Monday, May 30, 2005

Eritrean dissident programme observed on Ethiopian state radio

Sunday May 29th, 2005 00:16.
ADDIS ABABA, May 28, 2005 -- BBC Monitoring observed a programme produced byan Eritrean opposition movement on two shortwave frequencies used by theexternal service of Radio Ethiopia, at 1501-1600 gmt on 25 May 2005.At 1501 gmt on 7165.1 and 9560.3 kHz, following on immediately from a RadioEthiopia external service broadcast in Arabic, there was an identificationannouncement in Arabic as "Voice of the Democratic Alliance" (Sawtal-Tahalufa al-Dimuqrati), followed at 1530 gmt by a programme in the Kunamalanguage. Radio Ethiopia's external service resumed at 1600 gmt with abroadcast in English.The Voice of the Democratic Alliance programme is believed to have been onthe air since 21 April 2005, in accordance with the following schedule:Sunday 1500-1530 gmt in Arabic, 1530-1600 gmt in TigrinyaMonday 1500-1530 gmt in Arabic, 1530-1600 gmt in KunamaTuesday 1500-1530 gmt in Tigrinya, 1530-1600 gmt in AfarWednesday 1500-1530 gmt in Arabic, 1530-1600 gmt in KunamaThursday 1500-1530 gmt in Tigrinya, 1530-1600 gmt in AfarFriday 1500-1530 gmt in Arabic, 1530-1600 gmt in KunamaSaturday 1500-1530 gmt in Tigrinya, 1530-1600 gmt in AfarVoice of the Democratic Alliance is produced by the Eritrean DemocraticAlliance coalition, an umbrella grouping of 16 opposition parties.Radio Ethiopia is that country's state broadcaster, and has a website at http://www.angelfire.com/biz/radioethiopia

http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=9831

Gyanvani FM radio channel for Northeast

Press Trust of India
Shillong, May 29, 2005
Stating that technology has been harnessed to overcome nature's challengesin the North-East, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on Sundayinaugurated Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)'s 'Gyanvani' FMradio stations for Guwahati and Shillong."In the North-East, apart from many other things, nature has givenchallenges in communication and access. But modern technology has been ableto overcome this," he said inaugurating the FM radio stations - the first ofits kind by IGNOU in the North-East.All the state capitals would soon be connected by 'Gyanvani' FM radiostations in the near future where young people of the region could expressthemselves, the minister said.Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the students of North-East, althoughvery talented, did not get 'ample opportunities because of inaccessibility.'The FM radio station would provide them the opportunity, he said.Pointing out that highly-educated youth of the region were 'misguided' asinsurgency did not help them to grow, Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapangsaid the FM radio would 'divert' them back to the 'right channel.'Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said his government was committed to takehis second highest literate state to the first place beating Kerala in thenext one year. He also urged the Centre to go for a funding pattern in theratio of 90:10 in implementing the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) schemes fromthe present 75:25 ratio.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7454_1380726,00080005.htm

