Voice of the Broad Masses monitoring

*sign-on / sign-off* // parallel frequency

Logs edited for clarity

All times UTC

Eritrea

7204.98, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea - Program 1, *0255-0325. June 22. Interval signal to vernacular talk at 0300. Local Horn of Africa style music, fair. (Alexander in DXplorer)

9715.03, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea - Program 2, *0257-0315. June 16 and 23. Interval signal alternating with opening ID announcement. Vernacular talk at 0300, Horn of Africa music, fair to good // 7175 (fair to very good) // 9820.03 (fair). They do not usually have two 9 MHz frequencies on the air at the same time. New frequency. (Alexander in DXplorer)

9730.03, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, 0320-0345, June 25. Another new frequency for these guys, vernacular talk. Some Horn of Africa style music. 9730.03, off the air between approximately 0327-0332. Signal poor with adjacent channel splatter // 7175. No other //s found. (Alexander in DXplorer)
　
9830.03, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea - Program 2, *0256-0325, June 22. Interval signal to vernacular talk at 0300. Some local Horn of Africa music, weak // 7174.98 - poor in noisy conditions. Heard tonight on 9830.03, but lately they seem to change their 9 MHz frequency every couple of days between 9715.03, 9820.03 and 9830.03. (Alexander in DXplorer)
(DXW 431)

Clandestine monitoring

The following clandestine stations are a portion of those being heard by shortwave radio listeners. Special thinks to DX Window 431 and the Danish Shortwave Club.
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC // parallel frequency

3912, Voice of the People, via Goyang, South Korea, 1147. Korean speech, SINPO 35333 // 3480 (SINPO 33333 with heterodyne), 4450 (SINPO 44343). (Sellers)

4880, SWR Africa, Meyerton, 1857-1859. Song, SINPO 25332. (Mille)

4895, Zimbabwe Community Radio, via Meyerton, 1843-1846. Unreadible talks, very weak, SINPO 15331. (Mille)

6070, Voz de la Resistencia CRB operates Sundays 1200-1300. There are indications, that it is operated by the Joint Western Command. Cf. 6080. (Rodriguez)

6080, Voz de la Resistencia CRB operates Sundays 2100-2200. Not heard at other times or days. Cf. 6070. (Rodriguez)

7610, Gunaz Radio, via Simferopol, 1545-1548. Azeri talk, 1747 mention of Azerbaijan, SINPO 35333. (Mille)

9690, Tatarstan Awazy, 0620-0625. Talks in Tatar, SINPO 24333. (Liangas)

9930, Bar Kulan, 1614-1615. Hilife song, talks in Arabic with mentions of Somalia, 324x2 with most interference from 9935 R S Thesaloniki. (Liangas)

11530, Denge Mezopotamya, via Ukraine, 0415-0433. Kurdish music, indigenous vocals and Kurdish talk. Poor to fair in noisy conditions. In the clear with WYFR no longer using this frequency. (Alexander in DXplorer)

11595, Democratic Voice of Burma, via Yerevan, *2330-0030.* Sign on with local music and opening ID, talk in Burmese, many mentions of Myanmar. Short breaks of instrumental music. Poor to fair, but improved to a good level by 0000. (Alexander in DXplorer)

13740, Radio Dardasha 7, 1923-1929.* Arabic talks to North Africa with music, IDs, fair. (Bernardini)

15410, Radio Y’Abaganda, Uganda, via Issoudun, France, Sa *1700-1715.* Sign on with African choral music, vernacular talk at 1703-1715 mentioning Uganda, weak. Poor signal. Sa only. (Alexander in DXplorer and Liangas)

15500, EDC Sudan, 1602. Horn of Africa beat song, that IDed the station in Arabic or local language, then ID as ”Sudan Radio Service” and also ”EDC”, then program analysis and news (akhbar), S20. (Liangas)
(DXW 431)

RNW budget cuts to go ahead

The Dutch parliament has voted against two motions which might have blunted the effect of the budget cuts facing Radio Netherlands Worldwide. One motion called for a separate debate devoted to the future of RNW. Previous debates tackled the cutbacks facing all public broadcasting. The other criticised the decision-making as hasty and called for a postponement.

Effectively, this vote means that the cabinet’s plans to move RNW from the education, media and culture ministry to the foreign ministry and cut the budget from 46.3 million euros to 14 million will definitely go ahead. RNW’s management will now draw up a redundancy plan, which is expected to be completed in October.
(Source: RNW News/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Radio Fly and the long awaited QSL card

The following was reported today for DXers on the status of QSLing Radio Fly

Papua New Guinea
(I) have been corresponding with Radio Fly regarding their long awaited QSL cards. The cards in fact have been designed, printed and all have been signed by the GM of the company, so perhaps they will go out next week, as they would like to send them out all at once and have not sent one yet to anybody. To date they have received more than 40 reception reports; some have sent more than one report. Those who have already sent in reception reports do not need to do anything else but keep checking your mailbox. Looks as if we should certainly have them in July.

Very good news!

For those wishing to send in new reception reports, please send them to a very nice fellow at Ok Tedi Mining Limited: James Kaltobie at James.Kaltobie@oktedi.com. He sincerely apologizes for the delay in getting these QSL cards out to listeners, but this is all rather new to him.
(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

swissinfo prepares for strategic plan

The board of directors of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), swissinfo’s parent company, accepted on 28 June a new strategic plan for swissinfo.ch. The online service will now focus mainly on readers abroad interested in Switzerland as well as the Swiss abroad. swissinfo.ch will offer background information on Swiss politics, the economy, culture and social affairs in ten languages, including Russian from 2013. Editorial processes will be reorganized. The yearly costs for the news mandate abroad will be cut by SFr9 million.

Guaranteeing a long-term mandate

For the past ten years, swissinfo.ch has fulfilled an information mandate for the Swiss government, complementing the work of the online services of the SBC’s radio and television stations. During this period, the framework conditions have changed fundamentally for swissinfo.ch. The availability of news services has increased rapidly and internet usage is focusing more and more on multimedia.

To guarantee the long-term viability of the government mandate for international news and information, the board of directors of the SBC decided on 28 June, 2011, on the basis of proposal made by the executive board, to adopt a new strategic offer as well as a new organizational structure for swissinfo. The new offer will serve as a negotiating basis for the pending discussions with the federal authorities concerning swissinfo’s mandate for 2013-2016.

Background information

swissinfo’s offer will be streamlined. The three national language departments – French, German and Italian – will be reduced and become a single department. A Russian subsite will also be launched, once approved by parliament. In the future, swissinfo.ch will report in English, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. News will remain the main element of the swissinfo.ch offer, as well as vote and election dossiers in French, German and Italian. Besides text, video, photo galleries, audio slideshows and audio podcasts will remain on offer.

Job losses covered mainly by natural attrition

With the reorganization, swissinfo will lose 40 of 126 full-time equivalents. Around one third of these losses will be incurred by the editorial services, with the remainder in the support sector. Around two thirds of the losses will be accounted for by natural attrition, early retirements and transfers to other SBC units. For the remainder, redundancies will be necessary and a social plan will be implemented.

swissinfo will remain in Bern

swissinfo will remain as an SBC unit in Bern. With the reorganization, its budget will be reduced from SFr26 million by a third. The annual savings of around SFr9 million will be shared between the SBC and the federal government.
(Source: swissinfo/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

UNAMID Radio and Sudan Radio sign broadcast aggreement

The United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) Communications and Public Information Division (CPID) has signed an agreement with the National Public Radio Corporation (NPRC) for the broadcast of UNAMID Radio programmes on Al Salaam Radio and Darfur state radio stations. This is an interim arrangement whilst the Government of the Sudan reviews the Mission’s application for a radio broadcasting licence, in conformity with the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed between the Mission and the Government of the Sudan.

According to this interim arrangement, UNAMID Radio will broadcast for two hours daily, on Al Salaam Radio, with repeat broadcasts at appropriate times on Darfur state radio stations, starting on 3 July 2011.

The Director of the Communications and Public Information Division, Kemal Saiki, who led the UNAMID delegation to the signing ceremony, remarked that the lengthy and sometimes difficult discussions between the two parties bear testimony to “the important role radio has in bringing peace and development to the people of Darfur.” Mr. Saiki added that “the agreement marks the beginning of a fruitful relationship between UNAMID Radio and NPRC, one that will also witness a cross-pollination of talents from both sides.”
(Source: UNAMID/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Deutsche Welle updates summer schedule update

Effective to: 29 Oct 2011

All times UTC - target areas to Africa and Asia

English

0000-0058 9885as 13780as
0300-0358 12005as
0300-0400 15595as
0400-0457 7240af
0400-0459 13840af
0400-0500 6180af
0500-0529 6180af
0500-0530 7430af 9480af 11875af
0600-0630 9545af 15275af
0900-0959 15640as
0900-1000 17820as
1600-1657 6170as
1600-1659 15410as
1900-1930 6150af 9735af 11795af 17610af
2000-2057 6150af 11865af
2000-2059 11795af
2100-2157 9735af
2100-2200 11865af 15275af 15640af
(DW)

Weekly Propgation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2011 Jun 28 1707 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 20 - 26 June 2011

Solar activity was very low to low. Region 1236 (N17, L=167, class/area Ehi/350 on 15 June) produced a long-duration C7/Sf at 21/0325 UTC associated with an Earth-directed full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME). Activity was at very low levels during 22 - 26 June with occasional B-class flares from Region 1236 as it gradually decayed.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels during 20 - 22 June. Fluxes increased to normal to high levels during 23 - 24 June. A further increase to moderate to high levels occurred on 25 - 26 June.

