A message from the folks at the non-profit Radio Heritage Foundation about our latest radio documentary now vailable for download via Radio New Zealand International
Pacific Radio at the Crossroads
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'Just staying on air is a struggle'
The latest radio heritage documentary from the Radio Heritage Foundation at www.radioheritage.net examines the current state of radio broadcasting in the Pacific region, and concludes that 'just staying on air' is a struggle.
Issues facing radio stations across the region include natural disasters such as cyclones [hurricanes], volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis [tidal waves], human interference such as riots, coups, intimidation of staff and corruption, as well as resource problems such as skyrocketing oil prices, old equipment and the lack of trained technical staff. Hear vivid examples of these issues, and more!
'Solar powered panels don't last long in cyclones'!
The Pacific Plan calls for a study into the current state of radio broadcasting in the islands. It wants to see internet technology, satellite services and other ICT options introduced to provide more services for targeted groups such as rural and women listeners. However, as the documentary explains, these answers by themselves may not be enough to rescue Pacific island radio broadcasting from a precarious future.
'Bureaucrats get involved'!
Worse still, the listeners, the stations, program suppliers and others are being seemingly ignored by the deskbound bureaucrats behind the Pacific Plan. The already fragile nature of daily broadcasting by highly dedicated staff seems likely to be irreparably damaged - not enhanced - by the bureaucratic structures promised by the Pacific Plan.
ZCO Tonga 'nose-flute' Interval Signal Heard Again
The documentary includes rare station ID's, cyclone alert announcements and jingles from stations such as Radio Tonga, Sunshine Radio Niue and Radio Cook Islands. The program also features the original ZCO [Tonga] Call of the Friendly Islands station interval signal played on a traditional nose flute.
Listen to this documentary today by visiting www.rnzi.com, clicking on 'more audio' and then clicking on the July 9 Mailbox MP3 file. Available until July 23 when our new documentary 'Babyboomer Radio' with the original pirate Radio Hauraki airs.
For everyone interested in broadcasting in the Pacific, this documentary from the Radio Heritage Foundation shows that even contemporary radio can sometimes be more endangered than radio from the past.
Issued by:
Radio Heritage Foundation
Wellington, New Zealand
www.radioheritage.net
July 12 2006
(Source:HCDX)
