Radio Free Asia says it resumes broadcasts to China

Radio Free Asia says it resumes broadcasts to China

By Reuters

- RFA resumes broadcasts in Mandarin, Tibetan, and Uyghur

- Funding cuts by Trump administration led to RFA's initial shutdown

- RFA highlights human rights abuses in China and other authoritarian countries

Full story at :

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/radio-free-asia-says-it-resumes-broadcasts-to-china-2026-02-17/

RFA is back in business! We are proud to have resumed broadcasting to audiences in China in Mandarin, Tibetan, and Uyghur, providing some of the world's only independent reporting on these regions in the local languages. They join RFA Burmese and Korean, which has been reaching audiences inside Burma and North Korea since December. This critical work, which we've been able to resume due to private contracting with transmission services, is already making waves. RFA's Uyghur Service aired a report over the weekend about how children of detainees in Xinjiang are being forced into manual labor at a young age instead of going to school (link below).

Congress' recently enacted FY'26 spending package, signed into law by President Trump, shows its unwavering bipartisan support of our critical mission and work. Rebuilding our network relies on us receiving those funds consistently. But I am confident our work will continue and grow. RFA's incredible journalists and technicians, as well as our legal and HR teams, have made this all possible. I cannot be more proud of everyone behind this effort to get back on our feet as we enter a critical phase for our organization's present and future.

(Bay Fang, President and CEO at Radio Free Asia on LinkedIn)

RFA Reception Reports and QSL cards

Message from Radio Free Asia.....

Dear friends,

Last weekend Radio Free Asia lost its grant and funding.
Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm any more reception reports.  
If this situation changes, we will let you know.  

As our relay sites stop transmitting our broadcasts, currently, we're still airing evergreen programming on limited frequencies but it's unclear how long this will continue.
Thank you for listening and also for your years of support and friendship.

RFA's QSL Team

RADIO FREE ASIA ANNOUNCES QSL CARD #87

RADIO FREE ASIA ANNOUNCES QSL CARD #87

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is excited to announce its latest QSL card marking the beginning of the new year—the Year of the Snake. For more than 28 years, RFA has delivered accurate, uncensored, domestic news to people living under authoritarian regimes across Asia and globally to populations vulnerable to malign influence. Through its in-depth, unflinching journalism, RFA brings to light consequential developments in China, North Korea, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as the Pacific region. This is RFA's 87th QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from January – April 2025.

RFA's QSL CARD #87

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America

(RFA Press Release)

Radio Free Asia announces QSL Card # 86

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its latest QSL card celebrating 28 years of delivering accurate, uncensored, domestic news to people living under authoritarian regimes across Asia and globally to populations vulnerable to malign influence. Through its in-depth, unflinching journalism, RFA brings to light consequential developments in China, North Korea, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as the Pacific region. This is RFA's 86th QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from September – December 2024.

..................................................................RFA's QSL CARD #86

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl @ rfa.org and by mail to :

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America

Radio Free Asia ends Shortwave Broadcasts in Cantonese

Radio Free Asia posted on their website that they are dropping shortwave broadcast in Cantonese language.

Translation from their website - https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/shortwave-program-07052024125330.html?encoding=simplified

The Cantonese section of our station will suspend shortwave broadcasting from July 8, and resources will be focused on expanding multimedia communication and increasing content in the future.
The new adjustment will not affect the overall news coverage. Viewers can still receive a lot of our news information on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Podcast.
Thank you for your continued support.

Official website ➡️ rfa.org/cantonese
Facebook ➡️ facebook.com/cantonese.rfa

X ➡️ x.com/RfaCantonese

YouTube ➡️ youtube.com/@rfacantonese
Instagram ➡️ instagram.com/rfacantonese/

MeWe ➡️ mewe.com/p/自由亚洲粤语rfacantonese
Major podcast platforms🔎 "RFA", "Key News"

(Alexander Miatlikov via WOR)

Radio Free Asia DRM Tests

Radio Free Asia is conducting DRM tests towards China from 11th to 16th June 2024.

Tests are scheduled at 2100-2200 UTC on 11700 kHz ( In DRM Mode).