Geomagnetic activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during 20 - 21 June. Activity increased to quiet to active levels during 22 - 23 June, with minor to major storm periods at high latitudes, due to a coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS). A CME passage (from the halo-CME observed on 21 June) also occurred early on 23 June with a sudden geomagnetic impulse observed at Boulder at 23/0258 UTC (22 nT). Activity decreased to quiet to unsettled levels during 24 - 26 June as CH HSS effects subsided.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 29 June - 25 July 2011

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels until 03 July with the return of old Region 1234 (S16, L=246). Activity is then expected to be low followed by a further increase to low with a
chance for isolated M-class activity as old Region 1236 rotates back on the visible disk.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate to high levels during 29 June - 01 July. A decrease to normal to moderate levels is expected during 02 - 05
July followed by an increase to moderate to high levels during 06 - 07 July due to a CH HSS. Fluxes are expected to decrease to normal to moderate levels during 08 - 19 July. Fluxes are expected to
increase to moderate to high levels during 20 - 23 July following the CH HSS.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels during 29 - 30 June. A CH HSS is expected to boost activity to quiet to active levels during 01 - 03 July. Mostly quiet levels
are forecast for 03 - 07 July as the CH HSS subsides. An increase to quiet to unsettled levels is expected during 08 - 09 July as another CH HSS disturbs the field. Quiet levels are expected from 10 - 16 July. Another recurrent CH HSS is expected to become geoeffective on 17 July bringing quiet to unsettled conditions. A further increase to active levels with a chance for isolated minor storm periods at high latitudes is expected during 19 - 21 July followed by quiet to unsettled levels on 22 July as the effects from the CH HSS subside. Quiet levels are expected from 23 - 25 July.

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2011 Jun 28 1707 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact ww.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
# 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
# Issued 2011-06-28
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2011 Jun 29 90 5 2
2011 Jun 30 92 5 2
2011 Jul 01 92 8 3
2011 Jul 02 94 10 3
2011 Jul 03 96 12 3
2011 Jul 04 98 8 3
2011 Jul 05 98 5 2
2011 Jul 06 95 5 2
2011 Jul 07 90 5 2
2011 Jul 08 88 7 2
2011 Jul 09 88 7 2
2011 Jul 10 92 5 2
2011 Jul 11 95 5 2
2011 Jul 12 100 5 2
2011 Jul 13 100 5 2
2011 Jul 14 100 5 2
2011 Jul 15 100 5 2
2011 Jul 16 98 5 2
2011 Jul 17 95 7 2
2011 Jul 18 95 8 3
2011 Jul 19 95 12 3
2011 Jul 20 95 15 3
2011 Jul 21 95 10 3
2011 Jul 22 92 7 2
2011 Jul 23 90 5 2
2011 Jul 24 90 5 2
2011 Jul 25 90 5 2
(NOAA)

Radio Prague to celebrate 75th anniversary

On 31 August, 2011, it will have been 75 years since the Czechoslovak company Radiojournal launched its regular shortwave broadcast. That’s considered to be the beginning of Radio Prague. To mark the anniversary, Radio Prague will be doing some special programmes and is preparing various events.

An exhibit covering the past and present of Radio Prague has been set up on the ground floor of the Czech Radio building on Rímská 13, Prague 2, since 23 June.

A press conference on the current state of international broadcasting will be held for Czech and foreign journalists in the Czech Radio building on 31 August. Journalists will have the opportunity to see the 75 Years of Radio Prague exhibit and visit the international broadcasting workspaces.

For more information visit the special page on the Radio Prague website at:
http://www.radio.cz/en/static/75-years-of-radio-prague/
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Decision on Australian Network delayed for six months

The Australian Government has announced an extension to the existing contract for the international TV service Australia Network, while additional information is sought from tenderers. In the light of changed international circumstances since the Australia Network Request For Tender was issued, the Government has decided that national interests should be addressed more broadly.

Tenderers have been asked to submit amended bids to specifically address how their operation of the Australia Network service would meet Australia’s national interests in the light of the increasing influence of key emerging markets on the global economy, significant political transformation occurring across the Middle East and North Africa, and the need identified during recent consular crises for strengthened associated information services through a range of sources.

The current contract with the ABC expires on 8 August 2011. Accordingly, the Government will exercise its option under the existing contract to extend the service operated by the ABC for six months until 8 February 2012. The amended Australia Network Request for Tender will be released shortly and a decision on Preferred Tenderer is expected to be taken by September 2011.

In making this decision, the Government also considered the significance of the service to Australia’s foreign interests and concluded that the decision on the Preferred Tenderer will be referred for Cabinet consideration.
(Source: Government of Australia/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Scandinavian Weekend Radio on two-day broadcast

SWR's midnight summer broadcast on 24th & 25th June

For the first time in the history, Scandinavian Weekend Radio is about to broadcast Midsummer Radio two-day long. Broadcasts starts on Friday 24th June, Midsummer's Day and continues until the end of the next day, 25th of June. Coming up community midsummer news and how people spend midsummer, reports, events and more entertaining Finnish music.

For schedule information, please refer to: http://www.swradio.net/schedule.htm
(Alokesh Gupta, India)

Radio Netherlands Program Preview June 24-30

Hello,

On Monday 27 June from 0600 to 1200 UTC there will be live coverage in Dutch from The Hague on the cutbacks RNW faces. Go to http://play.rnw.nl/player/index.html?channel=nl to follow this coverage.

In Europe you can also hear the broadcast on shortwave 5955 kHz, and from 0800 UTC also on 1296 and 9895 kHz.

Enjoy our programmes!

The State We're In
Jonathan Groubert and his team look at current events from an unexpected perspective.

This week: A matter of life and death

A British scientist explains how we can be “cured” of death. A palliative caregiver explains how confronting death can make us more joyful. A clergyman conducts a funeral that nearly gets him killed and a sculptor wants his creations to outlive him.

First airing: Saturday 02:00 UTC

Earth Beat
Marnie Chesterton and her team look at the footprint we’re leaving on our planet.

This week: Summertime

And the living is easy. Or is it? From mobile pool parties and turning your backyard garden into a farm to scanning the horizon for forest fires, we take a look at a great deal of hard work that revolves around warmer weather.

First airing: Friday 03:00 UTC

Bridges With Africa
We're giving the microphone to Diaspora groups in Europe and are linking up with stations in Africa.

This week:

Ethnic cleansing casts an ominous shadow over South Sudan's independence.
Witchcraft casts its spell over Kenyans.
Gospel fusion from Kenya’s Neema.

First airing: Friday 00:00 UTC

Africa in Progress
Inspiring round-table discussions with guest speakers and in-depth interviews give listeners food for thought.

This week: African Time - can it be reset?
Over time many Africans have come to accept what is known as African Time, a concept which keeps those who practice it behind time; they turn up late at work, school, and business appointments. This mindset observers say, contributes to under-development on the continent.

Africans living outside the continent also share in the practice of African Time, but they adapt to local expectations. Can African Time be reset? In this edition, we ask whether African Time should be reset and how this could be done.

First airing: Monday 18:00 UTC

South Asia Wired
Programme in which South Asians get to talk to each other.

This week:

Leprosy has laid an indelible mark for generations in one village near Jaffna. But these days, its sufferers are claiming back their dignity and their rights with the help of a traditional musical theatre called Koothu.

Also in the programme we hear about how homes in Pakistan’s Hindu Kush mountains that used to be cold and filled with filthy wood smoke during the harsh winters have undergone a revolution. What’s changed? Find out on South Asia Wired.

This week, South Asia Wired is hosted by Sara Nics.

(There'll be a new edition of the programme on Thursday 30 June)

First airing: Thursday 14:00 UTC

Commonwealth Story
A selection of winning stories chosen from the large number of entries for the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition.

This week: Being Reasonable - by Sandeep Shete (India). The end of a rough journey.

First airing: Tuesday 00:55 UTC

Global Perspective
Listen to the world’s musical heartbeat on RNW. A brand new world music series hosted by Dheera Sujan.

With the Dutch tango string quartet Cuarteto Recopado, and more tango by the Argentinian Quasimodo Trio. Our Africa Unsigned act this week is Victor Kunonga. To end the show, there's dance music by Dr. Sakis and his band from Congo.

