on a wide range of bilateral matters. The debut segment focused on the role Ambassador Richard Holbooke is playing as the Obama administration’s new U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.The series is named after the train service Samjhauta Express, which has linked Pakistan and India since 1976. Samjhauta means “understanding” in both languages."The way Samjhauta Express brings two countries together, so will we try, in a small way, to do the same through this segment," said Acharya. Farshori added that, despite differences, India and Pakistan now realize they have a "common enemy – terrorism." Samjhauta Express, which runs from two to four minutes, airs weekly on affiliate television stations Geo TV in Pakistan and Zee TV in India during the newscasts of VOA Urdu's Beyond the Headlines and VOA Hindi's America Live, respectively.

They will also be streamed on the Internet at www.VOANews.com/Urdu and www.VOANews.com/Hindi.The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts approximately 1,500 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 134 million people. Programs are produced in 45 languages.
For more information, call VOA Public Relations at (202) 203-4959, or e-mail askvoa@voanews.com .
(Voice of America)

Voice of America and Radio Liberty schedule updates

All times UTC

Voice of America and Radio Liberty schedule updates via Germany/ Mariana Islands, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand relays

All times UTC - new frequency

1200-1300 NF 9320 PHL 250 kW / 021 deg, x15190 VOA English
1200-1300 NF 7575 IRA 250 kW / 033 deg, x 9345 VOA English
1300-1400 NF 7575 TIN 250 kW / 279 deg, x 9345 VOA English
1400-1600 NF 7575 UDO 250 kW / 280 deg, x 7125 VOA English
1600-1630 NF 9465 WER 250 kW / 105 deg, x11885 VOA Georgian
1600-1630 NF 9665 BIB 100 kW / 088 deg, x11525 VOA Georgian
1700-1800 NF 7435 BIB 100 kW / 063 deg, x 7305 Radio Liberty Russian
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Jan 5/DX Mix News # 554)

Zimbabwe gets vital news from VOA during crisis

Daily radio program 'Studio 7' broadcasts in English, Shona, and Ndebele

WASHINGTON, December 9, 2008 - The Voice of America (VOA) is providing Zimbabweans with vital information on health, politics and international developments during the crisis that led President Bush today to join those calling for the country's leader to step down.

"The VOA's Studio 7, broadcasting in English, Shona and Ndebele, has long played a critical role in informing the people of Zimbabwe about what is happening in their country," said VOA Executive Editor Steve Redisch. "The country's escalating crisis, and the worldwide attention to it, make accurate news and information more important than ever for Zimbabweans," he said.

In recent months, Studio 7, a daily radio program that has been on the air since 2003, has reported in detail on the humanitarian crisis that intensified as the death toll from a cholera epidemic climbed to over 600, largely as a result of a lack of water treatment and broken sewage pipes.

Several weeks ago, Studio 7 reported on the virtual closure of the state hospital system in Harare and other cities shortly before the cholera epidemic. In addition, Studio 7 has interviewed local health experts and international officials daily. Discussion segments allow listeners to voice concerns about the country, which has few basic commodities, soaring unemployment and sky-high inflation.

In recent days, Studio 7 brought listeners interviews with former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, both members of a delegation dispatched to Zimbabwe by the international organization of eminent persons known as the Elders. The group was barred from entering Zimbabwe by the government.

Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis - along with the refusal of President Robert Mugabe to adhere to a power-sharing agreement with designated Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai - has prompted a growing chorus of international figures to call for Mugabe to leave.

Studio 7 is funded through a grant from USAID to VOA.

The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts approximately 1,500 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 134 million people. Programs are produced in 45 languages.
(VOA)

Bring It On - Mc Cain to Attend Debate at University of Mississippi

John McCain is resuming his campaign activities and will debate Barack Obama Friday night in Mississippi, McCain’s campaign announced two days after the Republican candidate said he would suspend his campaign to deal with a financial rescue plan being debated in Washington.

