The conference took place at the Sheraton Bratislava hotel on Aug 25-30, 2013, with nearly 100 SW frequency planners from about 48 stations and organizations from around the world... In his opening remarks, HFCC Chairman Oldrich Cip said: “We strongly believe that broadcasting by means of terrestrial SW transmitters remains relevant for a large critical audience around the world”...
Oldrich pointed out that 50 percent of the world’s population -- about three billion people -- live on an income of less than two-and-a-half dollars per day. “Their first choice of communication devices,” he said, “will be either a mobile telephone or a radio, or both, and listening to a local FM or community station or an international broadcast will be more affordable to them than a computer, TV set or video or other new technology”...
Oldrich also mentioned the important humanitarian role of terrestrial radio. “It is capable of reaching across the Digital Divide to the most disadvantaged and marginalized societies. By drawing attention to these aspects we are trying to keep it alive. International radio has been frequently called ”crisis” radio. All communication and information channels that are needed most, when a disaster strikes, are destroyed or overloaded, and the affected population suffers from an information blackout.
Long distance wireless radio remains the only source of information…. That is why the HFCC in cooperation with the Arab States and Asia-Pacific broadcasting unions are working on an International Radio for Disaster Relief project that is based on the system of online coordination of frequencies managed by the HFCC in accordance with International Radio Regulations.” (White, Sep 30)
(DSWCI/DX Window 490)