Sunday, May 29, 2005


Belgium post will issue a stamp on '75 Years of Radio' on 20th June 2005

 Posted by Hello

Deutsche Welle: Now on FM radio in the greater Kabul area

Deutsche Welle is expanding the quality of its presence in Afghanistan:DW-RADIO's services can now be received on FM in the national languages ofDari and Pashto in addition to Farsi, Urdu, English and German in thegreater Kabul area.Two powerful transmitters have been put into operation on almost 2,000 meterhigh Mount Asmai in the Afghan capital city on the basis of a cooperationagreement concluded between Deutsche Welle and Radio Television Afghanistan(RTA) in late 2004. RTA is broadcasting its service from one of the two newtransmitters as well.In close cooperation with Afghan authorities, the German embassy in Kabuland the German Society for Technical Cooperation (Gesellschaft fürtechnische Zusammenarbeit: GTZ) and with funding from the German ForeignOffice in Berlin, Germany's international broadcaster was able to plan andimplement the transmitters very rapidly."Dialogue with the Islamic world is a serious concern for us and ourpartnership with RTA is a major contribution," stressed DW Director-General,Erik Bettermann.DW-RADIO programmes can now be heard by about three million listeners aroundthe clock in a catchment area of roughly 30 kilometres around Kabul on theFM frequency 90.5 MHz.RTA broadcasts its programming on FM frequency 91.5 MHz.Deutsche Welle has been a familiar presence in Afghanistan for more than 30years. In addition to DW-RADIO (which also continues to be broadcast onshortwave) and the internet service DW-WORLD.DE, Germany's internationaltelevision service, DW-TV, can be watched as well: a regional windowdistributed via satellite offers daily news and documentaries in theregional languages Dari and Pashto.
http://www.german-news.de/news/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1170

Kathmandu orders closure of radio centre

AFP[ SUNDAY, MAY 29, 2005 07:35:49 AM ]
KATHMANDU: Nepal's government has ordered the closure of a radio programmeproduction centre in the latest crackdown on the media since the kingassumed absolute power almost four months ago, the centre said Saturday."The Ministry of Information and Communications sent a letter to us Friday(telling) us to shut down our centre," said Gopal Guragain, managingdirector of the Communication Corner which operates with a team of 12journalists. The ministry said the centre, which provides programming to 14of the 50 private FM radio stations across the country, was operatingillegally, Guragain said.King Gyanendra ordered a halt to all radio bulletins, the main business ofthe Communication Corner, when he dismissed the government and seized poweron February 1.Since then the centre has been producing programming dealing with socialissues such as health, community development and religion, according toGuragain, who insisted he would defy the closure order issued by thegovernment, appointed by the king."We have done nothing wrong. We have not done anything illegal. We have beenworking as per the government's directives," he said."We will not obey the government's 'close down' order and we will challenge(it) in the supreme court. Unlike the government, we believe in the rule oflaw. The (order) has made it clear that rule of law has ended in thecountry. "We will go to the supreme court on Monday and I am talking to mylawyers now," Guragain said.It is the first time the government has ordered the closure of a unit of theNepalese media since the re-establishment of democracy in the country in1990.The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) criticised the government'sorder against the Communication Corner."The order is a well-planned attack against the media. This is a crackdownon the Nepalese media by the government," FNJ secretary Balaram Baniya said."It is an illegal and undemocratic move."He said journalists would on Sunday stage a protest in the capital Kathmanduagainst the closure order. They were expected to be joined by hundreds ofradio journalists who have lost their jobs since the ban on FM radiostations broadcasting news bulletins came into effect.The FNJ said this month that at least six journalists remained in detentionfollowing the royal coup and noted that several newspapers had been shutdown by the authorities or had closed due to financial problems. It saidmore than 2,000 reporters had lost their jobs since the royal crackdown.The king repeated in a televised address late Friday that the royal takeoverhad been necessary to end an increasingly bloody Maoist revolt. The Maoistrebels have been fighting to overthrow the monarchy in Nepal since 1996 in aconflict that has claimed more than 11,000 lives.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1125205.cms

ARDXC Special transmission

From: "John Wright" via 'ARDXC' e-group
PRESS RELEASE.
The Australian Radio DX club inc. (Reg A0011728G), will be broadcasting a special fortieth anniversary transmission relay via Latvia.18th June, 2005. 9290 Khz. 1000 UTC.The club was founded on the 19th June, 2005.For 1 hour duration, for Europe and the USA.Future broadcasts via other sites are planned.Special QSL anniversary cards are available for correct reception reports sent by mail only. No email reports.Requirements, are fifteen minutes of programme details.
Reports to ARDXC, C/- John Wright, 29 Milford Rd, Peakhurst NSW 2210, Australia.2IRCs or 2 USD are needed for a reply. Details of the ARDXC and its flagship bulletin the Australian DX News will also be forwarded.
Thankyou
John Wright
Secretary.
Note for ARDXC members only...no reply postage needed!!!!!!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------
This message has been sent via the Australian Radio DX Club message group. The primary aim of the group is friendly, club-related discussion.
http://www.ardxc.fl.net.au/
---------------------------------------------------------------