McCain’s campaign will resume “all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners,” the McCain campaign said in a statement released around 11:30 a.m. ET
Additional information from Fox News:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/26/mccain-to-attend-debate-at-university-of-mississippi/

Voice of America to carry presidential debates live
The Voice of America (VOA) will carry the first presidential candidates’ debate on foreign affairs live from Oxford, Mississippi, this evening providing international audiences with analyses and commentary. VOA is sending a team of journalists to cover the debate between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama.

VOA journalists from English-language programmes as well as those from Hindi, Urdu, Persian and Central African services will be on location at the University of Mississippi, with supplemental coverage at VOA’s Washington, DC headquarters.
In a special programme aimed at Urdu-speaking audiences in Pakistan, VOA and Pakistan TV (PTV) will assemble panelists in Islamabad and Washington to discuss issues raised in the debate about US relations with Pakistan and its neighbours.
“The 2008 presidential election is generating intense interest around the world,” said VOA Director Danforth W Austin. “VOA - reaching about 134 million people in 45 languages - is uniquely poised to explain to its audiences the differences and similarities in the candidates’ foreign policy positions.”

VOA will also cover future debates, including those between McCain and Obama at Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn., on October 7, and at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, on 15 October. It will also cover the debate between the Vice Presidential candidates, Senator Joseph Biden, the Democrat, and Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican, on 2 October 2 Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.

Televised debate coverage will be carried in English on all of VOA’s satellite paths - Intelsat 907, New Skies 806 and 703 (VC 340 only), Asiasat 3, and Eutelsat Hot Bird 3 (VC 340 only). Special coverage in Urdu of the presidential debates, but not the vice presidential debate, will air on New Skies 703 (VC 420), Asiasat 3 (VC 409), and Hot Bird 3 (VC 240).
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Follow the debate tonight on Voice of America. The debate is scheduled for pre coverage at 8:50 PM EDT (0050 UTC).

VOA - English

All times UTC
Target Areas: as (Asia) va (Various)

0000-0030 7555as

0030-0100 9715va 9780va 11725va 15185va 15205va 15290va 15560va 17820va

0100-0200 7430va 9780va 11705as

0130-0200 twhfa 6040va 9820va

0200-0300 9780va 11705va
(Source: Monitoring Times/SW Guide)

VOA audience numbers increase in Pakistan

The Voice of America's weekly radio and television audience in Pakistan, scene of recent tumultuous political events, nearly doubled over the past year to more than 11 million, or almost 12% of the surveyed population, a new survey shows.
“There’s been a lot of news, including a temporary crackdown on independent media, coming out of Pakistan in the past 12 months,” said Danforth Austin, VOA Director. “VOA has done a good job of covering events thoroughly, and listeners in Pakistan have obviously taken note,” he said. Additionally, VOA has improved cross-border distribution of its popular radio program on medium-wave frequencies, he said.
In a June 2008 survey by InterMedia, researchers found a huge jump – to 6.3% of the adult population from 2.8% – in VOA’s Urdu-language radio listenership. The weekly VOA television audience also reached 6% percent, even though the programme was shut down for nearly six months after then-Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf suspended the constitution in November 2007. Musharraf, who resigned last month, blocked television including foreign cable broadcasts and imposed restrictions on local reporters.
Researchers said political events, which included the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007 and “periodic crackdowns on key local media outlets may have driven more Pakistanis towards external information sources.”
VOA’s Aap Ki Dunyaa programme in Urdu – Your World in English – broadcasts 12 hours a day on mediumwave and shortwave. The program, aimed at young people, includes news, information, music, call-in shows and features. VOA’s Urdu service also produces a daily, 30-minute television programme – Beyond the Headlines – carried on two national TV networks, Aaj and Geo. Urdu is the country’s predominant language.
VOA also has a Pashto-language programme focusing on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. Deewa Radio, a 24/7 stream, produces six hours of news, features, current affairs and other programmes. Pakistanis also listen to VOA English.
(Source: VOA/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Voice of America non-English frequency updates