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about RFA, including current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

Reception reports to  : qsl<at>rfa.org, 

or by snail mail to :

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

Radio Free Asia announces QSL Card #84

Radio Free Asia announces QSL Card #84

To welcome the Year of the Dragon, Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its latest QSL card. While we are celebrating together with all of you to welcome a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, RFA wanted to highlight a value we hold dear, Article 19 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." This is RFA's 84th QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from January – April 2024.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

Radio Free Asia announces QSL Card #82

Radio Free Asia (RFA) is proud to announce new QSL card honoring the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Nothing characterizes this more than the annual arrival of the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. "The tradition of celebrating the blooming of cherry trees in Japan is centuries old. The planting of cherry trees in Washington DC originated in 1912 as a gift of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan. In Japan, the flowering cherry tree, or Sakura, is an important flowering plant. The beauty of the cherry blossom is a symbol with rich meaning in Japanese culture. For more than a hundred years, we have celebrating cherry trees blooming in solidarity." (source: nps.gov) This is RFA's 82nd QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from May – August 2023.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

RFA A23

Radio Free Asia A23

Effective 26th March to 28th Oct'23

Burmese

0030-0130 UTC   12140 15250 15700
0200-0300 UTC   15250
1230-1330 UTC   9370 9990
1330-1400 UTC   9990 12140
1400-1430 UTC   9990

Cantonese

1400-1500 UTC   FNP*

Khmer

1230-1330 UTC   9890 11885 12140
1430-1500 UTC   9355 12140
2230-2330 UTC   12140 13715

Korean

1000-1100 UTC   1566
1200-1300 UTC   9580
1300-1400 UTC   9900
1500-1700 UTC   1188 9910 9990 11985
1700-1900 UTC   1188 9990 11985
2100-2200 UTC   9540 11945 11985

Lao

0000-0100 UTC   15210
1100-1200 UTC   15195

Mandarin

0300-0400 UTC   11570 11895 11985 17800
0400-0500 UTC   11895 13750 17800 21505
0500-0600 UTC   11895 17800 21690
0600-0700 UTC   11895 13790 17800 17810
1500-1600 UTC   9940 11675 13810
1600-1700 UTC   7540 11610 13570 13810
1700-1800 UTC   9360 9970
1800-1900 UTC   9360 9970 11760
1900-2000 UTC   9360 9720
2000-2100 UTC   6080 9360 9535
2100-2200 UTC   7435 9685
2300-2400 UTC   9535 9720 15555

Tibetan

0100-0200 UTC   9370 9510 9705 11850 17670
0200-0300 UTC   9380 11745 11850 17670 FNP*
0600-0700 UTC   15610 21690 FNP*
1000-1100 UTC   13860 15330 FNP*
1100-1200 UTC   13580 15265 15490 17640
1200-1300 UTC   11540 13580 15490 17690 17860
1300-1400 UTC   11570 13720 15275 15490 17860
1500-1600 UTC   9355 11975 FNP*
2200-2300 UTC   7505 9380 FNP*
2300-2400 UTC   5950 9545 11700

Uyghur

0100-0200 UTC   9350 9780 9800 11640 12025 FNP*
1600-1700 UTC   9335 93559560 11675 15140 FNP*

Notes: FNP* = frequency not promoted
Reception reports to : qsl@rfa.org

Last Updated : 13th March '23

(Alokesh Gupta)
Updates & corrections to : alokeshgupta@gmail.com

Radio Free Asia announces QSL Card #81

To welcome the Year of the Rabbit, Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its latest QSL card. RFA is closing out an historic year of impactful reporting and exciting growth, during which we have begun broadening our programming and storytelling capacity, as well as updating our technological infrastructure. As we continue our expansion, we look forward to serving our audiences in 2023! This is RFA's 81st. QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from January – April 2023.

                                                              RFA's QSL CARD #81

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:
Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America

RFA Names Ginny Stein as Southeast Asia Managing Editor

WASHINGTON – Radio Free Asia (RFA), a nonprofit news corporation that brings answers, accountability, and empowerment to populations in Asian countries under authoritarian rule, today named Ginny Stein as its new Southeast Asia Managing Editor. Stein brings more than two decades of experience in journalism, working as a foreign correspondent and broadcaster across radio, TV and digital platforms, as well as managing overseas media operations. She replaces Mat Pennington, who is now serving as RFA's Senior Managing Editor.

"Ginny is a superb newsroom leader, whose extensive experience both as a journalist and strategic planner will be invaluable to RFA," RFA President Bay Fang said. "As we work to meet the immense challenges facing audiences in authoritarian areas in Southeast Asia, Ginny is the perfect fit to help drive our coverage in the region forward."  