First airing: Monday 00:00 UTC

Radio Netherlands English Service to Africa and Asia
0959-1000 12065as 15110as

1000-1057 12065as 15110as

1359-1400 11835as

1400-1457 9800as 11835as

1759-1800 6020af 15495af

1800-1857 6020af 15495af

1859-1900 7425af 11610af

1900-1957 7425af 11615af 15495af

2000-2057 7425af 11615af
(R Netherlands)

Blog Logs

Ready for some quality time at the radio dials ? The weekend is an excellent time for band scanning shortwave across the globe. The following logs represent what has recently been monitored. Thank you to all the contributors.Logs and comments are always appreciated and may be sent to the email address in the masthead.
Gayle Van Horn

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sign-on / sign-off*

Loggings have been edited for clarification

Bolivia
Radio Santa Cruz 6134.80, 1038-1055. Male/female's local announcements with flute music in the background. Fair signal at tune-in, but deteriorating quickly. (John Wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Brazil
Rdif Roraima 4878.50, 0345-0408.* Brazilian musical ballads and Portuguese talk. Sign-off with national anthem. weak signal in poor and noisy conditions. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Radio Daqui 6080.02, 0915-0930. Portuguese religious talk for fair signal // 4915.03 Signal poor to fair with CODAR interference. (Brian Alexander, PA).

Super Radio Deus e Amor, 9565.259, 0507. Portuguese talk by male/female duo, tiny S 3-4. Wandered downward when checked again at 0545 was on 9565.251. (Wolfgang
Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Voz Missionaria 5939.845, 0454. Logged with poor tiny signal with Portuguese religious sermon. Interference by adjacent VOA Croatian signal from Biblis, Germany on 5945 kHz.(Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Canada
CHU Ottawa 3330, 0518. Time/frequency station with time pips. ID text by male in English and French. S 7-8 strength. (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Chad
RTN Tchadinee N'Djamena, 6165v. French service when began at 0430, was on odd 6165.036 kHz, but wandered to exact 6165.000 at 0443. neat west African music played at s 9+10 db strength level.(Wolfgang Bueschel, germany/HCDX)

Clandestine
Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1333 in Japanese with fair signal het from Myanmar on 5985.83v which Shiokaze now totally blocks for one hour (1330-1430) no jamming yet. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Colombia
Alcaravan Radio 5909.962. From Lomalinda with nice Spanish singer's lite music on Amor y Alegria S 8 fair signal quality at 0536. (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Cyprus
CyBC 9760, *2215-2244.* Sign-on with Greek music and opening announcements. Greek talk and brief breaks of Greek music. Good signal and fair on // 7220 kHz. Very wak on // 5925 (Brian Alexander, PA)


Diego Garcia
AFN 4319, 1316. Again not // AFN Guam (5765 USB). Guam had many short segments, while Diego Garcia was a longer talk show, occasionally have noted Diego Garcia recently being off the air. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Djibouti
Radio Djibouti 4780, 0304-0325. Abruptly on the air at 0304 with Qu'ran in progress. Arabic talk at 0312. Weak signal - poor and lost in the noise by 0325 (Brian Alexaner, PA).

Eritrea
Voice of the Broad Masses of eritrea 9715.03. Program 2 *0255-0310 with sign-on with interval signal, alternating with the opening ID announcements. Vernacular talk at 0300, some Horn of Africa music. Signal fair/good // 7175 very good and // 9820.03 was fair.(Brian Alexaner, PA).

Ethiopia
Radio Oromiya 6030, *0322-0345. Sign-on xylophone-like interval signal. Talk in listed Oromo to Horn of Africa music at 0332. Signal poor with jammer on the air and adjacent channerl splatter. At least no co-channel interference from Radio MArti, which is off the air on UTC Mondays. (Brian ALexander, PA).

Guinea
Radio Conakry 7125, 0700. Tiny signal S 2-3 during west African music. (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Guatemala
Radio Verdad 4055.000. Station from Chiquimula, noted German religious sermon as"Der wunderbare Retter Jesus Christus." Heavy Swiss German accented in 0525-0525 UTC time slot.(Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Indonesia
Voice of Indonesia 9525.96, 1313-1323. Exotic Indonesia program, a joint production by VOI and RRI Banjarmasin. News from Jakarta and Banj. Station IDs for both Jak-Banj and local time check. Today in History segment. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Madagascar
RTVM 6135.28 (presumed) 1326. African hi-life music to 1327 when totally blocked by the sign-on of a North Korean jamming intented for Shiokaze, but they had moved to 5985.(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Malaysia
Asyik FM 6049.62, 1144-1207. Regional vocal music to male's long chat between songs (not sure of language) at 1154 there was a long patriotic-sounding song (anthem ?) (John Wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Klasik Nasional (presumed) 5964.70, 1153-1210. Sub-continental vocals to 1200, followed by two signal pips and possible news to 1203. Language may have been Bahasa Malaysian, then back to music after a jingle and brief comments. Fair signal quality (John Wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Voice of Islam via Voice of Malaysia 15295, 0937-0955. English with Islamic information about the Qu'ran, ect. Signal poor-fair. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Mali
RTVM 5995, *0555-0610. Sign-on with interval signal on a cora. National anthem at 0558. Flute interval signal into opening French ID announcements at 0600. Local tribal music at 0601. Rustic local music for weak signal, and poor in noisy conditions. (Brian Alexaner, PA).

Mauritania
ORTM 7245, *0553-0620. Abrupt sign-on with local chants, Good signal. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Micronesia
PMA-The Cross Radio 4755.44. Randomly from 1131 to 1205 UTC. Religious preaching in English to Christian songs. Signal suddenly off, fair by sign-off. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Niger
LV du Sahel 9704.99, 2212-2300.* Wide variety of indigenous vocals, local tribal music and Afro-pop music. French and vernacular talk. Qur;an at 2254, French announcements at 2257 followed by flute interval signal and national anthem at 2258. One second test tone at 2300 and off. Poor to fair copy in noisy conditions. Irregular, notheard very often lately. (Brian Alexaner, PA).

Papua New Guinea
Radio Fly 5960, 1137-1153. Presumed with usual format of pop music and lady announcer in Engliah. There was something on 3915 kHz, but too weak to tell if it was //. Fair signal with 5955 splatter, still there but weak at 1230 (John wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Peru
Radio Libertad 5039, 213, 0947-1000. Noted threshold signal present during female's comments. SIgnal barely audible in the noise. (Chuck Bolland, FL).

Radio Del Pacifico 4975.014, 0935-0945. Spanish comments exchange from male/female announcer duo. Station promotional presented at 0945. Signal was fair but beginning to be caught up by the noise by 0947. (Chuck Bolland, FL).

Radio Santa Rosa 6047.05. Two days of outstanding reception, improved signal assumed to be enhanced via grayline reception. Have never heard them this strong nor this low in \frequency(normally about 6047.15). Noted also from 1133 - 1159. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Russia
Voice of Russia 13775. English Powerhouse signal scross the Pacific Ocean from 'western' side. Via Vladivostok Razdolnoye transmitter site at 0553. S 9+25 dB strength. Noted item on Palestine-ISR conflict, Lebanon state security. Noted on remote software defined radio unit in Vancouver, Canada. (Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/HCDX)

Solomon Island
SIBC, 5019.87, 1145-1205.* Lite pop music to male/female announcer duo. Open carrier at 1202,off at 1205 for fair signal at best. (John Wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Yemen
Republic of Yemen Radio 9780.14, 0405-0456. Traditional Arabic music and talk. Signal fair to good but completely covered by Spain's DRM signal at their 0458 sign-on. (Brian Alexander, PA)

BBC Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast scheduled for today

Produced and presented for an audience of just 43 - the brave and hardy scientists and technical staff who keep the Antarctic bases of the British Antarctic Survey running through the long, cold darkness of the polar winter - the Antarctic specials are possibly the BBC World Service’s most unusual broadcasts.

Once a year, on 21 June, in the dark days of the southern winter, staff at the four Antarctic bases - Rothera, Halley, King Edward Point and Bird Island - cluster round their shortwave radios to hear the BBC present half an hour of music requests and special messages from their loved ones back home.

There’s special messages from surprise celebrity guests, and a selection of music that reveals a deep longing for sunshine. This year the broadcast is presented by Martin Redfern, who was fortunate to spend a month in Antarctica three years ago, reporting on research and visiting field sites and the Rothera base.

As a result says Martin, “We feel we are talking to friends, we can imagine the scene down there and although we were only there for a few weeks in Summer, we know how food fantasies turn to salad and fresh fruit.”

This half-hour program will be on the air at 2130-2200 UTC today (Tuesday 21 June) on the following shortwave frequencies:

5950 kHz Skelton 300 kW beam 180 degrees
7295 kHz Rampisham 500 kW beam 180 degrees
7360 kHz Ascension 250 kW beam 207 degrees
9850 kHz Skelton 300 kW beam 180 degrees
The recorded program is already available online on this page.
(Source: BBC/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog )

FRS-Holland slated for Sunday broadcast

Dear FRS Friends,

If you have just joined our address book and this is the first mail you are receiving, be welcome as member of the FRS family!

