Special call-sign to comemmmorate birth anni of Jagadish Chandra Bose

Special Event Operation with Special Call sign prefix blocks for the Birth Anniversary of the greatest Indian Scientist and inventor, Shri. Jagadish Chandra Bose. Special permission of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Department of Communications ,Government of India, to following group of Amateur Radio Operator's licenses to use special call signs (as mentioned below against each participant) to operate during the 150th Birth Anniversary of India's great scientist and inventor Shri. Jagadish Chandra Bose, (which falls on Nov. 30th 2008) from 23th Nov 2008 to 02nd Dec 2008, from their existing licenced location mentioned in his Radio Amateur Licence, to participate in the activity. This is the invitation to all amateurs world wide, who are Prefix hunters, Special QSL hunters, etc, to avail the finest opportunity , to work and get QSOs, and later on QSLs from the very special prefix series AU1 to AU0.

Operating stations :
AU0JCB - VU3DJQ (vu3djq@gmail.com)
AU2JCB - VU2DSI (datta_anr@dataone.in)
AU5JCB - MULTI OPERATOR MULTI MODE (VU2SMN on phone, VU2ROE on PSK31)
AU6JCB - VU2LR
AU8JCB - VU2ACK (ashok3003@yahoo.co.in)
AU9JCB - VU2SMS (vu2sms@rediffmail.com)

(Source : http://au9jcb.angelfire.com with additional inputs from VU3DJQ)

Voice of America Hindi Radio Silent in India during Terrorist Attacks

by tedlipien - November 28, 2008 - 12:18 America/New_York
Voice of America, U.S. taxpayer-funded international broadcaster, was off the air with shortwave Hindi radio broadcasts to India during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The decision to silence these radio broadcasts was made earlier this year by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a U.S. Government agency.

Read the full story here :
http://freemediaonline.org/freemediaonlineblog/2008/11/28/voice-of-america-radio-silent-in-india-during-terrorist-attacks/

Govt nod to 107 more community FM stations

BY NITIN MAHAJAN
NEW DELHI
Nov. 27: In an effort to reach out to masses through the massive medium of radio, the Central government has granted permission to 107 more community radio stations to begin operations across the country soon. Official sources stated that the expansion of community radio network was in keeping with the government's policy to make communities more aware through such social networks.

Read the full story here :
http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/govt-nod-to-107-more-community-fm-stations.aspx

Relays this weekend via 9290 kHz

Relays this weekend via 9290 kHz

November 29th
RWI 19.00 - 20.00UTC

November 30th
Latvia Today 15.00 - 16.00UTC
RWI 16.00 -17.00UTC
RWI 20.00 -21.00UTC

Good listening
73s
Tom Taylor

All India Radio Latest changes/additions

All India Radio Latest Info (From latest printed schedule & others)

MW:
Diphu 1584 ( ex 1485)
Padum 1584
Srinagar C 1224 (ex 684)

FM
Leh : 102.9
Rajkot : 102.4 (ex 95.8)
Yercaud 103.7 (ex 100.9)

SW:
Revised schedule of External Services:

Aligarh: (Some transmitters which were off air at Aligarh is now back on air)
7255: 1315-1415 Dari, 1415-1530 Pushtu, (Afghanistan, Pakistan),
1530-1545 English
9620: 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan)
11620: 0100-0430 Urdu
15770: 0400-0430 Persian, 0430-0530 Arabic (W.Asia), 0845-0945
Indonesian, 1115-1215 Tamil, 1215-1245 Telugu (SE Asia)

Bangalore:
5990 : 0100-0200 Sindhi
17875 : 0845-0945 Indonesian (ex 15770)
17895 : 1000-1100 English
The updated SW sked is available in frequency order at:
http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm

73
Jose Jacob, VU2JOS
National Institute of Amateur Radio
Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India
Tel: 91-40-6516 7388 Telefax: 91-40-2331 0287
Cell: 94416 96043
www.niar.org

FRS December 28th

Dear FRS Friends,

I N V I T A T I O N

Following our November 2nd broadcast a few weeks ago, FRS-Holland will again take to the airwaves over the X-Mas Holiday Season. December 28th FRS-Holland will continue a long time tradition. And that means we invite you- the listener– to participate. Forward your very own personal New Year Greetings to the Free Radio Service Holland and we will make sure it'll be read out during our broadcast. You can dedicate your greetings to friends etc. but you can also make a 'general NY Greeting. It can be written or (preferably!) taped (cassette, CD, MD or MP3 file) and send to our P.O.Box 2702, 6049 ZG Herten in the Netherlands. Of course the easy & quick way is by sending an e-mail to frs@frsholland.nl or frs.holland@hccnet.nl. You can add something special to our December 28th broadcast by participating. So….don't hesoitate and take part in the FRS Party that day. It'll be great fun. Make sure your contribution reaches us before December 5th. We are looking forward hearing from you !!! Tune on the 28th...it'll be great fun !!!

December 28th FRSH will be on 6220 for at least 4 hours. In addition we hope to be on a different frequency as well, perhaps not our full programming. Pxs will be presented by Jan van Dijk doing a 2008 Free Radio Review in his German Show. Paul Graham will be doing another classic FRS Golden Show playing great 60s/ 70s stuff as well as a feature on a landbased pirate radio station from years gone by. Peter Verbruggen will look back to what happened in the past on December 28th (Day Calendar) en plays a mix of 80s/90s/00s records in FRS Magazine. He will also host a 45 min. FRS Goes DX edition with the latest news from the wonderful world of wireless . Mike Anderson's DX Welle will feature a mix of DX News and music. During the pxs we will read out November mail and New Year's Greetings. There's a listener's competition and 'the Phrase that Pays'. In addition a 15 minute Joop ter Zee tribute will be aired. Pxs will most likely
commence at 08.00 UTC/ 09.00 CET and last till 12.00 UTC/ 13.00 CET. Frequency is 6220 kHz. As said, part of the shows will be repeated on a different frequency, most likely in the afternoon. That day FRS will also be heard via the Internet, perhaps pxs will be repeated a number of times. We will send more mails December and a few days before the broadcast we hope to reveal the afternoon frequency and time-slot. By now all back mail plus all letters/mail from the November 2008 broadcast (!!) have been handled. That implies the all new QSLs from our TX Series have been forwarded to the FRS listeners who responded. Christmas Day Dec. 25th there might be another surprise when FRS-Holland will be co-operating with two other well-known (and long-serving) short wave stations. Details about programming and frequency will be announced as soon as possible.

73s, Peter V. (on behalf of the 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
e-mail: frs@frsholland.nl

Radio Tirana celebrates 70th Anniversary

After three days, Radio Tirana will celebrate its Anniversary 70-th like in the attached invitation. 70 years ago, on 28 November 1938, Radio Tirana was for the first time on the air on Short Waves... We very warmly invite Everybody to send us your messages and wishes for Radio Tirana in its 70 Anniversary at: drita.cico@yahoo.com , dcico@icc.al.eu.org

Thank You so much indeed, and all the best from lovely wet November in Tirana,

Drita Cico, Mrs.
Electronic Engineer
ARTV- ALBANIAN RADIOTELEVISION
Head of Monitoring Center of Radio Tirana since 21 September 1981
& also HF Manager since 2005
RADIO TIRANA

AIB Media Excellence Awards 2008 - the winners

The winners of the 2008 AIB Media Excellence Awards were announced this month. You can see the complete list - including the winners of the radio category here:

http://www.aib.org.uk/files/AIB_Awards_Finalists_brochure_131108.pdf.

Simon Spanswick
AIB
London

(Via dx_india yg)

Power FM relaunched in Kolkata in a new avatar

exchange4media News Service
November 26 2008
Power FM has undergone a revamp and has been relaunched in Kolkata with a new look, a new logo and a new slogan – All Hits, No Bakwaas – keeping in mind today's youth. Power FM, which till now was a functional radio station, now possesses the new gung ho attitude that the young at heart, trendy, opinionated yet sophisticated youth of today associate themselves with.

Read the full story here :
http://tinyurl.com/5m6zkk

Radio Damascus English program now available online

Radio Damascus English program is now also on the internet. After a few weeks of having the daily German language program online it is great to know that from this week on you can also download the daily recording of the English program.

The direct link to the daily recordings is :
http://www.rtv.gov.sy/index.php?m=541

Soon there will also be a link on the homepage of Syrian Radio & Television, http://www.rtv.gov.sy , to the international foreign language services of Radio Damascus.

A nice tip : although the recording is in the Windows Media format, you can convert it with a simple converter program to a MP3 file and put it on your Ipod or other MP3 player to take Radio Damascus on the road.
I am using "Switch" for this purpose on a Mac OSX system.
( http://www.nch.com.au/switch/plus.html )
They have a free version and a paid version with some extra's. It is very nice to listen to Radio Damacus, when driving to work, in digital audio quality on my car radio through my connected Iphone (or Ipod).