Radio Japan Special DX Program

Commemorating Radio Japan's 70th anniversary on June 1st, the June's first weekend show of Radio Japan's "Helllo from Tokyo" will dedicate its entire program to DX items. ON 4/5/6th of June, the following personnel will be on the show.
Ms. Yukiko Tsuji, member of JSWC, Japan Short Wave Club. (Familiar voice of JSWC DX programs.)
Mr. Anker Petersen, Chairman of Danish Short Wave Club International, Denmark. Mr. G. Victor A. Goonetilleke, President of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Bob Padula, Administrator, EDXP, Electronic DX Press Monitor Association, Australia. Mr. Richard D'Angelo, Executive Director, NASWA, North American Short Wave Association, USA.
All will talk on their radio lives and memories of Radio Japan with Jonathan Sherr and Ms. Hisako Tomisawa, Hello from Tokyo's regular host and hostess joined by Toshi Ohtake of JSWC.
Time and frequencies are: Hello from Tokyo (Time in UTC) ( ) after frequency is the relay site.
Beaming to Europe/Africa Asia/Pacific Americas
Saturday 0510-0600 5975 & 7230kHz(UK) 17810/15195/21755kHz 6110kHz(Canada) 1010-1100 17585 & 17720Hz(UAE) 9696/11730/21755kHz 6120kHz(Canada)
1710-1800 11970/15355kHz(GAB) 9535kHz Sunday
0010-0100 6145kHz(Canada)
0310-0400 21610kHz
1110-1200 9696/11730kHz 6120kHz(Canada)
1510-1600 6190/7200/11730kHz 9505kHz
Monday 0110-0200 5960(UK)/17560kHz 17810/11860(SIG)/17845/15325kHz
17825/11935(BON)kHz

SEND YOUR REPORTS TO
1. RADIO JAPAN, NHK TOKYO 150-8001 JAPAN (No IRC) 2. JSWC, P.O.Box 29, Sendai
Central 980-8691, Japan. (With 1 IRC)

You may request any one of the following JSWC QSL's. 5th Anniversary card (printed in 1957), 50th anniversary card (2002), or 2005 Rooster card. 3. EDXP Australia will issue QSL for the segment of Mr. Bob Padula's appearance during the show. POSTAL MAILED REPORTS, will be acknowledged with full data colored cards showing Australian scenes and wildlife, and should be sent to:Radio EDXP, 404 Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert, Victoria 3127, Australia. Return postage is necessary, Australia: $1.50 in Australian stamps, Elsewhere: 1 IRC or US$1.E-MAILED REPORTS, will be acknowledged with full-data, full-color E-QSLs, and return postage is not required. They may be collected at a special Website.
An on-line reception Report template is available at http://edxp.org Alternatively, reports may be sent directly to edxp@engradio.orgI hope you enjoy this unique DX program and send your reception report. PS. For your information, the following weekend on June 11/12/13, Mr. Vashek Korinek, DXer of South Africa will be on the phone out show of Hello from Tokyo, Radio Japan. Toshimichi Ohtake,International Coordinator, JSWC.