Next Sunday (June 19th) FRS-Holland will be on air with full programming. Opposite to our usual broadcasts, this one will take place in the evening hours between 16:52- 22:00 UTC/ 18:52- 24:00 CEST. FRS-Holland will be on 7685kHz avoiding 7600 and 7595 interference during the first part of the broadcast. 7685 isn’t affected by adjacent channels being used by other stations. Especially during the last part of the broadcast it will be interesting if & how signals will be received to the east (Russia, Ukraine etc.).

We will take our time...it'll be an 'old fashioned' long FRS broadcast: 5 hours!!. Our full staff will be involved including Paul Graham who was absent for quite some time. This time we will deviate from the usual schedule: 3 blocks of resp. 60s, 70s and 80s tracks, a DX Show and a show with mostly tunes. We will handle no letters, there’s no Phrase that Pays, the music comes first! Although each show will include 1 or 2 short radio related items !

We like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of you who responded to our brief evening tests May 22nd (7685). These two 15 min. tests were widely heard across Europe and beyond. For 30 minutes we received some 30 reports.

And last but not least: we will soon start replying to the many, many listeners who responded to one or more of our 30th Anniversary broadcasts back in October & November 2010 and February 2011.

FRS has produced a special & informative commemorative 30th Anniversary booklet which will be available to each and everyone who sent a report/ letter. This booklet is almost finished. So please have a little more patience, you will get your special QSL card(s) and the booklet.
Thanks for your patience and understanding!!

Hope you are able to tune in next Sunday. We hope the full June 19th shows will go out via the Internet one week later, Sunday June 26th.
More news about that will follow.

73s

Peter Verbruggen (on behalf of the entire FRS staff)

a Balance between Music & Information joint to one format....

FRS-Holland
POBox 2702
6049 ZG Herten
The Netherlands

e-mail: frs.holland@hccnet.nl

Radio Netherlands Program Preview, June 17-23

Hello,
Summertime in the Netherlands is something I always look forward to: nice and warm weather, spending time outdoors, holidays, simply relaxing... But to some these higher temperatures mean a lot of hard work. Join this week's Earth Beat for more.
Enjoy our programmes!
Hilary


The State We're In
Jonathan Groubert and his team look at current events from an unexpected perspective.

This week: Unmasked!

A Belgian comedy troupe pranks the country’s biggest telecommunications company with the reputation for the worst customer service. A Nicaraguan woman plays a witch on local radio to name and shame men into treating their wives properly. And a “human lie detector” explains how he uncovers the truth from people trying to hide it.

First airing: Saturday 02:00 UTC

Earth Beat
Marnie Chesterton and her team look at the footprint we’re leaving on our planet.

This week: Summertime

And the living is easy. Or is it? From mobile pool parties and turning your backyard garden into a farm to scanning the horizon for forest fires, we take a look at a great deal of hard work that revolves around warmer weather.

First airing: Friday 03:00 UTC

Bridges With Africa
We're giving the microphone to Diaspora groups in Europe and are linking up with stations in Africa.

This week:

Extra judicial killings and torture on the rise in Burundi.
Lesbians demand tough punishment for perpetrators of 'corrective rape'.
Fela - the musical opens in Amsterdam to critical acclaim. Why is it such a success.

First airing: Friday 00:00 UTC

Africa in Progress
Inspiring round-table discussions with guest speakers and in-depth interviews give listeners food for thought.

This week: Straight talk about love matters

Africa in Progress often explores taboo subjects: topics that people are not keen to discuss openly; one of them is sexuality. In recent editions, we heard from young people talking about what they need to know about sexuality, and we discussed the role of parents and the role of educators.

In this edition, we hear about an African multimedia initiative that is breaking sexual taboos and helping young people take responsibility for their sexual health.

First airing: Monday 18:00 UTC

South Asia Wired
Programme in which South Asians get to talk to each other, hosted by Dheera Sujan.

This week:

The desire to become a parent is universal, but in India, it is an imperative that leads to extraordinary decisions. Affordable technology and a lack of enforced regulations means that ever older people are able to fulfill a lifelong wish for an heir.

People like Rajo Devi, who after 58 years of marriage and at the age of 70, gave birth to her first child and has no regrets. Aletta Andre went to Haryana to talk to the grandparent-aged parents and the doctors who could make their dreams come true.

(There'll be a new edition of the programme on Thursday 23 June)

First airing: Thursday 14:00 UTC

Commonwealth Story
A selection of winning stories chosen from the large number of entries for the 2010 Commonwealth Short Story Competition.

This week:

Thembi's Bicycle - by Rachel Tucker from South Africa. A grandmother's rambling dreams.

First airing: Tuesday 00:55 UTC

Global Perspective
Who says I can’t… is the motto of this year’s collaboration of international broadcasters, offering stories of defiance and perseverance.

This week: Who says we can’t be gay, Muslim, and successful?

Elkader is a small town in the center of the American Midwest. It’s not where you’d expect to find a gay couple starting an Algerian restaurant. But this town in Iowa was named after a 19th century Algerian jihadist. WAMU radio takes us to Elkader to see how the residents have found their way through the Islamophobia debate.

First airing: Monday 17:30 UTC

Hear the World
Listen to the world’s musical heartbeat on RNW. A brand new world music series hosted by Dheera Sujan.

This week:

Featuring South African trumpet player Hugh Masekela and his band. Singer, flautist and DJ Mercan Dede, born in Turkey, appears with his band Secret Tribe. This week's Africa Unsigned act is Moona. The last group, Les Triaboliques, is a string trio from Britain exploring the possibilities of guitar, ukelele, banjo and whatever string instrument you can think of.

First airing: Monday 00:00 UTC

RNW Classical
Classical concerts from the Royal Concertgebouw as well as studio recordings of Dutch performers, presented by Hans Haffmans.

Available 24 hours a day via our sister web station RNWclassical.com.
(R Netherlands)

Radio Netherlands streaming audio: www.radionetherlands.nl/

Radio Netherlands English service targeted to Africa and Asia
0959-1000 12065as 15110as

1000-1057 12065as 15110as

1359-1400 11835as

1400-1457 9800as 11835as

1759-1800 6020af 15495af

1800-1857 6020af 15495af

1859-1900 7425af 11610af

1900-1957 7425af 11615af 15495af

2000-2057 7425af 11615af
(R Netherlands)

Cabinet announces details of proposed cuts to Radio Netherlands

The Dutch cabinet has announced plans to cut back the activities of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. RNW will no longer provide information for Dutch people living abroad, nor be responsible for providing a realistic image of the Netherlands to the rest of the world. RNW will concern itself solely with providing information in countries where free speech is suppressed or threatened.

The cuts to RNW are part of a widespread austerity programme the current government is implementing to bring the national budget into balance. In the wake of cuts to higher education, the arts and defence, the government today announced a reorganisation of the entire public broadcasting system.

As part of that reorganisation, RNW will no longer fall under the media budget, but will become the responsibility of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. That move is scheduled to take place on 1 January 2013. Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal confirmed the focus on free speech and press freedom for Radio Netherlands Worldwide:

“Radio Netherlands Worldwide will concern itself with free speech under Foreign Affairs starting in 2013. I will not say anything else about it right now.”

Mr Rosenthal explained that, since RNW will remain part of the media budget next year, he does not want to step on his fellow minister’s toes.

The exact financial consequences of this limiting of RNW’s activities are not yet known. Parliament must still approve the cabinet’s planned cuts. No detail has been given about the extent of future budget cuts. The lower house of parliament will debate the cabinet proposals on 27 June.

During his press conference after the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Mark Rutte praised the work RNW has done: “Radio Netherlands Worldwide will limit itself to one role, promoting free speech. I think the other tasks Radio Netherlands Worldwide performs are nice, valuable, but not enough to finance them with public money.”

In reaction to the news from The Hague, former foreign minister Bernard Bot, chairman of the RNW Supervisory board, said: “I find this Cabinet decision incomprehensible for a government whose foreign policy should serve the long-term interests of the Netherlands and the Dutch.”

RNW Director-General Jan Hoek echoed the feelings of Mr Bot: “This is an incomprehensible and sad decision. The Ministry has chosen the easy way out by passing one quarter of the cuts in Public Broadcasting (two hundred million euros) in its entirety to one organization - RNW.”

RNW Editor-in-Chief Rik Rensen said: “Our country is known as an important and reliable trading nation. Radio Netherlands Worldwide is making a unique contribution in ten languages 24 hours a day. For tens of millions of people around the world, RNW is an important source of information and a journalistic calling card for the Netherlands. Is our country really going back behind the dikes? ”
(Source: RNW News/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Scientist predict rare 'hibernation' of sunspots

US scientists say the familiar sunspot cycle seems to be entering a hibernation period unseen since the 17th century, a pattern that could have a slight cooling effect on global temperatures. For years, scientists have been predicting the Sun would by around 2012 move into solar maximum, a period of intense flares and sunspot activity, but lately a curious calm has suggested quite the opposite.

The signs include a missing jet stream, fading spots and slower activity near the poles, said a trio of studies presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

“This is highly unusual and unexpected,” said Frank Hill, associate director of the National Solar Observatory’s Solar Synoptic Network. “But the fact that three completely different views of the Sun point in the same direction is a powerful indicator that the sunspot cycle may be going into hibernation.”

