The IBB transmitting station in Morocco will cease operations in March 2008, and the facility will be returned to the Government of Morocco by the end of next year.
The IBB says the rising cost of operating the Morocco station prompted this decision. The closing will not reduce the number of hours of radio programming currently broadcast by shortwave: All programmes currently broadcast from the Morocco station will continue to be broadcast, either from other IBB facilities or through lease arrangements.
Kim Andrew Elliott notes: Its ten 500-kilowatt transmitters (currently operating at 250 kilowatts) are used for 20 VOA and seven RFE/RL language services. This announcement comes shortly after the 28 October closure of the IBB shortwave transmitting station at Delano, California.
(Source: IBB via KimAndrewElliott.com/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