Radio Damascus Listeners Club :
http://www.radio-damascus-listeners-club.tk
or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radio_damascus

( Kris Janssen, Belgium)

HCJB Australia Newsletter, Dec 2008 issue

HCJB Australia Newsletter, Dec 2008 issue is now available for dowload
from this link :

http://www.hcjb.org.au/docs/131_Aus_Dec08.pdf

HCJB Global Transmitter Installed at TWR's Site in Swaziland

Nov. 25, 2008
For Immediate Release
A new 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter built at the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, Ind., is on the air at the Trans World Radio (TWR) site in Swaziland, broadcasting a message of hope across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Through a cooperative effort between the two organizations, the HC100 transmitter began broadcasting about 12 hours a day on Oct. 23, replacing an outdated Continental unit and joining two other HC100s, also from Elkhart. "The results of the broadcasts from this transmitter are that people come to Christ and they are encouraged in their faith," said Ray Alary, TWR's director of operations in Africa. "For those with HIV/AIDS, we can encourage them in what seems a hopeless situation. Through Jesus we all have hope. The primary target areas are eastern and southern Africa, but our transmitters in Swaziland reach locations as far away as Pakistan. We broadcast in approximately 30 languages with our three HC100 transmitters." Alary added that TWR's partnership with HCJB Global "goes back a long way and has taken many different forms over the years . . . it is a model of a well-functioning partnership where each party gains from our ability to work together." The partnership includes having a number of TWR missionaries serving at the Technology Center in Elkhart. Among those is veteran engineer Larry McGuire who lived in Swaziland for 16 years before moving to Elkhart in 1990. He helped build and install all three HC100s at the Swaziland site, spending 2½ weeks in Swaziland in October to put the new transmitter on the air. "The new transmitter is much more efficient and has a clearer, more understandable signal than the one it replaced," McGuire said. "The HC100 is also easier to maintain because it was designed by missionary engineers for that purpose." Alary said that having "three identical transmitters at the same site makes our operation in Swaziland very efficient. In addition, we have purchased more than 20 suitcase transmitters through HCJB." Tom Lowell, chairman of TWR's board of directors, said the new transmitter has many economic advantages. "For example, parts needed to keep the old equipment on the air were expensive. The Continental transmitter uses three large tubes, at $13,000 each, compared to the HC100's single tube. That's an immediate savings of $26,000 on parts alone! The HC100 also operates much more efficiently, saving us $12,000 per year on our electric bill in Swaziland." McGuire added that the installation of the HC100 in Swaziland culminates years of work and planning dating back to about 2000. Construction of this transmitter, the ninth of its type, was completed in 2005. After TWR agreed to purchase the unit, it was modified to, and tested for, Swaziland requirements, then packed and loaded onto a truck in Elkhart on July 31. It then traveled across the Atlantic Ocean by ship, arriving in Durban, South Africa, on Sept. 9. From there it went by train to Matsapha, Swaziland, where it cleared customs "almost immediately," he said. Finally it went by truck to TWR's transmitter site on a ranch 20 miles from Manzini along the White Mbuluzi River, arriving on Sept. 18. "The day it arrived, there 'happened' to be a work crew from a church in Elkhart that had been renovating the building," McGuire continued. "They were way ahead of schedule, so they helped unload the transmitter from the container, got it in position and started putting up the heavy parts and then built the fascia-all before I started working on the installation on Oct. 6. I was very amazed. That's never happened before!" When McGuire said the entire installation process went smoothly. "The cooperation was great-very beneficial for both." David Russell, director of the HCJB Global Technology Center, calls it a "privilege to work closely with engineers of TWR Africa. During just the past year we have cooperated with TWR on projects in Benin, Kenya and Swaziland. We are presently refurbishing a used 50,000-watt AM transmitter that will be used at TWR's Swaziland broadcast facilities. It gives us a great sense of fulfillment to be able to support our fellow kingdom workers at TWR through the provision of technical consulting, equipment, installations and maintenance," Russell added. "By pooling our strengths we are able to be more effective in the Lord's harvest fields."

(Press Release)

BBC Hindi wins ABU Award

http://tinyurl.com/6y9q3e

Miraya FM looking for Project Head

Fondation Hirondelle is looking for an experienced media professional to fill the position of Head of Project for Miraya FM, a radio network it has established in Sudan in partnership with the United Nations.

HEAD OF PROJECT

Based in Khartoum, Sudan

Responsibilities will include:
- In the field, the implementation and coordination of Miraya FM for Fondation Hirondelle.
- Ensuring compliance with the rules of ethics and professionalism that make the reputation of Miraya FM and Fondation Hirondelle.
- Working in coordination with the main leaders of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) who are responsible for Miraya FM.
- Designing and implementing guidelines for the management of human resources, financial and technical resources of the radio.
- Representing Fondation Hirondelle in all settings related to Miraya FM, and participating in meetings and discussions with local authorities, professional associations and donors of the project.

Profile:
- Many years successful experience as a successful media professional
- Experience as a Project manager and / or manager of development activities in Africa a plus, - Strong interpersonal and communication skills, a certain sense of diplomacy and negotiation
- Experience in organisation and supervision of personnel
- English fluency, Arabic and other Sudanese languages a plus.

Salary range: 9,000 to 10,000 USD a month
Competitive benefits and social package

Starting date in Khartoum: January 2009

Send your application (cover letter, resume/CV, references) by e-mail (adm@hirondelle.org) or by mail: Fondation Hirondelle, Avenue du Temple 19C, 1012 Lausanne, Switzerland, before November 31 2008.

Fondation Hirondelle is an organisation of journalists creating independent media in zones of conflict or crisis. http/ / www.hirondelle.org

ABU Prizes 2008 Winners

http://www.abu.org.my/public/compiled/p1052.htm?CFID=35536&CFTOKEN=63867398

All India Radio Annual Report 2007

Annual Report of All India Radio for the year 2007 is now available for download from this link :
http://allindiaradio.gov.in/reports/AIRComp2007.pdf
(9.66 MB)

Annual Report for Prasar Bharati for the year 2007 can be downloaded using this link :
http://allindiaradio.gov.in/reports/PBAR2007.pdf
(20.6 MB)

RTI sends souvenirs for Spotlight Listeners

Spotlight listeners, write in to PO Box 123-199 Taipei, Taiwan with your feedback or questions and RTI will thank you with a souvenir gift!

Indian listeners can write in to :
Radio Taiwan Intl.,
PO Box 4914
New Delhi 110029

Nigel Chapman steps down as director of the World Service

One of my friend at BBC passed on this link :

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42525&c=1

Cubans go nuts over shortwave radios

Read the story here :
http://alongthemalecon.blogspot.com/2008/11/cubans-go-nuts-over-shortwave-radios.html

DW-RADIO celebrates 45th anniversary of service in Indonesia

From November 21-23, Deutsche Welle will be meeting with its listeners and partners in Indonesia, as they come together in Jakarta to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Indonesian programming on DW-RADIO. To commemorate this milestone, Sybille Golte-Schroeder, Head of Asia Services for DW-RADIO and DW-WORLD.DE will be joined by Hendra Pasuhuk, Deputy Head of the Indonesian Program and Angelika Newel, Head of Distribution for Asia and Australia. Apart from a two-hour radio program seven days a week, and anIndonesian website with news and information, Deutsche Welle works with partners in the region on co-productions and training projects. This past year, DW-RADIO produced a series entitled "Preservation of the Tropical Rainforest" in cooperation with 10 different radio partners from Indonesia. "For 45 years, Deutsche Welle has been producing news and reports from and about Indonesia," says Erik Bettermann, Deutsche Welle's DirectorGeneral. "Asia and Indonesia specifically, is important to us. Deutsche Welle was heavily involved in the reconstruction of the information structure following the tsunami in 2004, but we also see our involvement in the region as a way to increase intercultural dialogue. We will be focusing on this relationship in the future."

(DW Press Release 21.11.2008)

100 new FM transmitters to boost AIR network in NE

Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Nov 23
At least 100 new FM transmitters with 100-watt capacity are coming up to cover by All India Radio network in various remote localities of the North East, including Sikkim, during the 11th Plan period. In addition to it, 19 more FM transmitters with one-kilowatt capacity are also in the pipeline in the region during the period. The engineer-in-chief of All India Radio, New Delhi, HR Singh stated this, while inaugurating the Fourth Zonal Conference of the engineering heads of AIR stations of the NE region at Guwahati on Saturday. Singh said that a series of recruitment drives and promotional activities would be completed in the current financial year to improve on its existing coverage. He also urged the engineers working in various stations to act in a co-ordinated manner to make the public broadcasting service more meaningful. He also insisted on developing a work culture keeping pace with the changing broadcasting technology. Singh further assured to initiate moves to develop the infrastructure and civil works in the AIR stations of the region at par with the stations of the country. Engineering heads of nearly 40 AIR stations of the region, including Sikkim, participated in the two-day conference. Addressing the conference, the Deputy Director General (NE) Doordarshan, Guwahati, ST Sailo stressed on developing the infrastructure to face the challenges from the mushrooming private electronic media in the region. Sailo also suggested replacement of some old transmitters for quality broadcasting of the radio programme. The function was also addressed by Chief Engineer (Maintenance), PS Bajpai. Bajpai said that there is a proposal to set up a 20-kilowatt digital transmitter for youth programme during the 11th Plan period in Guwahati AIR Station.