Solar activity tends to rise and fall every 11 years or so. The solar maximum and solar minimum each mark about half the interval of the magnetic pole reversal on the Sun, which happens every 22 years. Experts are now probing whether this period of inactivity could be a second Maunder Minimum, a 70-year period when hardly any sunspots were observed between 1645-1715 known as the “Little Ice Age.”

“If we are right, this could be the last solar maximum we’ll see for a few decades. That would affect everything from space exploration to Earth’s climate,” said Mr Hill. Solar flares and eruptions can send highly charged particles hurtling toward Earth and interfere with satellite communications, GPS systems and even airline controls. [They also disrupt shortwave broadcasting].

Geomagnetic forces have been known to occasionally garble the world’s modern gadgetry, and warnings were issued as recently as last week when a moderate solar flare sent a fiery coronal mass ejection in the Earth’s direction. However, the temperature change associated with any reduction in sunspot activity would likely be minimal and not enough to offset the impact of greenhouse gases on global warming, according to scientists. “Recent solar 11-year cycles are associated empirically with changes in global surface temperature of 0.1 Celsius,” said Judith Lean, a solar physicist with the US Naval Research Laboratory.

If the cycle were to stop or slow down, the small fluctuation in temperature would do the same, eliminating the slightly cooler effect of a solar minimum compared to the warmer solar maximum. The phenomenon was witnessed during the descending phase of the last solar cycle. This “cancelled part of the greenhouse gas warming of the period 2000-2008, causing the net global surface temperature to remain approximately flat - and leading to the big debate of why the Earth hadn’t (been) warming in the past decade,” Ms Lean, who was not involved in the three studies presented, told AFP.

Less sunspot activity means the Sun will radiate lower levels of energy, ultraviolet rays, solar wind and a weaker magnetic field, explained climate scientist and author Rasmus Benestad of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. “Historical data suggest that solar activity, however, only appears to have a weak effect on our climate,” said Mr Benestad.

A study in the March 2010 issue of Geophysical Research Letters explored what effect an extended solar minimum might have, and found no more than a 0.3 Celsius dip by 2100 compared to normal solar fluctuations. “A new Maunder-type solar activity minimum cannot offset the global warming caused by human greenhouse gas emissions,” wrote authors Georg Feulner and Stefan Rahmstorf, noting that forecasts by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast a maximum 4.5 degree Celsius rise by this century’s end compared to the latter half of the 20th century.

“Moreover, any offset of global warming due to a grand minimum of solar activity would be merely a temporary effect, since the distinct solar minima during the last millennium typically lasted for only several decades or a century at most.”

Other experts were skeptical about whether the latest data actually predict a long-term solar minimum. “There is no compelling reason to think that the Sun is about to go into hibernation,” said Yi-Ming Wang of the Naval Research Laboratory. “On the other hand, we don’t understand the solar dynamo well enough to make any reliable prediction about what cycle 25 will be like.”
(Source: AFP/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Radio Liberty and VOA schedule updates

Radio Liberty
0500-0700 NF 11850 LAM 100 kW / 055 deg to EaEu, ex 12005 Russian
1400-1500 NF 13615 WER 250 kW / 075 deg to CeAs, ex 9510 Uzbek

Voice of America
1400-1500 NF 17760 LAM 100 kW / 077 deg to CeAs, ex 15530 Tibetan Mo/We/Fr
1630-1700 NF 13830 WER 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf, ex 13870 Sud.Eng. Mon-Fri
1700-1730 NF 13630 SAO 100 kW / 138 deg to CeAf, ex 15740 Portuguese
1730-1800 NF 13630 BOT 100 kW / 350 deg to CeAf, ex 15740 Portuguese
1800-1830 NF 13630 MDC 250 kW / 275 deg to CeAf, ex 15740 Portuguese Mo-Fr
1900-1930 NF 9600 WER 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf, ex 9745 Ar"Hello Darfur"
(DX Mix News 681)

Decision on future of Australian Network this week ?

The Australian Federal Government is reported to have been stalling a decision on a $220 million contract for Australia’s official television service to the Asia-Pacific. The battle between the publicly-funded ABC, which currently runs the Australia Network, and the partially Murdoch-owned Sky News Australia over the lucrative deal is known to be causing headaches inside the Government, according to the Canberra Times.

The paper notes that a 2 May deadline for a decision has passed, with the Foreign Affairs department believed to have referred the issue to cabinet for discussion because of the political sensitivities surrounding the deal. The paper says the contract is expected to be decided this week.
(Source: Canberra Times/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

WYFR summer schedule updates

All times UTC

USA(and non) Summer A-11 of WYFR Family Radio via CIS transmitters:

1900-2100 on 9850 ARM 100 kW / 325 deg to NWEu in Swedish/English
1800-1900 on 7560 ERV 300 kW / 280 deg to WeEu in Bulgarian,deleted June 1
1800-1900 on 9615 ERV 300 kW / 305 deg to WeEu in Polish
1800-2100 on 9390 A-A 300 kW / 301 deg to WeEu in German/German/French
1900-2000 on 6065 KCH 500 kW / 270 deg to WeEu in Italian
2000-2200 on 7540 A-A 300 kW / 301 deg to WeEu in English
1500-1600 on 12130 SMF 500 kW / 131 deg to WeAs in Pashto
1200-1300 on 11855 TAC 100 kW / 039 deg to CeAs in Russian
1400-1500 on 9405 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi
1400-1500 on 9900 A-A 100 kW / 132 deg to SoAs in Nepali
1400-1500 on 15450 TAC 200 kW / 131 deg to SoAs in Assamese
1400-1600 on 12065 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Urdu
1500-1600 on 11655 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Marathi
1500-1700 on 11505 ERV 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi/Urdu
1600-1700 on 9735 ARM 300 kW / 110 deg to SoAs in Punjabi
1000-1100 on 7245 K/A 100 kW / 178 deg to EaAs in Japanese
1000-1200 on 9450 IRK 250 kW / 110 deg to EaAs in English/Korean
1100-1200 on 9460 P.K 250 kW / 247 deg to EaAs in Cantonese
1100-1500 on 9865 P.K 250 kW / 263 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1100-1500 on 11725 P.K 250 kW / 244 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1200-1300 on 5970 K/A 250 kW / 313 deg to EaAs in Korean
1100-1200 on 9900 VLD 250 kW / 220 deg to SEAs in Illocano
1100-1200 on 15560 A-A 300 kW / 094 deg to SEAs in English
1200-1300 on 9465 IRK 250 kW / 152 deg to SEAs in Cebuano
1200-1300 on 15490 NVS 250 kW / 155 deg to SEAs in Thai
1300-1400 on 12160 A-A 200 kW / 132 deg to SEAs in English
1200-1400 on 9615 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Indonesian
1200-1400 on 11895 IRK 250 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
1200-1400 on 13820 A-A 500 kW / 121 deg to SEAs in Tagalog/English
1300-1500 on 9365 A-A 300 kW / 141 deg to SEAs in Burmese/English
1400-1500 on 9615 IRK 500 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English

USA(and non) Summer A-11 of WYFR Family Radio via Taiwan:
1500-1700 on 9955 TAI 250 kW / 352 deg to CeAs in Russian
1300-1500 on 11560 HUW 100 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in English
1500-1700 on 6280 TSH 300 kW / 285 deg to SoAs in English/Hindi
0800-0900 on 11895 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg to EaAs in Korean
0900-1000 on 11565 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
0900-1100 on 9545 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
0900-1100 on 9945 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1000-1100 on 9920 TAI 100 kW / 002 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1100-1600 on 6240 BAO 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1100-1600 on 9280 YUN 100 kW / 335 deg to EaAs in Chinese
1200-1300 on 11535 YUN 100 kW / 342 deg to EaAs in Chinese
2100-2400 on 9280 YUN 100 kW / 335 deg to EaAs in Chinese
2200-2400 on 6230 BAO 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
2300-2400 on 9540 TAI 100 kW / 310 deg to EaAs in Chinese
0000-0100 on 11630 PAO 100 kW / 245 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
0000-0100 on 11865 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Indonesian
0900-1100 on 9465 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English
1000-1100 on 9455 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
1100-1200 on 6220 HUW 100 kW / 265 deg to SEAs in Burmese
1100-1200 on 11550 TAI 300 kW / 205 deg to SEAs in Indonesian
1100-1400 on 11520 PAO 100 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Tagalog/Indonesian/English
1200-1300 on 7460 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
1200-1300 on 11570 HUW 100 kW / 265 deg to SEAs in Burmese
1300-1400 on 7260 TAI 100 kW / 250 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
1300-1400 on 9960 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese
1400-1500 on 9585 PAO 100 kW / 225 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese

USA(and non) Summer A-11 of WYFR Family Radio via CLN:
1330-1630 on 11570 EKA 300 kW / 350 deg to SoAs in Oriya/Bengali/English*
1330-1630 on 15210vEKA 300 kW / 350 deg to SoAs in Marathi/Hindi/English*
v=15209.4
* all cancelled from June 10

USA(and non) Summer A-11 of WYFR Family Radio via RNW:
1600-1700 on 9590 MDC 250 kW / 305 deg to EaAf in Swahili
1700-1800 on 7395 MDC 050 kW / 310 deg to EaAf in English
1800-2000 on 7395 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to EaAf in English
1900-2100 on 6020 MDC 050 kW / 255 deg to SoAf in English
(DX Mix News 681)

Blog Logs

All times UTC

*sign-on / sign-off* // parallel frequency
logs edited for clarity


Algeria
RTV Algerienne via Issoudun transmitter, 7295, 0428-0458.* Arabic broadcast with Middle East mentions. Program rather long-strided and was cut in mid-sentence at 0458 with no fanfare. (Ed Kusalik, CAN).