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Community radio: A strong development tool in rural Uttaranchal

27 May, 2005Although a full-fledged community radio movement has still to become areality in India, villagers in various rural pockets all over the countryare using the airwaves to put up their voice about various issues.Uttaranchal Community Radio is currently performing as an importantdevelopment tool for creating awareness, spreading information andfacilitating communication, despite the absence of policy support andgovernment aid. It is a radio service for geographically bound communitiesin areas with poor infrastructure where people do not have access to themainstream national and regional media. The service, which is run andmanaged by local people addressing issues relating to the community in thelocal language, was introduced in Uttaranchal by the Himalaya Trust, a DehraDun-based civil society organisation, with support from UNESCO, in September2001. Since, May 2004, five community radio groups -- four in Garhwal in theWestern part of the state, and one in Kumaon in the East -- have beenengaged in a research initiative looking at grassroots media and poverty.Pradeep Community Radio, Raibar Community Radio and Hewalvani CommunityRadio are some of the groups working actively in the region.
Source: http://www.infochangeindia.org
(The link was working at the time of posting the newsletter)http://www.i4donline.net/news1.asp? fol_name=C_Radio&file_name=radio34&get_pic=radio&p_title=News

Harris Corporation Named Exclusive Supplier of HD Radio(TM) Transmitters

Press Release Source: Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation Named Exclusive Supplier of HD Radio(TM) Transmitters forAll Entercom FM Stations in Sacramento and New Orleans
Thursday May 26, 10:00 am ETFourth Largest U.S. Commercial Radio Broadcaster Joins Other Top Six U.S.Commercial Broadcasters by Selecting Harris for HD Radio Transmission
CINCINNATI, May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris Corporation's (NYSE:HRS - News) Broadcast Communications Division (BCD) continues its leadershipin HD Radio(TM) transmission sales and product development with theannouncement that Entercom Communications, the nation's fourth largest radiobroadcaster, with multi-station operations in many top U.S. markets, hasselected Harris as its exclusive HD Radio transmission supplier for itsSacramento and New Orleans FM stations. All nine stations (KSEG-FM, KDND-FM,KRXQ-FM, KWOD-FM and KSSJ-FM in Sacramento; WEZB-FM, WLMG-FM, WTKL-FM andWKBU-FM in New Orleans) will go on air with Harris Z12HDS and Z16HDS solid-state transmitters in late Q2/early Q3 2005. With its first purchase ofHarris HD Radio transmitters, Entercom joins the other top six U.S.commercial radio broadcasters in choosing Harris for HD. Furthermore, thisputs Entercom firmly ahead of its commercial radio competition in NewOrleans and Sacramento with first-to-air HD Radio broadcasts.ADVERTISEMENT"We've seen the great success other radio broadcasters have had with Harristransmitters, and that made us eager to test the products ourselves," saidMartin D. Hadfield, vice president of engineering, Entercom Communications."Harris' Z Series of transmitters gives us the flexibility to switch amongthree distinct service modes ranging from HD-only to hybrid analog/digitalto analog-only. Because of this flexibility, we can remove older, oversizedtube-type transmission equipment. The Z Series also met redundancyrequirements for our main analog channels, which will continue to be ourprimary contact to the listening audience for at least the near future. Mostimportantly, these transmitters open up new opportunities for Entercom. Notonly can we provide an improved listener experience through pristine digitalaudio, but we have the potential to offer additional content throughsupplementary program streams."Each Z12CD and Z16CD transmitter will be outfitted with Harris DEXSTAR®exciters, with an upgrade path to the company's forthcoming FLEXSTAR(TM)exciter for additional power and flexibility. Hadfield also pointed tocustomer service and quick turnaround as reasons for choosing Harris."Harris was very approachable from the beginning and provided terrificservice and communication throughout the organization," he said. "Theirability to meet our challenging timetable for delivery was a big helpgetting us on the air as originally scheduled."Harris' Z Series of solid-state transmitters offers built-in reliabilitythat eliminates single points of failure in PA/IPA modules and various powersupplies, providing true on-air redundancy. Hadfield expects that thetransmitter's solid-state design will allow more favorable maintenanceschedules, freeing up station engineers to focus on other important tasks attheir facilities."Harris is extremely proud that Entercom has given us the opportunity tosupport their HD Radio launch in two very prestigious markets," said DebraHuttenburg, vice president and general manager of Harris BCD's RadioBroadcast Systems business unit. "It's an exciting time for terrestrialradio as the number of broadcasters announcing their HD Radio plans continueto grow. The Harris Radio team is focused on providing our customers with acost-effective, easy-to-implement way in which to launch digital services,along with a product portfolio that enables them to realize the businessopportunities those services bring. We're thrilled to welcome Entercom as aHarris customer and look forward to a long and successful relationship."About Harris Broadcast Communications DivisionHarris Broadcast Communications Division is one of four divisions withinHarris Corporation, an international communications equipment companyfocused on providing assured communications(TM) products, systems andservices for government and commercial customers in more than 150 countries.One of the world's leading suppliers of broadcast technology, HarrisBroadcast Communications Division offers a full range of solutions thatsupport the digital delivery, automation and management of audio, video anddata.
For more information, visit http://www.broadcast.harris.com .
HD Radio(TM) is a trademark of iBiquity Digital Corporation
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050526/flth002.html?.v=12