(The Assam Tribune,23.11.2008)

http://assamnet.org/posts/index.php?t=rview&goto=5755&th=2900#msg_5755

First AWR station in India

AWR is planning to set up an FM station in Aizawl, Mizoram state.
More details here :
http://www.awr2.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=198&Itemid=9

(Jose Jacob, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad )

Winners of the CRI Travel Quiz "Amazing Southeast Guizhou"

CRI kicked off the Travel Quiz "Amazing Southeast Guizhou" at the beginning of September, 2008. And between September 1st and October 31st CRI English Service received more than 10,000 entries. The top prize winners (5 top prize winners in all, and 1 from the CRI English Service portion of the contest) have enjoyed a 5-day free tour in Guizhou. Below, we list the winners for the CRI English Service portion of the contest. Congratulations to all the lucky winners!

Top prize (5-day free tour in Guizhou) 1

Colin Friedman, China

First Prize (Silk scarf) 10

Stephen Hrebenach, USA
A. K. M. Nuruzzaman, Bangladesh
Asghar Shah, Pakistan
Muhammad Yasir Ishfaq Qurashi Hashmi, Pakistan
Miss. Hanan Osman Abdelkader, Egypt
Mustapha O. Hassan, Nigeria
S. Sreejith, India
Mani Sankar Chhatri, INDIA
Greti Yaneva Terzieva, Bulgaria
Shane Lawson, Australian

Second Prize (Decoration Cloth) 20

Mike Peraaho, USA
Andrew Lisowski, USA
Marc Soens, Belgium
Kailas Theodore, Greece
Ralph Jones, United Kingdom
Shamsul Huda, Bangladesh
Tazrian Huda, Bangladesh
Nisar Ahmad Nasir, Pakistan
Khatri Shakeel Ahmed Taj, Pakistan
Miss Tayyaba Noor, Pakistan
Chinenye Scholastica Ozoemena, Nigeria
Syed Khizar Hayat Shah, Pakistan
Muhammad Shahid, Pakistan
Miss. P. Venkataramanamma, India
Subhas Chakraborty, India
Rahmouni Abdellah, Algeria
Mogire Machuk, Kenya
Salisu M.Dawanau, Nigeria
Don Dyson, Australia
Chin Fok Min, Malaysia

Third Prize (Short-sleeved T-shirt) 30

Razia Hosen Iti, Bangladesh
Saira Hosen Mo, Bangladesh
S Abbas Taqi Mehd, Pakistan
Musarat Shaeen, Pakistan
Shakir Raza Bhatti, Pakistan
Abdul Salam Khuhro, Pakistan
Muhammad Shariq, Pakistan
Riaz Ahmad Khan, Pakistan
Shahzaib Habibani, Pakistan
Mrs.E.Vijayalakshmi, India
Priyanka Maheshwari, India
Vishnu Indan, India
Ranjeet Singh, India.
.B. Nishanthy, Sri Lanka
Isuru Hapuarachchi, Sri Lanka
Bawa Abdul-Rahman, Ghana.
Amin Najmi, Morocco
Akor Uj, Nigeria.
Shuaib A. Usman, Nigeria
Musa Tijjani, Nigeria
Foo Sin Yee, Malaysia
Mg Thein Soe, Malaysia.
Tim Watson, USA
Peter Mattice, USA
Zenka Dyulgjarova, Bulgaria
Fares Alnsair, Jordan
Fru Glory Zii, Cameroon
Zeki Belkebir, Algeria
Angu S. Wara, France
Mr. Sujan Parajuli, Nepal

20th Anniversary of BCDX Net

Sanil Deep,VU3SIO conducting BCDX Net

The weekly BCDX Net operating on the 40 Meter Amateur Band in South India is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. This Net was started on Sunday November 27, 1988 by a small group of Amateurs viz. ShanmughasundaramVU2FOT, Victor Goonetilleke 4S7VK, Jose Jacob VU2JOS and some SWL's. The whole concept of this Net started when these Hams used to meet regularly on the band and exchanged DX news at various times. This later transformed into a regular Net which benefited many people. This Net is conducted on Sunday mornings for the advantage of those who are keenly interested in Broadcast Band Dxing.The unique thing about this Net is that is helped Hams to become SWL Dxers and SWL's to become Hams! On a typical Sunday morning,the Net control starts the Net by calling in for regular check-ins. After about 10 minutes he gives the latest DX tips that he has gathered and later other stations also takes turn in exchanging their DX information. It has all the ingredients of a live two way DX program and continues for about 30 minutes depending on the traffic. For some time it was known as SWL DX Net. The Net grew up with VU2KAK Anil, VU3SIO Sanil,VU2ISR Harsha, VU3ITI Varadhan, VU3DJQ Raman, VU2NGB Binu,VU2BNP Prahalad, VU3BGK Neel, VU2ICI Mohan etc.joining in. In 1989 a monthly newsletter was published on behalf of the Net by VU2FOT which was unfortunately discontinued after some issues. In May 1991 a BCDX Net Convention was held at Kozhikode which was a big success & attended by over 85 people including Victor Goonetilleke 4S7VK from Sri Lanka. A Ham station with the special call sign VU2F was also operational at the convention venue. A DX contest sponsored by Radio Netherlands was organized on 29 & 30th January 1994 in collaboration with Union of Asian DXERS, Sri Lanka . Special QSL cards were issued by Radio Netherlands for the occasion. In 1995 a special QSL card was also issued to mark the 7th anniversary of the Net by VU2BNP. In 19989 Adventist World Radio Wavescan broadcasted a special program on the occasion of 10th anniversary of the BCDX Net. Articles on BCDX Net has also appeared in "NAIR Ham News" July 1998 issue, "Hamfest India" 1998 souvenir and other DX publications and was also mentioned in various DX programs several times. The BCDX Net has been very regular all these long 20 years, thanks to the dedicated Net Controllers. Now a days it is conducted on sunday mornings at 0830 IST (0300 UTC ) on 7085 kHz USB on 40 meter Amateur Band which covers South India & Sri Lanka. Occasionally it was also conducted on the 20 Meter Band 14150 kHz at 2130 IST ( 1600 UTC). Currently the regular net controller is Sanil Deep VU3SIO and assisted from time to time by VU3BGK & VU2JOS etc. The postal address of BCDX Net is : Box 211, Kozhikode 673001, Kerala , India.
Congratulations to BCDX Net on its important anniversary !

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of BCDX NET, India a special broadcst by Mr.Sanil Deep, VU3SIO was broadcast by Wavescan Program of Adventist World Radio on Sunday 23 Nov 2008 as foll :

1150 UTC (5.20 pm IST) 15260 kHz via KSDA, Guam
1220 UTC (5.50 pm IST) 15495 kHz via Wertachtal, Germany
1520 UTC (8.50 pm IST) 12105 kHz via KSDA, Guam
1550 UTC (9.20 pm IST) 11675 kHz via KSDA, Guam
1620 UTC (9.50 pm IST) 9585 & 11690 kHz via KSDA GUam
1650 UTC (10.20 pm IST) 11980 kHz via KSDA Guam
Plus some more broadcasts. Special QSL cards are available from:
Mr.Sanil Deep
Day Light
Kannancherry Road
Kozhikode 673003. Kerala
India
(Please include return postage)

(Thanks to Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad)

Radio 'a key player' in Bhutan's democracy

Radio has been a key player in Bhutan's democratisation process, an ABU meeting in Bali heard today. Jaganath Sharma of Bhutan's public broadcaster, BBS, said radio had played a major role in the process that led to the country's first free elections in March this year.

Read the full story here :

http://tinyurl.com/57ofrd

Kantipur FM marks its 10th anniversary

Kantipur Report
KATHMANDU, Nov 21 - Honouring and awarding artistes, the Radio Kantipur celebrated its 10th anniversary amid a special function in the capital on Friday.

Read the full story here :
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=167531

ABU Engineering Awards 2008 winners announced

Senior broadcast engineers from Japan and Korea have won the ABU's top engineering awards. They received their awards today at the Technical Committee annual meeting being held in Bali, Indonesia.

Read the full story here :
http://tinyurl.com/5lv52r

A.I.R. Contest 2009

Associazione Italiana Radioascolto
A.I.R. Contest 2009 "Attilio Leoni"
The A.I.R. Contest 2009 "Attilio Leoni", will start at 0000UTC on January 2nd, 2009, and will end at midnight UTC on January 11th, 2009. Participation is open for all radiolisteners, A.I.R. members and non members alike. The Contest is divided into the following parts:
First part: listening to any station broadcasting from Europe-Africa (with its own transmitter or via relay) from 0000 UTC of January 2nd to 2400 UTC of January 5th, 2009 in any language (frequencies between 150 and 26100 kHz - broadcasting bands).
Second part: listening to programmes in any language of the following stations, at any time from January 6h at 0000UTC to January 11th, 2009, at midnight UTC(frequencies between 150 and 26100kHz - broadcasting bands) :

- AUSTRALIA, Radio Australia
- CINA REP.POP., Radio China Int.
- CUBA, Radio Habana
- GIAPPONE, NHK
- GIORDANIA, Radio Jordan
- INDIA, All India Radio
- ISRAELE, Kol Israel
- KUWAIT, Radio Kuwait
- NUOVA ZELANDA, Radio New Zealand
- ARABIA SAUDITA, BSKSA
- TAIWAN, Radio Taiwan Int.
- USA, Voice of America

Each station can be logged only once.The listening report will have a minimum time of 15 minutes.The reports must contain all usefull references (frequency, UTC time, station name, language, the most important details for a good valuation, SINPO code), technical data (receiver, antenna and optionals). The listening list, with your participation fee, must be sent to this address:

PECOLATTO Bruno
AIR Contest Manager
Fermo Posta
I-10080 INGRIA (TO)
ITALY
e-mail: bpecolatto@libero.it

a) Not later than February 21th, 2009 (date of postmark).
b) On the same report the participant must indicate his name and surname, complete address and a short declaration as follow: "I take the responsibility on myself that I have listened to all the stations reported during the time of validity of contest".
c) All details will be very important for a correct estimate of the contest results and for additional controls the Contest Manager could ask your audio-tape. A bonus of 200 points will be awarded to all those who will report the highest number of programme details for each station and not only generic terms such as news, music, comments, etc.
d) The scores will be computed on a base of 101 = points for each station deducting the participants percentage that listened to the same station. Decimal will not be considered. During the contest some monitor stations will listen off.
e) The participation fee are 5 (five) IRC's or 5 ?uro to be sent with your listening list to Contest Manager.
f) Each participant will receive a certificate of participation. Prizes list for the three first participants is the following:

1st prize: a copy of WRTH 2009 offered by AIR
2nd prize: a copy of the book "Guida all'ascolto delle utilità" di
Petrantoni e Vinassa offered by Edzioni C&C
3rd prize: a t-shirt

Other prizes
offerti dalla ditta Edizioni C&C srl (www.edizionicec.it) :
- a copy of the book "RKE Compendium 1"
- annual free subscription to RadioKitElettronica

offered by Associazione Italiana Radioascolto (www.air-radio.it)
- two books for radiolisteners, a clock and three philatelic sheets

For any other information, please write to Contest Manager (see the address)
and enclose one IRC.
A.I.R. CONTEST 2009
100 extra points !
As a participant in the AIR Contest you will be awarded 100 extra points if you listen two DX radio programmes of any broadcasting station. The listening report will have a minimum time of 15 minutes.The reports must contain all usefull references (frequency, UTC time, station name, language, the most important details for a good valuation, SINPO code).

----------------------------------------------
A.I.R. - Associazione Italiana Radioascolto
fondata nel 1982
C.P. 1338, 10100 Torino AD
info@air-radio.it
www.air-radio.it

Indian Radio Innovator Named 2009 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year

Amba Preetham Parigi, managing director, Entertainment Network (India) Limited, and managing director & CEO of Times Infotainment Media Limited, is the 2009 William F. Glaser '53 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year.

Read the story here :

http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2514

Easier Times for Commercial Radio in Sweden

Read the story here :
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2408&Nyheter=&format=1&artikel=2435346

Misty to launch in Gangtok with changed frequency

FM station Radio Misty will soon go on air in Gangtok in Sikkim on the 95 FM frequency.

Read the full story here :
http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/misty-launch-gangtok-with-changed-frequency#story

Ardic DX Club 10th Anniversary Quiz Winners

Winners of Ardic DX Club 10th Anniversary Quiz :

V. Balasubramaniyam, Chennai – WRTH
T. M. Murukanandam, Thiruvaikavur – Radio One Umbrella
P. Raja, Vennanthur – Radio One college Bag
K. Arun, Meenatchipalaya – Radio One college Bag
E. Selvaraj, Minnakal - DW T-Shirt
Ragu, Vedaranyam - Radio Mirchi CD case
G. Paravina - Radio Mirchi CD case
P. Paneerselavam - Radio Mirchi CD case
T.M. Sivaranjani, Thiruvaikavur - Radio Mirchi CD case
Kannan Sekar, Thimiri – Radio Mirchi Coffee Cup
N.T. Shanmugam, Thasappakovundanpudur - Radio Mirchi Coffee Cup
K. Jameel ahnad, Vilupuram - Radio Mirchi Coffee Cup
K.M. Raju, Andarasanpatti - Radio Mirchi Coffee Cup
S. Ramalingam, Chennai – Joseph J. Carr's Practical Antenna Handbook given by Alokesh Gupta
M. Sugumar, Andra – DW Cotton bag
S. Abirami, Vinapakkam – DW Cotton bag
S. Bharathi, Kathirnaiyakkanpatti – DW Cotton bag
T. Alakesan, Nallampalli – DW Cell phone tag
Parthiban, Orapakkam – DW Cell phone tag
P.S. Sekar, Thalainjairu – DW Cell phone tag
Geetha Murukanandam, Thiruvaikavur – DW Cell phone tag
Gunalan, Tanjavur – DW Key chain
G. Sathis Kumar, Pondychery – DW Key chain
Viji Karthikeyan, Meenatchipalayam – DW Key chain
M.C. Boopathi, Erode – DW Key chain
O.S. Ramasamy, Odayakatur – DW Pen
L. Murugan, Kurinikulathupatti – DW pen
Ragam Palaniyappan, Kaliyappampalayam – DW Pen
Ksav Mayan, Chennai – Radio Mirchi opener
Baghat Sing, Palani – Radio Mirchi opener
R. Magendran, Mannachanallur – Radio Mirchi opener
Beeman, Muthalaipatti – Radio Mirchi opener
K. Anitha, Meenatchipalayam – Radio Mirchi Tag pen
Alli Mohansundaram, Coimbatore – CVC Australia Towel
A.M. Najmul ariffin, Trichy – CVC Australia Towel
CHV. Ramana, Tirupathi – DW GMT Mouse pad
Avinash Premji, Bangalore – DW GMT Mouse pad
Muneer. K.P, Calicut – One copy of 2008 Domestic Broadcasting Survey by DSWCI
Muralidharan, Bangalore – DW GMT Mouse pad
Kavithuli Saktheeswaran, Namagiripettai – Radio Prague History book
R. Anbalagan, Manakkal – Radio Prague History book

International winners

Jonathon Pukila, Canada – "This is All India Radio" book given by Alokesh Gupta
Anreas Mucklich, Germany – European Medium Wave Guide in pdf format
Bjorn Fransson, Sweden – European Medium Wave Guide in pdf format
Wolfgang Gargittel, Austria – European Medium Wave Guide in pdf format
Dieter Leupold, Germany – One year online subscription of "Dxers Guide"
M. Brawanski, Germany – One year online subscription of "Dxers Guide"
Sebastian Arndt, Germany – One year online subscription of "Dxers Guide"
Simon Peter Liehr, Germany – One year online subscription of "Dxers Guide"
Vladimir Rozhkov, Russia – One year online subscription of "Dxers Guide"

With regards,

Jaisakthivel,
President,
Ardic DX Club
www.dxquiz.blogspot.com

Christmas Shopping with Radio Caroline

Dear Caroline supporter,

The holiday season sneaks up on all of us and Caroline has the answer to your present list!

Our Radio Caroline Society web shop at http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/ has a fantastic new range of embroidered clothing and back packs, scarves and hats, music CDs, Offshore Radio videos, books galore, our Pirates Treasure Chest of classic radio moments from famous DJs, posters and car stickers.

Treat yourselves or family and friends. Please order early, the embroidered clothing is made to order and last postal dates for overseas orders to some countries are in the first week of December. Our volunteers will be very busy and it helps if you can give them some extra time. Order now and remember ALL our staff are volunteers and ALL the profit goes to help keep Radio Caroline and her Radio Ship Ross Revenge going for another year!

Here are some suggestions:

Our superb high quality A3 sized wall calendar, for 2009, celebrates the 45 years of Caroline history and features Caroline's offshore broadcast ships through to her last offshore broadcast platform the Ross Revenge shown here at her best with her record breaking 300 foot mast in international waters during the mid 1980's.

'Super Premium' quality 'Fruit of the Loom' T shirts printed by Lakeland with Caroline logos and featuring either the Ross Revenge as she is today (with your help) or in her very last days in international waters.

The Radio Caroline 5 Ships T Shirt is now back in stock. A classic design featuring all of the Radio Caroline broadcast ships from her turbulent history at sea as the world's most famous offshore radio station.

The five ships are shown on the back of the shirt and the detail of the Ross Revenge pictured left is on the chest.

We also recommend the special embroidered range of clothing which includes T shirts in a range of styles, a unisex parka jacket, polo shirts, a towelling robe, fleece jackets, sweats shirts and sweat jackets.

All of these are produced exclusively for our shop by Lakeland using top quality clothing ranges. All items feature Caroline's ship Ross Revenge as she looked in her 80s heyday, along with her Sky channel and station logos. Final embroidery will be carefully matched to garment colour during production.

Click on the images for more information about these products and many others available from our web shop.

Best wishes,

The Radio Caroline Society Team

Update on FEBA radio programmes to Bihar

Shannon June Kittlitz
Friday 14th November, 2008
Feba India's FIRST Response team completed their special radio programme for the flood-affected people of Bihar, India on 21 October. They are now continuing to address listeners' rehabilitation needs in their regular programming. During the span of the special daily short wave broadcasts in September and October, the programme producers received over 1800 messages by phone and SMS. Suma, Head of Training and Development at Feba India, says: "I just want to thank God for this opportunity. I think I most appreciate the part played by Feba UK, if not for them we would not have had this FIRST Response training in India. They passed on that interest to us and because of that, we are able to see today we reached so many people in Bihar. I want to praise God for this opportunity and I am sure that many more opportunities will come in the days to come. It is a great privilege to reach people in times of disaster."The Head of Programming at Feba Delhi Firoz says: "Our special programme for the Bihar flood victims was closed on 21 October, so now we are producing and airing on our existing schedule: one programme in Hindi and one programme in Urdu. We are talking about their rehabilitation. We have to work on two aspects of life for their rehabilitation: one is very psychological because people are very depressed; they lost their hope. The other part is physical because people lost everything in this flood: they lost their houses, they lost their cattle. they lost everything. So we have to continue to share information from the government and from the NGOs with the people of flood-affected areas." While Suma was in Bihar in September, she met an NGO which works directly with the government of India and the national development disaster management authority. Suma says: "They were interested when they heard about this FIRST Response training and also the response towards the Bihar floods. They were quite curious as to what kind of training this was, saying 'We want to have this training.' So there seems to be a lot of interest in regards to FIRST Response. Soon after Bihar there was a disaster in Orissa, in fact simultaneously Bihar and Orissa were under floods. I think in the coming days there will be more
disasters, so we need to train more people region wide to equip them to respond to these disasters, probably starting with training in Delhi next June."