Australia
Ozy Radio, 5050, 1304-1338. Station mixing with BBR (China), playing music from Elton John, and Mammas & the Papas. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Bolivia
Radio Lipez, 4795.917, 1008-1020. Spanish comments between musical selections. Staion was one of the better signals observed (Chuck Bolland, FL)

Radio Mosoj Chaski, 3310-013, 1003-1015. Spanish program announcements, continuing through monitoring as signal remained at threshold. (Chuck Bolland, FL).

Radio San Miguel, 4699.977, 0955-1005. Music noted at tune-in for a few seconds, followed by announcer's Spanish comments. Signal never improved beyond threshold (Chuck Bolland, FL).

Radio Santa Cruz, 4795.917, 0938-0955. Spanish comments noted at tune-in, followed by station Spanish comments (Chuck Bolland, FL).

Brazil
Radio Inconfidencia, 15189.98. 0045-0115. Brazilian romantic ballads to Portuguese talk. Fair signal and in the clear after 0045 when WYFR signs-off. Poor on // 6010 with adjacent channel splatter. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Rdif Roraima, 4878.56, 0310-0404.* Portuguese talk to local pop ballads. Some US pop music by Whitney Houston and others. Closing announcements at 0404 sign-off. Also heard earlier at 0115-0200 with futebol coverage. (Brian Alexander, PA).

Super Radio Deus e Amor, 6120.02, 0835. Usual Portuguese religious programming. Noted fair signal, one or two second delay between 6120-02 and // 6059.22, 11764.94 (Brian Alexander, PA)

Canada
China Radio International relay, 6040, 1132. Via Sackville in English with Listener's Garden program. SIO 554. (Bob Fraser, ME)

Chad
Radio Nationale Tchadienne, 6165, 1810. Program with shouted announcements in French by male announcer, into a five minute drum solo. Station ID by a woman at 1815, then into talk show with a man in both French and some Arabic. Seemed to have some vernacular programming mixed in, although I will admit that my French is not good. Very good signal, with some fluttery fades.(Al Muick, Pattaya, Thailand).

China
Chine Radio International (Jinhua) 15170, 0536-0541. Chinese talk during poor signal quality under slow Arabic talk from Saudi Arabia's BSKSA. (Jim Evans, TN).

Clandestine
Radio Y'Abaganda via Franace, *1700-1715.* Sign-on with African choral music. Vernacular talks at 1702-1715. Sign-off with several seconds of African choral music. Signal weak and poor quality. (Brian Alexander, PA).

Radio Miraya vias Ukraine, 11560, 0340-0415. Arabic talk to IDs, time pips and ID at 0400. English news 0401-0411. African music to Arabic talk. Weak signal but readable at tune-in, but deteriorated to very weak levels by 0415. (Brian Alexander, PA).

Egypt
Radio Cairo, 9290, 2256-2304. Portuguese. Traditional Arabic vocal music. Announcements via lady announcer and ID in Portuguese at 2259. Arabic music then continued with brief announcements. Moderate signal strength with some noted fading. (Jim Evans, TN)

Ethiopia
Radio Ethiopia, 9559.79, 1713. External service in French with lots of African drum music and male vocals and occasional French announcements. Good signals with slight fade. Apparently slightly off frequency. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Germany
Radio Netherlands relay. English report on past bombing of embassies in Africa. SIO 554. (Bob Fraser, ME)

Guinea
Radio Conakry, 7125, *0555-0715.+ Abrupt sign-on with French talks. During this period, the transmitter constantly going on and off the air. Sometimes very weak modulation but other times with a good, strong signal (Brian Alexander, PA).

Guyana
Voice of Guyana, 3290, 0918-0930. Male/female chat in Spanish and copy isn't solid as the noise breaks up the signal often. Signal quality was poor. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

Indonesia
RRI Nabire, 7289.95, 0742-0859.0 Bahasa Indonesian segment of children singing and chanting. Jakarta news at the hour, ending with the usual national song at 0827, music till 0856. Reciting from the Qur'an till suddenly off with no announcement.(Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Japan
Radio Nikkei, 6055, 1200-1230.* Japanese talk to 1229, then close down announcement, giving freqs with power and call signs. Carrier off at exactly 1230. Good signal. (John Wilkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Malaysia
RTM Kajang/Asyik FM, 6049.67, 0845. Regional service in vernacular language. Lots of DJ patter and Malaysian pop music. Running a little off of nominal frequency, but with decent signal level when the band is otherwise dead. (Al Muick, Pattaya, Thailand).

RTM Kajang/Voice of Islam, 6175, 0856. Regional service in English, heard initially with Arabic style vocals by soft-voiced male, when suddenly drums began and there was a bit of pop music. Station ID on the hour into newscast. (Al Muick, Pattaya, Thailand).

Mauritania
ORTM, 7245, *0547-0700. Abrupt sigtn-on with local chants and guitar music. Signal fair to good. (Brian Alexander, PA). 725, 0547-0605 in Arabic. (Jim Evans, TN).

Micronesia
The Cross Radio, 4755.45, 1132-1137.* Tuned in to what sounded like a sermon in progress. Program off abruptly at 1137.* Fair signal but rough copy in band noise. (John WIlkins, CO/Cumbre DX)

Papua New Guinea
Radio Fly, 5960, 0916-1403. Signal well above normal reception-mostly in Tok Pisin. Island music;0927-0938 segment about health issues in the western province and Australian Doctors International.Many IDs, pop songs. At 0945 began exciting live coverage of the rugby match between the Gold Coast Titans at the St George Dragons held in Australia. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Radio Sandaun (West Sepik) 3205, 1102-1303. Randomly from 1102-1303. Well above normal reception,nes at 1102 (Tok Pisin) 1201 (New in Brief) and 1301 (News Roundup). Many station IDs in both Tok Posin and English explained about the July census and different from the Electoral Commission thatregisters voters.Enjoyable program of island songs; 3290 and 3365 are also above normal. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX)

Portugal
Deutsche Welle relay via Sines, 15275, 2145. Inside Europe program // 15640 kHz. SIO 554. (Bob Fraser, ME)

Russia
Voice of Russia (Vladivostok-Razdonoye) 13755, 0540-0544. Lady announcer with interview in English regarding North Korea. A second interview on the same subject with a different man followed at 0543. Good signal. (Jim Evans, TN).VOR via Moscow, 9800, 2235. (Bob Fraser, ME).

South Korea
KBS Hanminjok Bangsong 1 (presumed) 6015, 1152-1156. A rare occurence of them not being jammed by North Korea. Two young announcers chatting and laughing. Did not sound very threatening, but at 1156 totally covered by the beginning of strong jamming. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Sudan
SRTC/Sudan Radio, 7200, *0229-0400. Sign-on with local chants and Arabic talk. Local string music to tribal vocals. Poor signal amid thunderstorm interference. (Brian Alexander, PA).

Suriname
Radio Apintie, 4990, 0935-0950. Male announer's steady comments beig at the same level as the radio noise - heard only to 0945. (Chuck Bolland, FL)

Thailand
Bangkok Meteorological Radio, 6765 USB, 0907. Weather forecast in Thai and English, read by male. Station has a nice QSL card and worth the effort to log (Al Muick, Pattaya, Thailand).

Turkey
Voice of Turkey, 9785, 1850. The Balkan Agenda program. SIO 454. (Bob Fraser, ME).

Vanuatu
Radio Vanuatu, 3945, 1213. Program in vernaculars to pop songs. Station ID and national anthem to 1221.* Transmitters off as usual at 1224. Weather amateur radio net also here. (Ron Howard, CA/Cumbre DX).

Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh Coastal Radio, 7906 USB, 0916. Maritime weather read by female announcer in English.Coordinates were included, followed by same in Vietnamese. Series of beeps at 0920 and apparently off-the air, replaced by another station. (Al Muick, Pattaya, Thailand).

Yemen
Republic of Yemen Radio, 9780.13, 0421-0459. Traditional Arabic musoc and talk. Signal fair - good quality. Completely covered by Spain's DRM signal at their 0459 sign-on. (Brian Alexander, PA).

United Kingdom
Radio Canada International relay via Skelton, 17810, 1845. Oil speculators and the stock market discussed.SIO 554. (Bob Fraser, ME).