Voice of America Launches 24 Hour-a-Day Radio Broadcast in Ghana

PRESS RELEASE - Washington, D.C., May 26, 2005 - The Voice of America has officially launched a 24-hour-a-day FM radio programming stream in the capital city of Accra. Ghanaians can now listen to their favorite VOA Africa programming all day, every day, by tuning in to 98.1 FM on their dial.
In addition to daily shortwave broadcasts to the region, VOA-FM offers a rich mixture of VOA's international and local news, updates on current events in Africa and worldwide, as well as a wide range of cultural features. Programming will also includes listener favorites such as Healthy Living with Josephine Kamara, a 30-minute health magazine program featuring reports on medical issues affecting Africa; Sonny Young's Sonny Side of Sports; and Straight Talk Africa with Shaka Ssali, a call-in show which examines topics targeted specifically to Africans, including politics, health, social issues and conflict resolution.
U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Mary Carlin Yates commented on the launch during a ceremony held today in Accra. "I truly believe that having a free and open media is one of the key elements of democracy," she said. "When people have choices in what to listen to and what to read, they can better form their own opinions about politics and about the world."
Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor also praised the launch of VOA's 24-hour broadcast during a special appearance on yesterday's Straight Talk Africa program.
Accra becomes the seventh capital city in Africa to receive continuous VOA FM broadcasts. Surveys show that 97 percent of Ghanaians use radio as a primary source of news. VOA's FM broadcasts will reach an estimated audience of one million people. Twenty-four-hour VOA broadcasts are also heard in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; Djibouti, Djibouti; Nairobi, Kenya; Kigali, Rwanda; and Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 100 million people. Programs are produced in 44 languages, including English.
For more information, call the Office of Public Affairs at (202) 401-7000, or E-Mail publicaffairs@voa.gov.

http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2005-05-26-voa80.cfm

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Radio Six International expands European service

Radio Six International, Scotland's independent international station,launches a new Saturday transmission aimed at listeners across Europe fromJune 4th. Tony Currie will host SATURDAY SOUNDS with a mixture of unsignedbands, guests, record reviews and listeners' letters. The show will comelive from Glasgow between 0600 and 0700 UTC and will be repeated twice laterin the day for listeners in other timezones. Details are:0600-0700 UTC on 15,725kHz (20kW) from Milan, Italy; on 9,290kHz (100kW)from Ulbroka, Latvia, on 88.2MHz in stereo from Tawa, Wellington, NewZealand, and on our 24-hour webfeed at www.radiosix.com1500-1600 UTC on the web feed only2300-2400 UTC on 5,105kHz (50kW) from Monticello, Maine, USA and on the webfeed.The complete transmission schedule for June 2005 (with all times in UTC) is:0000-2359 (Daily) Web feed0000-0300 (Sat/Sun) 88.2MHz stereo (Tawa, New Zealand)0000-0100 (Daily) 5,105kHz (Monticello, USA)0100-0200 (Sun/Mon) 5,105kHz (Monticello, USA)0600-0700 (Sat) 15,725kHz (Milan, Italy); 9,290kHz (Ulbroka, Latvia) and88.2MHz (Tawa, New Zealand)0700-0800 (2nd Sun) 13,840kHz (Milan, Italy)0830-0930 (2nd Sat) 13,840kHz (Milan, Italy)1900-2000 (2nd Thu) 5,775kHz (Milan, Italy)2300-2400 (Daily) 5,105kHz (Monticello, USA)