(Source : FEBA Radio)

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, has launched the ‘Ilanthalir Community Radio'

The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, has launched the 'Ilanthalir Community Radio,' a broadcasting system, which operates on 107.2 MHz FM. The main objective of launching the community radio service, is to widen the RGNIYD's bond with the local community and to bring out the talent in adolescents in rural areas. The transmission will cover almost all the educational institutions in45 village panchayats located within 18 to 20 km around Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram district, and in some parts of neighbouring Tiruvallur district, according to a RGNIYD press release. Focus of programmes The programmes would focus on issues such as education, health, art and culture, sports and recreation, science and technology, employability and life skills, career opportunities. Social message would be delivered adopting various methods such as drama, song, debate and group discussions by adolescents, who would be writing the scripts and directing the programmes.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/15/stories/2008111560340500.htm

AIR Vijaywada celebrates golden jubilee

Notwithstanding the overcast sky and continuous drizzle, folk artistes performed with verve and vigour at the golden jubilee celebrations of the All India Radio Vijayawada. Saturday night turned colourful with 'Pulivesham' dance by Sambikar Nageswara Rao and party, and 'Veedi Bhagavatham', narrating the social evils and its solutions, by Gosula Guravayya and party.. Popular 'Burrakadha' artiste Nazir of Guntur probably gave performances from every political dais. Now, his son Sheik Bapuji regaled the gathering at Annamayya Vedika, Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Brundavan Gardens. Folk songs were rendered by T. Pushparajyam and party and 'Pambakadha' was narrated by Gattupalli Yallamanda and party. All India Radio Station Director Mangalagiri Aditya Prasad said that this was one of the series of programmes being organised in Guntur and Vijayawada on the occasion of the golden jubilee of AIR Vijayawada by Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation of India. 'Janapada Sangeeta Mela' (a festival of folk music) would be broadcast over AIR on Vijayawada A on December 2 at 8 a.m., December 6 at 1.30 p.m., next day at 2.30 p.m. These broadcasts would continue on December 13 and 14 at 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. respectively.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111659730300.htm

AIR Port Blair off frequency ?

Today 16th Nov at 1130 UTC AIR Port Blair was noted off frequency on 4765 kHz instead of 4760. AIR Leh was noted on 4760, usually not heard at my location due to co-ch with Port Blair.

(Jose Jacob, VU2JOS)

New Official web site for Quilon Amateur Radio League

QARL, Quilon Amateur Radio League - Kollam, Kerala opened new official web site. This club website can be accessed at the following URL
http://www.vu2qar.com/

Site brings Latest news announcements, description about KollamHamFair, VU2CSD Repeater club, Fox hunt, dynamically updated VHF repeater list, HF & VHF net timings and a brief introduction about Hamradio. The QARL website is centered around club activities, but also provides a detailed free service structure for email inquires, as well as SWL help requests. Club will continue developing the site to provide member services, ASOC exam preparations and other usefull tips and tricks especially for new commers. For more information, please contact us.

Quilon Amateur Radio League,
P.O. Box : 335
Kollam - 691 001, INDIA

Tel. +91 474 2742661 / 2552749
Email : vu2syt@yahoo.com

AIR Hyderabad emergency broadcast

AIR Hyderabad noted on 4800 at 1945 UTC with emergency broadcast. Just spoke to Jose Jacob, cyclone warning has been issued for coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Google search returned this link :

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-46630.html

AIR Guwahati 7420 is back

AIR Guwhati is back on 7420 after several weeks. Sked is
0130-0230 Nepali
0230-0245 Hindi HS
0245-0300 English HS
0300-0430 Bangla
0700-0800 Nepali
0800-1100 Bangla
1215-1330 Tibetan
1330-1430 Nepali
1445-1515 Bangla
1515-1530 Hindi HS
1530-1600 English HS
1600-1730 Bangla
1730-1735 English HS
1735-1740 Hindi HS

73
Jose Jacob, VU2JOS
National Institute of Amateur Radio

Radio Romania releases stamps & coins to celebrate its 80th Anniversary

On November 1st the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation celebrated its 80th anniversary. To mark this ocassion a postal stamp devoted to this anniversary was released & the National Bank of Romania has launched an anniversary silver coin.

Here's the Radio Romania 80th anniversary stamp/miniature sheet
http://www.romfilatelia.ro/marci/colectia.php?ContentID=431&Year=2008
(click on the logo for photo of stamp & miniature sheet)

And the Radio Romania 80th anniversary coins
http://www.geocities.com/romaniancoins/10lei08radio.html

National Bank of Romania Press Release
http://www.bnro.ro/en/Press/E20081024num.htm

Radio St.Helena Special Transmission today 2000 UTC onwards

R E M I N D E R

Radio St. Helena will broadcast on 11092.5 kHz USB on Saturday, 15. November 2008 as follows :
---------------------------------------
Times UTC Target areas
---------------------------------------
20:00 - 21:00 Japan
21:00 - 22:30 Europe
22:30 - 23:30 North America

Reception Report with 3 IRC's may be sent to the following address :

Radio St. Helena
P.O.Box 93
Jamestown
St. Helena Island
STHL 1ZZ
----------------------------------
--- Via AIRMAIL ----
Via United Kingdom and Ascension
=================================

CVC Launches Online Radio Station in India

Max Digital Media Newswire
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:06:00
International broadcaster CVC is set to revolutionise the world of internet radio with the launch of its new online station on Monday.With state of the art studios in Karnataka and Australia and correspondents in 26 countries around the world, CVC brings a new standard of professionalism and resourcing to online radio.

Read the full story here :
http://www.medianewsline.com/news/119/ARTICLE/3429/2008-11-14.html

Comments : The new URL http://www.cvcradio.in/ re-directs to the old CVC-Australia website !

AU2JCB operation to commemorate 150 birth-anniversary of Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose

To commemorate the 150 birth-anniversary of Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose-"Father of Radio Communication"-Indian Hams are going to operate with special call-signs. I am going to operate AU2JCB call-sign. The details are as follows :

Call-sign : AU2JCB
Period of operation : 15 th Nov to 08 th Dec 2008.
On all bands.
My home call : VU2DSI
Information : QRZ.COM & eQSL.
QSL : DIRECT

VU2DSI
"SURABHI" MEHERABAD,
AHMEDNAGAR. 414006.
INDIA.

AIR starts Bhojpuri bulletin

Posted: Nov 14, 2008 at 1213 hrs IST
AIR broadcasted its first Bhojpuri bulletin at 5:35 pm on the evening of November 6. This is the first-ever venture of AIR's news services division in Bhojpuri. The five-minute daily bulletin will be relayed by the AIR stations of Obra and Varanasi. Addressing the inaugural function at AIR Varanasi, Director General (NEWS) P K Bandyopadhyay said the Bhojpuri Bulletin has been started on popular demand. A newsreel programme would soon be introduced in Bhojpuri from AIR Gorakhpur, CEO of Prasar Bharti BS Lali said.

http://www.screenindia.com/news/AIR-starts-Bhojpuri-bulletin/385259/

WorldSpace India's expansion plans hit regulatory hurdle

Satellite radio service provider WorldSpace India's plan to expand its business locally and open additional revenue stream in the country —through setting up a studio for creating digital content and a call centre — seems to have hit regulatory hurdles.

Read the full story here :
http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=339906

First community radio station at Sironj, MP

SATISH SINGH
In fact, Media and innovative technology are boon for growth. If we exploit technology in constructive comportment, it may fetch contentment in rural areas. In this correlation, Community radio is part of media and new-fangled technology and it may take part in exceptionally productive role in wholesome improvement of farmers of Sironj, Lateri & Shamsahbad tehsil. This radio station has started on 12th September, 2008 at Sironj. This is first community radio station of Madhya Pradesh and second community radio station of India. First community radio station had stated in Maharashtra.

