Despite cutbacks in shortwave broadcasting in the developed world, it’s still very high on the agenda in countries such as Nigeria. The Executive Director of FRCN Kaduna, Alhaji Ladan Salihu, told the Kaduna Bureau Chief of the Daily Trust, Sani Babadoko, that the replacement of the SW and MW transmitters will restore Radio Kaduna’s lost glory. Referring to the current shortwave transmitters he said:
“The two transmitters beyond any iota of doubt are old, obsolete, and at best should now be consigned to the museum of broadcast history. But then that tells volumes about the quality of engineers we have in the system. Nobody is pushing the kind of transmitters that we are using anywhere in the world. To the best of my knowledge nobody transmits with the SW and MW transmitters that we have, mainly because they are too old, but our engineers have been able to sustain them over the years. Some of these engineers go to Lagos, Ibadan and so on to repair transmitters for sister stations. But then these transmitters are tired.”
But he said a Presidential Committee has visited the facilities and he has been assured that the federal government is determined to replace these transmitters. Asked why the shortwave transmitters are so important, Mr Salihu replied:
“The big picture to me, and the management of FRCN Kaduna, is actually the shortwave (SW) and the mediumwave (MW) transmission platforms, which is what we are known for. The Hausa FM basically caters for Kaduna state and its environs, but the SW and MW transmission takes you to every nook and cranny of the country, and that is what we are emphasizing on to ensure that our people, wherever they are in the country, can tune to FRCN Kaduna. A Hausaman, for instance, living in Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Konduga, Ganborun-Ngala, Maiduguri or in Mambilla plateau for that matter, can be reached by Radio Nigeria Kaduna. We also provide information and entertainment to Nigerians whether they are from the East, West, North and South where they can know the happenings up North and hear news about their own kinsmen for the country’s unity.”
(Source: R Netherlands)
Interview at http://allafrica.com/stories/200803171608.html?viewall=1