All times UTC NF new frequency

USA (non)

Frequency changes for Voice of America
0700-1000 NF 17775 TIN 250 kW / 304 deg, ex 17780 in Mandarin 1600-1700 NF 7330 PHT 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 7405 in Tibetan

USA(non)

Extended schedule for Voice of America in Georgian
1530-1600 NF 15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg, ex 15475
11945 IRA 250 kW / 324 deg
12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg
1600-1630 on 12105 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg
12130 KWT 250 kW / 058 deg
15460 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg
1700-1800 on 7420 UNID transmitter
11955 UNID transmitter

USA(non)

New SW schedule for VOA Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa in Urdu from Sep.1:
0100-0200 on 7135 IRA 250 kW / 332 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 11755 IRA
11805 UDO 250 kW / 300 deg, ex 0000-0100 on 7135 IRA
1400-1500 on 9510 UDO 250 kW / 296 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 9340 KWT/UDO
11690 KWT 250 kW / 086 deg, ex 1300-1400 on 15790 IRA

(Source: DX Mix News #535 via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

Rwandan minister threatens to close BBC and VOA FM relays in Kigali

The Rwandan Minister of Information has accused the BBC and Voice of America of “destroying the unity of the Rwandans” through their programmes in the national languages that are available on FM in the capital Kigali. Louise Mushikiwabo made the accusation during a broadcast on Monday by government-owned Radio Rwanda.
The Minister said the cause of the problem lies with the Rwandan journalists working for the two stations, emphasizing that their programmes in other languages “do not cause any problem”.
“We’re looking for a solution to the problem”, she continued, adding that the relevant authorities in Rwanda had informed the persons in charge of the two broadcasters of their concerns. She said that senior members of the Rwandan government have suspended the granting of interviews to the two stations “while hoping that they will correct themselves”.
She warned that the Rwandan government has “the capacity and the right” to suspend the broadcasting of these transmissions on its territory if the position does not change. ”The Rwandan authorities don’t want a press that acclaims them, but we ask that the press reports the facts faithfully; what we don’t want is lies and exaggeration”, she said.
(Source: Le Monde/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

America's voice abroad silenced as Georgia conflict continues

Posted on August 11th, 2008 by ted in All News, Congressional News, Country News, Government News, Russia News, US Government News, US NewsRead 229 times.

As Russia continues its military action against Georgia, the U.S. broadcasting station responsible for communicating with foreign audiences in times of crisis, has been prevented by a group of bipartisan political appointees from reaching out to the Russian-speaking audiences in the war-torn area with on-air radio news from Washington. The same political board had tried earlier to eliminate the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Georgia and Uzbekistan but failed to carry out its plans due to opposition in U.S. Congress and protests from human rights and media freedom NGOs, including FreeMediaOnline.org.
Continued story at Blogger News Network http://www.bloggernews.net/117189

Voice of America makes changes for Urdu service

Due to the local time change in Pakistan the following changes are effective from 1st September for VOA URDU SERVICE :

MW 972 1539 kHz is available at 1400-0200 hrs instead of 1300-0100 hrs.
SW service 0100-0200 (ex 0000-0100) on 7135 11805 kHz.
SW service 1400-1500 (ex 1300-1400) on 9510 11690 kHz.
http://dxasia.info/news/
(Alok Dasgupta via dxasia.info)

VOA director warns other nations on Web censorship

The head of the Voice of America has advised other countries that they must be on guard for Web censorship and “influence operations” disguised as journalism, and that they must protect journalists’ rights to gather information without fear of overzealous courts.
In a speech to a media conference in Bonn, VOA director Danforth Austin called for “a legal environment that provides a degree of protection for journalists,” saying that there should be a body of media law that includes “open-meeting laws, freedom-of-information statutes and transparency in the workings of government.”
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Read the story from Broadcasting and Cable at;
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6566280.html?industryid=47170