USA
WRMI, 9955, 2245-2250. Portuguese. Religious talk by male announcer, followed by music. Good signal with heavy jamming and fading on frequency (Jim Evans, TN).

Uzbekistan
Trans World Radio via Tashkent, 11930, *1315-1400. Noted with interval signal at sign-on. Program in Dogi language to India. Noted this broadcast to 1330, into Hidi with ID and interval signal. Station website given as www.twr.in. (Ed Kusalik, CAN)

Radio New Zealand to air Earthquake Radio documentary on Monday

Join us from Monday, June 13 2011 as we bring you the inside story on Radio New Brighton 102.1 FM, the emergency radio station for earthquake hit Christchurch, to be broadcast on the Mailbox program from Radio New Zealand International.

This unique documentary includes on-air sound grabs, interviews with the people who set up the station, volunteer announcers, and local residents. We usually research and write about radio stories, this time we were in the heart of the story ourselves.

You can listen directly via shortwave radio from Radio New Zealand International, or audio on demand [for the following month] with full details of current broadcast frequencies [both DRM and analog] and times possible for your area as well as audio downloads at http://www.rnzi.com/ .

The report also backgrounds how the earthquake on February 22 2011 affected local radio stations, how they responded to the loss of their studios and yet still maintained 24/7 service, and broke the biggest news story in New Zealand for decades.

You'll also learn about JOYZ2U 77.2 FM and other disaster recovery FM stations set up in Japan after their earthquake, tsunami and nuclear triple hit just two days before Radio New Brighton went to air.

How the radio community in the two countries responded to the earthquakes has many similarities, but there are also key differences in how civil defence and local authorities regarded these emergency local radio stations. In one country they were ignored, in the other
fully supported.

So join us from Monday, June 13 2011 as we explore these two recent examples of earthquake radio on the Mailbox program from Radio New Zealand International http://www.rnzi.com/

You can also use our fully up to date guide to contemporary AM radio in Japan and New Zealand with free access to our PAL Radio Guides at our global website http://www.radioheritage.com/ .

Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio heritage across the Asia and Pacific region. Our website is http://www.radioheritage.com/ . To be removed from this mailing list send a return email with 'au revoir' in the subject line.
(Radio Heritage Mail)

Radio New International English service

All times UTC, targeted to Pacific regions

0000-0100 15720pa
0100-0200 15720pa
0200-0300 15720pa
0300-0400 15720pa
0400-0458 15720pa
0459-0500 11725pa
0500-0600 11725pa
0600-0658 11725pa
0659-0700 6170pa
0700-0758 6170pa
0759-0800 6170pa
0800-0900 6170pa
0900-1000 6170pa
1000-1058 6170pa
1059-1100 9655pa
1100-1200 9655pa
1200-1258 9655pa
1259-1300 6170pa
1300-1400 6170pa
1400-1500 6170pa
1500-1550 6170pa
1551-1600 7440pa
1600-1700 7440pa
1700-1800 7440pa
1800-1835 7440pa
1836-1850 9615pa
1851-1900 9615pa
1900-1950 9615pa
1951-2000 11725pa
2000-2050 11725pa
2051-2100 11725paq
2100-2150 11725pa
2151-2200 15720pa
2200-2300 15720pa
2300-0000 15720pa

DRM
0000-0100 17675pa
0100-0200 17675pa
0200-0300 17675pa
0300-0400 17675pa
0400-0458 17675pa
0459-0500 11675pa
0500-0600 11675pa
0600-0658 11675pa
0659-0700 7440pa
0700-0758 7440pa
0759-0800 7440pa
0800-0900 7440pa
0900-1000 7440pa
1000-1058 7440pa
1059-1100 7440pa
1100-1158 7440pa
1551-1600 6170pa
1600-1700 6170pa
1700-1800 6170pa
1800-1835 6170pa
1836-1850 9890pa
1851-1900 15720pa
1900-2000 15720pa
2000-2050 15720pa
2051-2100 11675pa
2100-2150 11675pa
2151-2200 17675pa
2200-2300 17675pa
2300-0000 17675pa
(DX Mix News 680)

International broadcasters increase airtime on US domestic stations

Lou Josephs writes: The Voice Of Russia sponsored a panel discussion yesterday on US-Russian issues at the National Press Club, and said it was to “celebrate the launch of two US-based stations.” But actually, Voice Of Russia has been on the air fulltime in New York since December 26, and they’ve also been leasing time in the DC market. Both deals are with brokered time specialist Multicultural Broadcasting, which is leasing New York’s WNSW and DC market WZHF (1390 AM).

You’ll be hearing more ethnic radio in big and medium-size US markets, and sometimes it’s in English, to reach both the foreign-born population and curious native Americans. China Radio International is in the Houston-Galveston market, the Atlanta market, and now the Boston market on WILD-AM. Learn more about the DC-based VOR operation in the US, which employs folks like Jessica Jordan (formerly of WAMU, Washington), Rob Sachs (also from public radio), and Kim Brown (radio and TV news in Philly, Baltimore, and DC), at VOR’s website at english.ruvr.ru.

DCRTV adds: China Radio International in English is heard in the DC market on the relaunched WAGE (1190 AM)…..
(Source: Lou Josephs/R Netherlands media Network Weblog)

European Gospel Radio now broadcasting daily

Beginnnng June 10, 2011, European Gospel Radio via IRRS-Shortwave began live programming in English at 0800-2000 UTC, on 7290 kHz to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

The programs may also be heard daily on two new AM/mediumwave frequencies: on 1368 kHz from Padua (Padova, North East Italy), and locally in Rome on 1566 kHz. Broadcasting on these mediumwave frequencies will be daily from 1700-2400 UTC. Reception on 1368 kHz during darkness has been reported within a radius of approximately 700 km from Padua, i.e. in northern Italy, southern France, Austria, Southern Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, and under DX conditions also from Denmark, Sweden and Norway

Reception reports or general correspondence are welcome. You can write to the program producers at the addresses mentioned on the air, or send to: reports@nexus.org
(Source: Ron Norton, EGR)

To learn more about European Gospel Radio and their goals, visit their website at http://www.egradio.org/ . Streaming audio is available at the website

Changes ahead for Radio Netherlands Worldwide ?

Radio Netherlands Worldwide is adjusting its journalistic focus to concentrate more on informing people in countries where press freedom is not a given. In addition, RNW will serve as the journalistic calling card of the Netherlands. The new focus 'Free speech, Dutch values', comes ahead of a cabinet decision about budget cuts to public broadcasting.

RNW expects that a final, detailed version of the coalition's plans for the media will be published in mid-June. The coalition agreement states that "RNW will focus on its core tasks including freedom of speech while funding will be provided by the foreign ministry."

Opportunities
Director General Jan Hoek clarifies: “This is a logical step. Many of our activities mesh seamlessly with foreign ministry policies, including the promotion of free speech and propagating Dutch values. This makes RNW an important journalistic calling card for the Netherlands as a trading nation and a champion of international law.”

Recent research shows that less than 30 percent of the global population has access to the internet, which is strictly censored by a number of countries.

“We reach the greater part of our audience via local media organisations which re-broadcast RNW content. In this way, RNW reaches tens of millions of people in their own language, meeting their information needs. External research has confirmed that new technological developments have not made RNW redundant, but rather offer new opportunities to make a difference.”

New course
Jan Hoek expects that budget cuts will be part of the final cabinet media plan. "With this new course, we will be ready. Because, just like all other public broadcasters, we will have to make a contribution to the necessary budget cuts. It is difficult, but with this new course we are making a proportional contribution. We are reducing our budget from 46 million euros to 36 million euros, or about 20 percent.”

If RNW's new focus meets with government approval, the reduction would be realised by winding down Dutch-language activities and short-wave broadcasts (by closing two transmitting stations in Bonaire and Madagascar, for example). About 100 jobs will probably be lost in Hilversum and on these two islands.
(gsh/as/imm/nc/Radio Netherlands News Desk via Alokesh Gupta)

RNW surprised by report on far-reaching cuts
Radio Netherlands Worldwide was surprised on Tuesday evening by an unconfirmed report from commercial news broadcaster RTL TV that government cuts to Radio Netherlands Worldwide will leave the Netherlands’ international service with less than a quarter of its budget.

In response to the reports, RNW Director General Jan Hoek says “If this is so, it appears decisions are being taken without due care. I can’t imagine this happening.”

Earlier today, RNW announced plans to substantially slim down its Dutch-language service. The proposed savings in the management plans amount to 10 million euros, roughly 20 percent of the media organisations’ budget. The proposed package is entitled “Free Speech, Dutch Values”.

The new plans outlay a shift in focus towards providing news and information to regions where press freedom is limited. Dutch-language programming would be largely scrapped, keeping only RNW’s function as an emergency broadcasting station in the event of disasters for Dutch nationals abroad.

RTL says its sources are close to the Dutch government, which is due to take decisions on public broadcasting funding in general soon. Changes in the funding of Radio Netherlands Worldwide will be part of a raft of measures.