Concern expressed over looting of FM equipment

By A Staff Reporter
KATHMANDU, May 21: Broadcasting Association of Nepal (BAN) has raisedconcern and condemned the loot of broadcasting equipment from Ghodaghodi FMstation at Attaria of Kailali on Friday by a group calling themselvesMaoists.The station was dedicated to raising awareness among the backward communityof the Tharus and the loot has created a barrier in disseminating the newsand views to them, BAN press release stated.It said that community radio is established as a means to develop a societyand the Maoists' act has devoid the community from the reach of development,it said. Such condemnable attack on a community radio station is a productof authoritarian thought, it further said.BAN has also asked to return the equipment and stop such activities in thedays to come.Similarly, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) AsiaPacific Regional Office has also deplored the attack on the Ghodaghodi FMCommunity Radio Station.AMARK said that it was a direct attack on the people's right to freedom ofexpression, right to information and basic human rights. AMARK has alsoappealed to all parties to respect the rights of community radio stations,no harm be caused to community radio practitioners and allow them tocontinue informing their communities.http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?file=2005/05/22/topstories/main29

Radio New Zealand: A few programming changes

Radio New Zealand today announced changes to its programming lineup and saidit would revamp its website "to provide up to date information and audio ondemand facilities to enhance what listeners can hear on air.""In a society that is rapidly changing, Radio New Zealand needs to reaffirmits position as a dynamic, relevant and contemporary public servicebroadcaster, and these changes will help us to do so," said RNZ CEO PeterCavanagh.Mr Cavanagh said the 'birdcalls' -- a feature that has come under much firerecently -- have been retained and will be "expanded and integrated in a newproject which will build a sound library of field recordings reflecting thesocial, environmental and cultural diversity of New Zealand."Flagship programmes Morning Report and Nine to Noon with Linda Clark willremain largely untouched, he said, with only minor format changes."Weekday and weekend afternoons will see the biggest changes," he said.Weekday afternoons"The format for weekday afternoon programming will change with a new weekdayafternoon programme which builds on the regional focus of the existing InTouch with New Zealand programme. The magazine and lifestyle format will beretained and, contrary to recent media speculation, it will not become atalk-driven news programme.The programme will be presented from Radio New Zealand's new Aucklandstudios."Wayne Mowat continues to play an important role as the anchor of 'In TouchWith New Zealand' which will focus on special outside broadcasts fromthroughout the country and which will feed into the new regional afternoonprogramme."Wayne's Music moves from weekday afternoons but continues as a valuablepart of the nostalgia listening theme of Saturday and Sunday evenings."National Radio's top rating evening news programme Checkpoint will beextended from one hour to two.
"Saturday afternoons"
Home Grown is retained as the title for a new expanded music programme,which will showcase New Zealand contemporary music over three hours eachSaturday afternoon. National Radio is not reducing its long-establishedcommitment to the promotion of New Zealand music.
"Sunday afternoons"
In place of the present weekday afternoons programme 'What's Going On?,' anew 3 and a half hour books, arts and movies programme will be developed forSunday afternoon with dedicated host Lynn Freeman.TimetableMr Cavanagh said jobs would be added, rather than lost, through the changesand they would be advertised soon.He said a revised National Radio programme schedule will be launched onSaturday 17th September and the broadcaster hopes to have production andpresentation teams in place by early August.25-May-2005http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=12078&cid=1&cname=Media

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

TBC –London based Tamil radio station temporarily suspend broadcasting due to alleged break-in.