Read the full story here :
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=146717

All India Radio 2007-08 Annual Report

Annual Report of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt of India for the year 2007-08 is now available for download from this link :

http://mib.nic.in/informationb/POLICY/ar/annualrepeng_I.pdf
(134 MB)

Pages 46-111 are for broadcasting sector which includes details about All India Radio

Radio Netherlands partners with All India Radio for the Amsterdam India festival

Read the story here :
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/artsandculture/081111-RNW-All-India-Radio

Winners of the "Fascination of radio listening" contest on RRI

We have decided to grant 15 distinctions to our following listeners:

Anne Fanelli from the US
Azizul Al-Alam from Bangladesh
El-Ihsani Bouchaib from Morocco
Lachdar Ghacha from Algeria
Samir Bichka from Syria
Volker Willschrey from Germany
Xue Bing from China
Paolo Piattica from Italy
Agide Melloni from Italy
Giovanni Sergi from Italy
Vasilii Gulyaev from Russia
Serghei Koleshov from Ukraine
Phillipe Marsan from France
Jorge Antonio Vega Jara from Chile
Antonio Argolo Silva Neto from Brazil

The 6 winners of the third prize are:

Rezougi Omar from Algeria
Ji Yuan from China from Italy
Daniela Verdelli from Italy
Mihai Barbu from Israel
Markus Weidner from Germany
Dino Bloise from the United States

We also have 12 winners of the second prize:

Hans Verner Lollike from Denmark
Benamer Laid from Algeria
Ahmad Boualfa from Morocco
Iuriy Ihnatyuk from Ukraine
Wang Li from China
Andrea Lucarini from Italy
Leonardo Caringi from Brazil
Aimeur Mohamed Said from Algeria
Hector Frias from Chile
Juan Jimenez Enriquez from Spain
Hansjoerg Biener from Germany
Hans-Martin Freidrich from Switzerland.

12 is also the number of listeners who won the first prize. Here they are:

Christer Brunstrom from Sweden
Jonathan Murphy from Ireland
Brian Kendall from Great Britain
Cristina Dorojovets from Ukraine,
Ahmad Abdo from Egypt
Khalafallah Husein El-Merini from Algeria
Qin Haitao from China
Salvatore Staccuneddu from Italy
Mircea Vinoaga from Spain
Jacques Augustin from France
Luis Alejandro Vallebueno from Mexico
Hermann Heyne-Pietschmann from Germany

Finally, we have 10 winners of the grand prize at stake which also consists of an art object created especially for this competition by the artist Mihai Topescu from Târgu Jiu. Mr Topescu, who makes glassware and is very well appreciated abroad, said he was very happy to create this piece for RRI's listeners. The work in question combines influences from the work of the great Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi with Romanian traditional symbols.

Here's the names of the 10 grand prize winners of the competition The Fascination of Radio Listening:

Raymond Tufo from the US
Alessia Porreca from Italy
Mohamad Hasan Abdel-Baki from Egypt
Li Ming from China
Alexandru Petrescu from Spain
Alexandr Veselkov from Kazakhstan
Nikolai Larin from Russia
Roger Roussel from Canada
Daniel Camporini from Argentina
Daniel Kaiser from Germany

We would like to thank you all for participating in our competition and the extraordinary things you have written to us in your essays. Your prizes and distinctions will be sent by post, so please confirm to us that you have received them. Thank you for listening to our programmes and feel welcome to participate in the future competitions run by RRI.

(Source : Radio Romania International)

BBC Bangla six-city interactive bus tour promotes FM programming in Bangladesh

BBC World Service will directly connect with audiences in six cities in Bangladesh in a special interactive campaign. From today, Tuesday 11 November, a BBC Bangla-branded bus starts from Khulna to travel to Rajshahi, Sylhet, Rangpur, Comilla and Chittagong - where the BBC broadcasts on FM frequencies - inviting audiences to "speak up" and share their views on issues important to them. The discussions will be broadcast on BBC Bangla FM frequencies across Bangladesh. In each of the six cities, BBC journalists will also engage residents at bus stops and tea stalls in conversations and mini-interviews which will also be integrated in the programming to be aired on BBC Bangla. As Bangladesh is moving towards a general election, BBC Bangla will bring views from the voters, plans and commitments from the prospective candidates and the fervour of political campaigning and debates. The BBC Bangla editorial initiative promotes its programming on FM in Bangladesh. It will be supported by a two-month mass media campaign which includes radio and print advertisements. Nazes Afroz, Executive Editor, South Asia, BBC World Service, says: "Bangladesh is an extremely important country for the BBC. We also have millions of dedicated listeners who have been listening to BBC Bangla for generations, and they have always valued the impartial and objective journalism of the BBC. "We are absolutely delighted that we are bringing these special programmes from BBC Bangla to listeners on our new FM network. This will help us to connect even better with our audiences and to get valuable feedback from them." BBC Bangla comes to audiences in Bangladesh in four half-hour editions: Provati (early morning), Pratyusha (morning), Prabaho (evening) and Parikrama (late evening). Broadcast from 6.30am Dhaka Time, Provati sets the day's news agenda and offers interviews with key players on various issues. Pratyusha, broadcast from 7.30am from the BBC's Dhaka studio, includes a newspaper review and analysis of news and current affairs. Prabaho, broadcast from 7.30pm, brings major news reports from Bangladesh and across the world, news analysis and interviews. On Saturdays, Prabaho includes a live phone-in programme. Aired from 10.30pm, Parikrama is a roundup of the day's international news stories and analysis. On Mondays, Parikrama includes a phone-in programme while sports and science become the focus of specific programmes during the week. BBC Bangla is available on 101.2 FM in Comilla, 102 FM in Khulna, 105.4 FM in Chittagong, 105 FM in Rajashahi, 105.4 FM in Rangpur and 105 FM in Sylhut. The BBC also broadcasts on 100 FM in Dhaka.

(BBC World Service Press Office)

November 12, the Public Service Broadcasting Day

Mrinal Chatterjee
NOVEMBER 12, is observed as the Public Service Broadcasting Day in India to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's maiden visit to All India Radio (AIR) studio. On November 12, 1947, Gandhi spoke on radio to the refugees from Pakistan, stationed at the camp at Kurukshetra. It was Gandhi's first and last visit to the studio of AIR. He was a communicator par excellence. He had always emphasised on the service and advocacy aspect of media, two important pillars of public service broadcasting.

Read the article here :
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=147440

Public get access to BBC journalist training guides on use of language

For the first time, journalists across the globe will have free access to BBC journalist training guides on the use of language previously only available to BBC reporters. The guides, which have been developed into six languages by BBC World Service and BBC College of Journalism, focus on language, in particular its usage and style when reporting and writing for TV, radio and online. The language used in each guide has been fine-tuned over many years by BBC journalists reporting in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Russian and Urdu. The guides are available to journalists and the public alike on BBC websites: bbcarabic.com; bbcchinese.com; bbcpersian.com; bbcrussian.com; bbcafrique.com and bbcurdu.com. The guides are based on knowledge and experience built up by more than 75 years of BBC World Service broadcasting. They are based on the ethics which underpin the BBC values which include accuracy, impartiality, objectivity, fairness and editorial independence. The guides give a range of advice on the use of language including the use of impartial language, identifying "loaded" words and how to unify new terminology and pronunciation. Where relevant the guides instruct on nuances of language when broadcasting to two or more countries with the same language. Editor of BBC College of Journalism, Kevin Marsh, said: "This is the college's most exciting project to date. "The guides draw on the rich experience and expertise of BBC journalists built up over many years, and we are delighted to be able to share this knowledge, in six languages, with journalists across the world. "The guides underline how, in the end, journalism is all about language. "In order to discuss the values of journalism, one must first understand the role language plays in expressing those values."

(BBC World Service Press Office)

Visit to BBC Scotland

EBU Training organized a theme visit to BBC Scotland's new premises on 28 & 29 October 2008

Read the story here :
http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/news/2008/tcm_6-63545.php

Andrei Bystritsky is new president of Voice of Russia

Andrei Bystritsky, previously vice-president of RTR, has been appointed as the new president of Voice of Russia

Read the story here :

http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/news/2008/tcm_6-63500.php

Radio continues to shine - IRS

Posted By: RnM Team
05 Nov 08 12:41 IST
MUMBAI: FM radio in India appears to be clocking the healthiest growth among all media, if the just released Media Research User's Council's (MRUC's) Indian Readership Survey (IRS) Round 2 (R2) for 2008 figures are an indication.
Read the full story here :

http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/radio-continues-shine-irs

Chaska to air RNW content

Posted By: RnM Team
07 Nov 08 16:23 IST
MUMBAI: Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) content, which was being aired on Radio Misty in north Bengal and Sikkim, will now also air on Radio Chaska. Chaska will air the popular monthly chart show Euro Hit 40; one hour of the latest pop music from the European charts, compiled by RNW and presented in English. Jazz and classical music from RNW will be heard as well. The Gwalior based Radio Chaska 95 FM covers Gwalior and its surroundings, with an estimated population of 2.3 million people. Established in 2007, Radio Chaska has a strong local involvement.

Read the full story here :

http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/chaska-air-rnw-content

All we hear is radio ga ga

Harrish M Bhatia Posted: Nov 07, 2008 at 1646 hrs IST
Despite being an easily consumable media, radio truly arrived in India at the time of the media boom when other well-entrenched media such as television, print and even cyber media were vying for people's attention. In most developed countries, radio has already peaked and stabilised into the media pie, but before the medium actually finds its own space in India, there are many issues that need to be addressed. The challenge now is to build on the strengths of radio and drive the kind of growth that surpasses projections.