At the moment Radio Netherlands receives 46 million euros every year for its activities, which currently include providing news and information to Dutch nationals abroad, acting as an emergency broadcasting station in case of international disasters, informing people in regions where press freedom is limited and presenting a realistic and balanced view of the Netherlands.
(Source: RNW News/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

NATO war planes hit Libya state broadcaster

NATO-led warplanes struck offices of the Libyan state broadcaster in the capital Tripoli today, an information ministry official said. An AFP correspondent also saw further damage to offices of Libya’s equivalent of parliament, the General People’s Congress, which had already been largely destroyed in a strike three weeks ago. The two buildings lie some two kilometres (little more than a mile) from the city centre.

Libyan rebels have been pressuring satellite networks that air Moamer Gaddafi’s channels saying that these “incite hate and violence.” Lawyer Issam al-Mawy told AFP in May that Gaddafi “exploited the channels to transmit military codes.” Mawy is part of a Libyan law firm that has accused regime broadcasters - including Al-Jamahiriya and Al-Jamahiriya 2 - of inciting hate and violence by painting rebels as “terrorists” seeking to split the country in two.

Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice chairman of the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council, said Gaddafi’s regime had “without a doubt used media as a weapon, as a bullet” to spread progaganda. Media outfits can be considered legitimate targets under the Geneva Convention if they make an effective contribution to “military action,” Mohammed Abdel Dayem, programme coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa at the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists told AFP.

But when asked if NATO was targeting Libyan state broadcasters in May the western alliance replied in an email “our mandate is to protect civilians. We cannot consider that state-run media is actually attacking its citizens.” A NATO official said at the time that the alliance “had targeted military communication facilities which … may have affected media broadcast capabilities in the country” but it does not consider state broadcasters a military target.
(Source: AFP/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Radio Free Asia announces new QSL card

a reminder to our readers - deadline to June 30th

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces the release of our 36th QSL card. This is the first to commemorate 2011 as RFA’s 15th anniversary with more cards expected throughout the year. RFA’s first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. Those countries are: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, and Vietnam. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports from April 1 – June 30, 2011. The artwork depicts the Great Wall of China and is used by permission of the artist, Sarah L. Handler.




Radio Free Asia's 36th QSL commemorating 15 years of broavRFA is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information to listeners in Asian countries where full, accurate, and timely news reports are unavailable. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content. As a ‘surrogate’ broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of its target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of its broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about Radio Free Asia, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is available at www.rfa.org.
RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.
RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at www.techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX’ers, but also from its general listening audience. Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org, and for anyone without Internet access, reception reports can be mailed to:
Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America.
Upon request, RFA will also send a copy of the current broadcast schedule and station sticker.
(A.J. Janitschek/RFA)

RFA does not broadcast in English, all programming targeted to Asia.

Burmese (4 hours daily)
0030-0130 13820, 13865, 17835
1230-1330 7390, 9335, 13675
1330-1400 7390, 9335, 12140
1400-1430 7390, 9335
1630-1730 9945

Cantonese (2 hours daily)
1400-1430 6025
1430-1500 6025, 7280
2200-2300 9720, 11785

Khmer (2 hours daily)
1230-1330 12140, 15145
2230-2330 5840, 13740

Korean (5 hours daily)
1500-1700 648, 5895, 7210, 7455
1700-1800 648, 5895, 9975
1800-1900 648, 5895, 7465
2100-2200 648, 7460, 9385, 12075

Lao (2 hours daily)
0000-0100 15545, 15690
1100-1200 9355, 15145

Mandarin (12 hours daily)
0300-0600 13760, 15120, 15615, 15635, 17615, 17855, 21550, 21580
0600-0700 13760, 15120, 15615, 15635, 17615, 17855, 21550
1500-1600 9455, 9905, 11540, 11965, 12005, 13640, 13675
1600-1700 5855, 9455, 9905, 11540, 11870, 12005, 13675
1700-1800 5855, 7280, 9355, 9455, 9540, 9905, 11870, 13625
1800-1900 7280, 7355, 9355, 9455, 9540, 9690, 11540, 13625
1900-2000 1098, 5855, 7260, 7355, 7435, 9355, 9455, 9875, 9905, 11785, 13625
2000-2100 1098, 5855, 6140, 7260, 7355, 7435, 9355, 9455, 9905, 11785
2100-2200 1098, 5855, 6140, 7355, 7435, 9455, 9905
2300-0000 7540, 9535, 11760, 11785, 15430, 15585

Tibetan (10 hours daily)
0100-0300 9365, 9885, 11695, 15225, 17730
0600-0700 17510, 17765, 21500, 21690
1000-1100 15435, 17750, 21530
1100-1200 7470, 13830, 15670, 17750
1200-1400 7470, 11590, 11605, 13830, 15670
1500-1600 9370, 11585, 11590, 11795
2200-2300 5865, 7505, 9880
2300-0000 5860, 7505, 9805, 9875

Uyghur (2 hours daily)
0100-0200 9350, 9490, 11895, 11945, 17640
1600-1700 9370, 9530, 9555, 11750

Vietnamese (2.5 hours daily)
0000-0030 7445, 11605, 13740, 15560
1400-1430 1503, 7520, 9465, 9715, 11605, 11680, 12140
1430-1500 7520, 9465, 9715, 11605, 11680, 12140
2300-2330 1359
2330-0000 1359, 7520, 11605, 13740, 15560
(RFA/A.J. Janitschek 3/22/2011)

Broadband concept to poor global areas

Governments around the world need to rapidly formulate and implement national multi-sectoral broadband plans – or risk being seriously disadvantaged in today’s increasingly high-speed digital environment, according to a new report released today by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development at its third meeting, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The report, entitled Broadband: A Platform for Progress, argues: “To optimize the benefits to society, broadband should be coordinated on a countrywide basis, promoting facilities-based competition and with policies encouraging service providers to offer access on fair market terms…efforts should be coordinated across all sectors of industry, administration and the economy. Developing isolated projects or piecemeal, duplicated networks is not only inefficient, it delays provision of infrastructure that is becoming as crucial in the modern world as roads or electricity supplies.”

The report also makes a strong case for broadband as a driver of economic growth and new jobs, citing country case studies and reports by leading consultancies. One study suggests that in China, for instance, every 10% increase in broadband penetration could contribute an extra 2.5% to GDP growth. Other data cited in the report suggest that, for low- and middle-income countries, a 10-percentage-point rise in broadband penetration could add up to a 1.4-percentage point rise in economic growth.

Concerning jobs, an analysis for the European Commission estimates that broadband could create more than two million jobs in Europe by 2015, while a study in Brazil reports that access to broadband has already added up to 1.4% to the employment growth rate.

Offering much more than faster access to web pages, broadband networks are a crucial element of the ‘Internet of Things’, by which ordinary inanimate objects communicate with one another using technologies like RFID, without the need for human intervention. Such networks are already revolutionizing inventory control and fleet management, and are set to play a growing role in key social sectors like healthcare, through e-health applications, education, through remote learning and teacher training, and environmental management through applications like smart grids, monitoring systems and smart buildings.

“History has witnessed many ‘declarations of independence’. But in today’s interconnected world we might propose a new ‘Declaration of Inter-dependence’ – a recognition that the economic welfare of each individual country increasingly depends on access to the rest of the world through broadband Internet,” said ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré. “This new Broadband Commission report indicates that improvements in broadband penetration directly correlate to improvements in GDP. Basically, the more available and cheaper broadband access is, the better for a country’s economy and growth prospects.”

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova spoke of the importance of broadband in sharing knowledge and extending education to people everywhere. “Provided it is available to all and affordable for all, broadband-powered applications and content can be a powerful lever for achieving Education for All goals. Inclusive, universal and equitable broadband roll-out can be a tremendous accelerator for development and growth – one way to build Knowledge Societies and to share the wealth of the world’s cultural, linguistic and scientific resources,” she said.

“Access to broadband is only one part of the picture – developing human capacity is absolutely vital, to ensure that individuals have the skills to make the most of new technologies. This means education, it means media literacy, it means ensuring that all marginalized groups are included. All actors – national, international, private and public – must work together to these ends. The case for this has been made. Now we must make it happen.”

Prices falling, but most of the world remains unconnected

Positive findings released by ITU on 16 May show that, on average, consumers are paying 50% less for high-speed Internet connections than they were two years ago. However, this fall is mainly due to price decreases in developing countries, with steep declines often reflecting the extremely high cost of broadband in the developing world.

The top places with the cheapest broadband prices relative to average national monthly income are all high-income economies: Monaco, Macau (China), Liechtenstein, the US and Austria. Customers in 31 countries – all of them highly industrialized nations – pay only the equivalent of 1% or less of average monthly GNI per capita for an entry-level broadband connection.

At the other end of the scale, in 19 countries, a broadband connection costs more than 100% of monthly GNI per capita. And in a handful of developing countries the monthly price of a fast Internet connection is still more than ten times monthly average income.

Despite encouraging trends, Africa continues to stand out for its relatively high prices. Fixed broadband Internet access in particular remains prohibitively high, and, across the region as a whole, still represented almost three times the monthly average per capita income. Only one out of ten people in Africa is using the Internet.
(Source: ITU)