London, 23 May (Asiantribune.com): Tamil Broadcasting Corporation, a Tamil radio station based in London reports of the station temporarily suspending its broadcasting services, as alleged saboteurs have broken into TBC studio in the early hours of 22nd May 2005 and vital studio equipments have been stolen and the cable connecting the up-linking facility has been severed.In a press release from the TBC it states: “The deliberate manner in which the up-linking facility was severed point the finger towards a terrorist organisation whose supporters have regularly issued death threat to the TBC programmes director if he continues the TBC service.”“TBC administration strongly suspects that the banned terrorist group LTTE instigated this break-in,” statement adds. TBC program director in the press release said that the readers may know that the TBC is the only Radio station to broadcast impartial news and provide a platform for alternate points of view .He appealed: “We call upon the people, and all our listeners to protest to the local LTTE office and demand them to publicly disassociate with these criminal acts and condemn those who are engaged in these activities.”
- Asian Tribune -
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=14512

Zimbabwe radio faces likely closure

23/05/2005 09:38 - (SA)
Nairobi - An award-winning Zimbabwean radio station in exile on Sundaywarned it could be forced to close down by the end of this month if pledgesof donor funds are not delivered, its manager said.In April, the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) awarded SWRadio Africa, which broadcasts to Zimbabwe on shortwave from London, the2005 "Free Media Pioneer" prize for being a "voice to the voiceless".The radio will receive the price on Tuesday at the end of the ongoing IPIgeneral assembly in the Kenyan capital."If the funds promised by our donors do not arrive before the end of themonth, we will be forced to stop our activities," said Gerry Jackson, thefounder and manager of radio.However, it was not clear how much money the exiled station needed in orderto continue operating.Jackson, a Zimbabwean journalist, set up the station in December 2001 afterbeing forced to leave Zimbabwe following the closure of an independentstation he set up after being fired from a public radio station.According to IPI, the radio, which has nine employees in London, "remains arare independent voice" in Zimbabwe.The Harare government regularly jammed broadcasts in the months before theMarch legislative election, and continued after them, according to the presswatchdog, which also in its report in March chided the Southern Africannation for limiting press freedom.Previous winners of the prize, created in 1996, include the Russian NTVtelevision station and the Serbian B-92 radio station.http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_1709110,00.html

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Rebels attack radio station in Nepal

AP, KATMANDU
MAY 20: Communist rebels on Friday stormed and ransacked a private radiostation whose programming was critical of their efforts to overthrow Nepal'sgovernment, an official said.Armed rebels attacked the Ghodaghodi FM station in Kailali, about 600kilometres (375 miles) west of the Nepalese capital, Katmandu, said RamPrasad Sharma, a local official.No one was hurt in the attack, but the guerrillas made off with much of thestation's broadcast equipment, Sharma said.The station had been critical of the Maoist rebels, who have a strongpresence in the area.Leaders from Nepal's largest political parties met Friday to organise newprotests in an effort to pressure the king to restore democracy in thekingdom.The seven major parties who have opposed King Gyanendra since his seizure ofpower in February, met to plan coordinated protests scheduled to begin nextweek."All of us are working together on a strategy to gather massive support forour movement to restore democracy," said Shobhakar Parajuli, a spokesman forthe Nepali Congress party. "We are using all the resources available instepping up the movement."The king fired the government, seized absolute power and jailed politicianson Feb. 1 citing the failure of successive governments to control acommunist insurgency and to curb corruption.Since then, there has been several street protests, but they have generallybeen attended by only a handful of party workers, who have been swiftlyarrested by the police.The parties said the planned protest rallies on May 22 and May 27 over the country would be massive.