Read the full report here :
http://www.screenindia.com/news/All-we-hear-is-radio-ga-ga/382243/

16 Days Broadcast Campaign to Denounce Gender Violencein the Media

6 November 2008 by ruxi
Montreal, 1 November 2008. From November 25 to December 10th, the Women's International Network of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC-WIN) will highlight the 16 days of activism against gender violence with an Internet campaign to Denounce Gender violence in the media and transform media into a catalyst to end violence against women. The campaign will be broadcast at www.amarc.org/16jours [fr/en]
This years' international theme of the campaign is « Media and Violence Against Women ». The campaign seeks to denounce gender violence in the media and will cover 3 dimensions: (a) Media as an instrument in combating violence against women. (b) Violence against women as projected in the media which "normalizes" violence; (c) violence committed against women media practitioners. The 16 days campaign starts on November 25th with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women; it continues on November 29th with the International Women's Human Rights Defenders Day; followed by December 1: World AIDS Day; December 6:
Commemoration day of the Montreal (Canada) Massacre in 1989 and ends with the December 10th: International Human rights Day. The campaign will be broadcast at www.amarc.org/16jours

Community radio producers from Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America and Latin America and the Caribbean will dedicate these 16 days to highlight the effort of women and men working to put an end to gender violence. The programs featured will include documentaries, interviews, debates, poetry, music and much more. This multilingual broadcast campaign mobilizes community radios around a global issue and encourages them to use new communication technologies such as the Internet to extend the reach of their voices. Radio stations around the globe are invited to download the audio files from the AMARC-WIN 16 days website and broadcast them in their radio stations.
The coordination of the 16 days campaign at the international level will be ensured by the International Secretariat of AMARC, contact Flor Maria Balbin secretariat(at)si(dot)amarc(point)org. Regionally, the campaign will be coordinated by the regional AMARC WIN representatives in conjunction with AMARC regional offices. Asia-Pacific: Bianca Miglioretto a bianca(at)isiswomen(dot)org; West and Central Africa, Zara Yacoub myzara(at)intnet(dot)td; East and Southern Africa, Doreen Rukaria: rukdoreen(at)yahoo(dot)com; Europe, Lucia Ruiz at
lucia.ruiz(at)radiovallekas(dot)org; Latin America and the Caribbean, Maru Chavez a mechf(at)hotmail(dot)com ; MENA: Tamara Aqrabawe at aqrabawe(@)yahoo(dot)com(dot)au ; North America Sophie Toupin at sophie(underscore)toupin(at)hotmail(dot)com.
The AMARC Women's International Network is a large assembly of women communicators working to ensure women's right to communicate through and within the community radio movement. AMARC is an international non-governmental organization serving the community radio movement, and linking more than 4,000 community radios in over 110 countries. AMARC aims to support, defend and promote the interests of community broadcasters through solidarity and international cooperation. For further info http://www.amarc.org
source: AMARC INDONESIA
(Arti Jaiman, Project Manager: TRF Radio)

Winners of RTI's 80th Anniversary Greetings Competition

Here's the list of winners of RTI's 80th Anniversary Greetings Competition

Best entry prize (a watch with RTI logo)

K. JAMEEL AHMED
LUCKYARI
HARRY PALOLA
CRAIC CHAMPAGNE
STANLY AKPOROTU
JAYDEEP CHAKRABARTY
MICHAEK STEVENSON
NEZAM ALHED
LENNART WENNBERG
RICHARD CHEN


Consolation prize (a T-shirt)

PETER NG
FAZEEL AHMAD
RAVI SRIV ASTAVA
RATAN KUMAR PAUL
KSHITU CHATURVEDI
SUVRO CHATTERJEE
SHRI SUMIT CHAKRABORTY
A. BALENDRA
V. NEELAKANDAN
FULMALA BAIN
SWOPAN CHAKROBORTY
IMTIAZ AHMED
SANDHY YADAV
SAHADEVAN VIJAY AKUMAR
AMAN AMITABH
SITI KHONIMAH
ABID HUSSAIN SAJID
SYED AMHAD RAZA
ASRAR AMHAD KHAN
KHATRI SHAKEEK AMHED TAJ
RSHID ALI KHAN
TARIQ KHAN SADAQI
ASGHAR SHAH
RAZIA HOSEN ITTI
RIAZ AMHAD KHAN
NIAZ AHMAD KHAN
MUMTAZ ALIKHAN
NADEEMAHMAD KHAN
AMUNA HABIB QURESHI
MAHROZ AMHAD KHAN
DEW AN RAFIQUAL ISLAM RANA
MOSTOFA KAMAL
AKIDUL ISLAM
HAUDARUL ISLAM
NOOREDDIN AHMED HUSSEIN
MUHAMMAD AL-ADW
PETER J. GRENFELL
HANS JOHNSON
DAVID WINKLER
SANDY COLLINS
NIMMY
MUSTAFA CANKURT
ALIIBN AHMAD
EEHAB FARES
CARL SMITH
WILLIAM MARTIN
ROBERT WILLIAMSON
AUDISIO ROBERTO
D.A. BEYNON
SIEGBERT GERHARD
HANS VERNER LOLLIKE
DANIEL KWADWO BOATENG
PHILIP M MACHUKI
JOSHUA ZENITH SCHOOLNOBBERT BONNET
BJORN FRANSSON
CONSTANTIN LIVIU VIOREL
ROSRLYNE MORAA OMOKE
SANUSI ISAH KATSINA
MOHAMED ELSYED MOHAMED ABDEL REHEEM

Relays via 9290 kHz

Relays via 9290 kHz

November 8th

Radio Casablanca 12.00 -13.00 UTC
Latvia Today 13.00 -14.00 UTC
Radio Waves Intl 16.00 -17.00 UTC

November 9th

Radio Waves Intl 07.00 -08.00 UTC
Latvia Today 08.00 -09.00 UTC
Baltic Radio 14.00 -15.00 UTC

November 11th

Radio Waves Intl 09.00 -10.00 UTC

Good listening
73s
Tom Taylor

Congratultions for Obama pour in to VOA

Global response to extensive election coverage
Washington, D.C., November 5, 2008 – Calls and e-mails congratulating Barack Obama poured into the Voice of America (VOA) Wednesday as Kenya declared a national holiday and one Nigerian said African leaders "ought to learn" from the United States. In the village of Kogelo in western Kenya, where Obama's paternal family lives, Sa'id Obama, the president-elect's uncle, told VOA: "People are so happy, so excited. People are dancing. People are in a festive mood. And we are also slaughtering cows, goats, sheep. I mean people are going to feast literally to celebrate Barack's win." Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki declared Nov. 6 a public holiday "to enable all Kenyans to celebrate this historic achievement for President-elect Obama." The 2008 presidential election attracted worldwide interest in part because Obama and John McCain, his Republican rival, both had strong international ties. Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, and his father was Kenyan. McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. "I am very happy for Obama, president, and the USA, and world too," a man who identified himself as Lahcene from Algeria wrote on VOA's special election website, www.USAVotes2008.com. His sentiments were typical of hundreds received by VOA. "I like Obama because he is espousing an international policy that is much more negotiable, more flexible and more open to dialogue," wrote Mariela Martín Paesano of Caracas, Venezuela. "I think Barack Obama is able to convert the USA into a country full of love not only for Americans, but everybody in the world," wrote Akif Maharramov of Azerbaijan. And Dogara Bahuli of Nigeria said, "African leaders ought to learn from the results and the outcome of the U.S. election, particularly in Nigeria." VOA, which broadcasts in 45 languages to an estimated 134 million people worldwide, had special election coverage that included nine hours of live television to Pakistan, interactive shows with radio and television stations in Kenya, and more than two dozen television feeds each to TV stations in Indonesia and throughout the Balkans. 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 approximately 1,500 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of more than 134 million people. Programs are produced in 45 languages.
(VOA Press Release )

Voice of Russia Hindi listeners conference opens at New Delhi

Ms.Lyudmila V. Blazhenkova, News reader & Presenter, Voice of Russia Hindi Service

Mr.Oleg N.Yakovlev, Head of the Deparment of broadcasting to Asian countries, The Voice of Russia inaugrating the listeners conference.

New-look bbcpersian.com launched

Date: 04.11.2008
In another step toward the upcoming launch of a multimedia service in Farsi, the BBC has re-launched the bbcpersian.com website. Its improved format, exciting new features and design showcase the best editorial content across BBC Persian online and radio - as well as giving a glimpse of the BBC's soon to be launched Persian-language television. By re-launching bbcpersian.com, the BBC enhances this already successful online source of news and information for Persian-speakers, wherever they are. Despite having been blocked in Iran since January 2006, bbcpersian.com is one of the most successful BBC World Service websites, receiving more than 19 million page impressions every month from users across the world. It is one of the leading Persian-language websites in the world in terms of reputation and level of use. The BBC has improved the design and functionality of the site, tailoring the presentation and localisation of its content for global Persian-speaking audiences. In addition to access to the BBC Persian radio programming, the revamped website also offers the audiences extensive video content. Roberto Belo-Rovella, editorial lead in the re-launch project run by the BBC World Service Future Media team, says: "The new-look bbcpersian.com means it's wider, 'cleaner' and easier to use - and re-use. "By launching the website in this new attractive format, we are tapping into a huge Persian-speaking online community, be it in Iran, Afghanistan or diaspora audiences, making our content more widely available and more appealing to younger Persian users. "In this revamped version, the website will help us better engage with Persian-speaking online communities." Head of the BBC Persian and BBC Pashto service, Andres Ilves, comments: "The new-look website will continue to provide our audiences with 24/7 access to BBC Persian output and will be the main driver of interactivity and user-generated content for our multimedia offer.
"Persian-speaking audiences want to discuss and debate Iran's role in, and contribution to, the world, and we want to enable them to participate in, and enrich, our output." Ilves adds that, with the upcoming launch of BBC Persian television and online streaming of its programmes, the website's role will further increase: "Persian-speaking audiences want a bigger picture view of the world and their place in it. The backbone of the BBC Persian multimedia offer will be eight hours of world class Persian-language television every day. "Our audiences want more than geopolitics, and the BBC Persian news agenda will be broad, reflecting all aspects of life, including the latest developments in culture, society, science, lifestyle, technology and business with bespoke content on these topics - on radio, online and, soon, on TV."

(BBC World Service Press Office)

Indu Shekhar Sinha takes over as BBC World Service's India Business Development Manager

Date: 04.11.2008
BBC World Service has appointed Indu Shekhar Sinha to take up the role of India Business Development Manager for one year. From November 2008, Indu Shekhar will manage BBC World Service's multimedia distribution and business development activities in India. Indu Shekhar replaces Vineeta Dwivedi while she is going to work for the DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) Consortium as Project Director for one year. Indu Shekhar, who is currently BBC Hindi's Desk Editor in London, has over 13 years' experience of working with Indian and international media organisations. Prior to joining the BBC in 2001, he worked as a business journalist for Times Television and as prime-time news presenter at Zee News. In addition to serving various editorial roles at the BBC, he has also worked with BBC Strategy which supports the BBC's public service activities. As part of the team, he contributed to paving the way forward for the BBC in South Asia. As India Business Development Manager, Indu Shekhar will be responsible for developing the distribution of BBC World Service output in India across a range of platforms including FM, broadband, DTH channel distribution system, mobile phones, satellite radio and TV. Head of Asia Business Development, BBC World Service, Neil Curry, comments: "I am delighted with the appointment. Indu Shekhar brings a wealth of experience of the Indian media market as well as strong editorial values. "His energy, enthusiasm and strategic thinking will be a great asset in driving our business interests in this most exciting of markets."

BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster delivering programmes and services in 32 languages, and tailored for various regions, including: Albanian, Arabic, Azeri, Bengali, Burmese, Cantonese, English, English for the Caribbean, French for Africa , Hausa, Hindi, Indonesian, Kinyarwanda/Kirundi, Kyrgyz, Macedonian, Mandarin, Nepali, Pashto, Persian, Portuguese for Africa, Portuguese for Brazil, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Somali, Spanish for Latin America, Swahili, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek and Vietnamese. It uses multiple platforms to reach 182 million listeners globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. It has around 2,000 partner radio stations which take BBC content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. The number of weekly unique users of the BBC World Service websites combined with the international news site in English averaged 13.2 million in March 2008. For more information, visit www.bbcworldservice.com
To find out more about the BBC's English language offer and subscribe to a free e-newsletter, visit bbcworldservice.com/schedules. Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) is the digital broadcasting system for the broadcasting bands below 30MHz (long, medium and short wave). It has been endorsed by the ITU, and is standardised as ETSI ES 201 980. While DRM currently covers the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz, the DRM consortium is extending the system to the broadcasting bands up to 120 MHz. This system extension has the internal project name DRM+. DRM has near-FM sound quality plus the ease of use that comes from digital transmissions, combined with long range and low power consumption. Further information on DRM is available from www.drm.org.

(BBC World Service Press Office)

Coaxial Cable Attenuation & Power Handling Calculator

Coaxial Cable Attenuation & Power Handling Calculator

http://www.timesmicrowave.com/cgi-bin/calculate.pl

Changes in Radio Taiwan International

Here are the recent changes in the upper management of Radio Taiwan International... New Chairperson of RTI is Ms. Alice Kao, the President is Mr.Wang Tan-ping and the Vice President is Hsiao Hsu-chen. They assumed their new posts last week.

(Ashik Eqbal TokonRajshahi, Bangladesh)

Radio rampage

Devjani Roy
Posted: Nov 04, 2008 at 0122 hrs IST
It has not been long when films added glamour to this humble medium of communication. From the suave Vidya Balan to the naughty Preity Zinta radio has been the pet of all. Today when radio greets the world in its new avatar adding to efficacy of the good old radio is the glam quotient that owes its existence to FM channels. And when this age old mode of communication gets happening it glides its way straight to the colleges where the merger of the vivacious and the valuable takes place.

Read the full story here :
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/radio-rampage/381039/

Take a call on radio

Thirteen-year-old Priyanka Saha ran away at age nine from an orphanage where she would be beaten up and not given enough to eat. Now, the day boarder of Hridaypur Nabashopan, an NGO near Barasat, is talking about her experiences on 90.8FM, the Jadavpur University (JU) community radio channel set up in April under the School of Media, Communication and Culture.

Read the full story here :
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081104/jsp/calcutta/story_10060542.jsp

Yercaud HAM Meet 2009

Dear friends
There is a yercaud ham meet on Jan 25 and Jan26 at Yercaud hills. Delegate fees Rs 350/-* and accomadation Rs 400/- near to the venue. Accomadation on first cum first basis. Yercaud is near SALEM . Salem has got both bus and train stations. From Salem busses are going to Yercaud hills. For details please contact Om Paneerselvan ( VU2PCP) Contact no. 09345635973
If any person wants to stay alone in the 2 bed room Rs 880, SINGLE cottage for two families Rs 1600, above tariff are at Star Holidays Inn .

Venue of the function:-STAR HOLIDAYS INC
* Delegate fees includes food. Childrens below 10 years free
Send the money by Money order (M.O.)
To:
P.PANNER SELVAM
HOTEL MATHI
127, ANNA SALAI
THIRUCHENGODE
NAMAKAL (DT)
TAMILNADU 637 211
MOBILE NUMBER. 93456 35973
EMAIL ID : vu2pcp@yahoo.co.in

Via VU2PCP

New laws to govern radio channels in Sri Lanka

Sunday, November 2, 2008, 4:14 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. Nov 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka government plans to introduce new regulations to govern the radio channels of the country, Ministry of Information and Media sources said. A gazette notice is to be issued in this regard in the near future and the current Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Act will be amended by it, sources say. Sri Lanka issued a similar gazette notice on October 10 introducing new regulations to govern the TV channels amending the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Act. The new regulations came under a scathing attack from the opposition political parties and the media organizations. Some of them have vowed to challenge the regulations in the courts.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/November241412KA.html

Relays this weekend via 9290 kHz

November 1st
Radio Joystick 09.00 -10.00UTC
RWI 19.00 - 20.00UTC

November 2nd
RWI 09.00 - 10.00UTC
Latvia Today 10.00 -11.00UTC

Good listening
73s
Tom Taylor

Azerbaijan to End VOA, Other Foreign Broadcasts on Local Radio

By VOA News
31 October 2008
Authorities in Azerbaijan say they plan to halt local broadcasts by foreign stations by the end of the year. The chairman of Azerbaijan's National Television and Radio Council, Nushiravan Maharramli, says his country is not interested in granting local frequencies to foreign broadcasters. He says the change will affect the BBC, the British Broadcasting Corporation, U.S. financed Voice of America and Radio Liberty. The official says his country has been gradually implementing changes, having previously eliminated broadcasts by Russian, French and Turkish
stations. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, the federal agency responsible for all U.S. government-supported, non-military international broadcasting, says it strongly objects to the proposal. A BBG Board Member, Steven J. Simmons, says the decision follows a "disturbing pattern" that began with harsh restrictions on private broadcasters within Azerbaijan two years ago and now directly impacts international media. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Baku, Terry Davidson, says it will be seeking clarification of the issue from the Azerbaijani government. He said in Azerbaijan, foreign broadcasters such as the Voice of America, the BBC and Radio Liberty have contributed greatly to enriching the space for public debate and understanding.
(Some information for this report was provided by AFP.)

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-10-31-voa54.cfm

VOA airs Urdu programs on Pakistan's Voice of Kashmir

Washington, D.C., October 31, 2008 – The Voice of Kashmir (www.vokfm105.com) in Rawalakot, Pakistan, is airing the Voice of America's (www.VOANews.com) Urdu programs daily, the first affiliation between the U.S. international broadcaster and a private FM station is the Southeast Asian country. "This is a big step forward," said VOA Director Danforth Austin. "It allows people in Northeast Pakistan to hear VOA's news and information and it opens the door, we hope, to further ties between VOA and private broadcasters in Pakistan." Sardar Perviaz Yaqoob, general manager of the Voice of Kashmir, said after the launch, "We have a marvelous response from our listeners regarding the VOA and VOK agreement. We have received hundreds of calls from listeners asking the on-air schedule of VOA broadcasts on the Voice of Kashmir." The Voice of Kashmir in Rawalakot, available on FM 105.4, broadcasts four hours a day of VOA's popular Aap Ki Dunyaa (English translation: Your World). The program, heard in northeastern and central Pakistan, will also be broadcast on the Voice of Kashmir's sister stations in Muzaffarabad and Dhirkot Bagh. Aap Ki Dunyaa is aimed at young people, includes news, information, music, call-in shows and features. All told, it broadcasts 12 hours a day on medium-wave and shortwave. Besides Aap Ki Dunyaa, VOA produces a daily, 30-minute television program - Beyond the Headlines.
(Press Release)