"I'm excited to be joining RFA during this historic period of growth for the organization," Stein said. "I have tremendous respect for RFA's mission of bringing timely news to audiences who would otherwise be left in the dark. That mission is as crucial as ever in Southeast Asia and I am honored to have this opportunity to boost RFA's impact in the region."  

Stein will oversee RFA's coverage of its Southeast Asia programming. She will manage the daily operations and long-term plans for RFA's Burmese, Khmer, Lao and Vietnamese services. Prior to joining RFA, Stein worked for two decades as a multimedia journalist, filling a number of roles including foreign correspondent and camerawoman for Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), where she was appointed the public broadcaster's first female Southeast Asia correspondent to Bangkok.

During her tenure as a journalist, Stein produced stories in Asia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and the Pacific. She is a three-time winner of Australia's highest journalist award for stories she filmed in Myanmar, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. In addition, Stein previously served as Director at Blue Sky Vision Vanuatu, where she developed strategic communications plans and international reporting and content production for a wide range of news organizations including the Guardian, ITV UK, Al Jazeera, SBS Australia TV and RFA sister network Voice of America. Stein earned her Master's Degree in Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development from the University of Newcastle in Australia and her Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.  

(Press Release)

Radio Free Asia announces 26th Anniversary QSL

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces its latest QSL card commemorating 26 years of impactful work in some of the world's most restricted media environments, such as China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Burma. Since its founding, RFA has filled a crucial gap for the tens of millions of people living in these and other places in Asia and the world, who would otherwise have little or no access to accurate, timely domestic news and information in their languages. This is RFA's 80th QSL design and will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from September – December 2022.

                                                           RFA's 26th ANNIVERSARY QSL

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

Radio Free Asia announces Radio Pioneer QSL # 6

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces the 6th design in our 'radio pioneer' QSL card series. Reginald Aubrey Fessenden, 1866-1932, was a Canadian-born inventor who did a majority of his work in the United States. During his life he received hundreds of patents in various fields, most notably ones related to radio and sonar. Fessenden is best known for his pioneering work developing radio technology, including the foundations of amplitude modulation (AM) radio. His achievements included the first transmission of speech by radio (1900), and the first two-way radiotelegraphic communication across the Atlantic Ocean (1906). This is RFA's 79th QSL design and is used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from May – August 2022.

                                  RFA's Radio Pioneer QSL #6 – Reginald Aubrey Fessenden

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org. 

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions.  RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to :

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

 

RFA A22

RADIO FREE ASIA A22

(Effective 27th March to 29th Oct'22)

All times and dates are Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Burmese

0030-0130 UTC               7280 12140 15110 15250 15700
0200-0300 UTC               15250
0700-0800 UTC               15110 17690
1230-1330 UTC               7530 9370 15230
1330-1400 UTC               7530 12140
1400-1430 UTC               7530
 
Cantonese

1400-1500 UTC   FNP*

Khmer

1230-1330 UTC               9960 12140
1430-1500 UTC               9355 12140
2230-2330 UTC               12140 13715
 
Korean

1000-1100 UTC               1566
1200-1300 UTC               9700
1300-1400 UTC               9900
1500-1700 UTC               1188 9910 9990 11985
1700-1900 UTC               1188 9990 11985
2100-2200 UTC               9540 11945 11985
 
Lao

0000-0100 UTC               15210
1100-1200 UTC               15195

Mandarin

0300-0400 UTC               11570 11895 11985 17690
0400-0500 UTC               11895 13750 17690 21505
0500-0600 UTC               11895 17690 21690
0600-0700 UTC               11895 13790 17690 17810
1500-1600 UTC               9940 11675 13810
1600-1700 UTC               7540 11610 13570 13810
1700-1800 UTC               9360 9970
1800-1900 UTC               9360 9970 11760
1900-2000 UTC               1557 9360 9720
2000-2100 UTC               1557 6080 9360 9535
2100-2200 UTC               1557 7435 9685
2300-2400 UTC               9535 9720 15555

Tibetan

0100-0200 UTC               9370 9510 9705 11705 17670
0200-0300 UTC               9370 11705 11745 17670FNP*
0600-0700 UTC               15720 21690FNP*
1000-1100 UTC               13800 15330FNP*
1100-1200 UTC               13580 15265 15470 17640
1200-1300 UTC               11570 13580 15470 17690 17860
1300-1400 UTC               11570 13835 15275 15470 17860
1500-1600 UTC               9355 11975FNP*
2200-2300 UTC               7505 9380FNP*
2300-2400 UTC               5965 9555 11700

Uyghur

0100-0200 UTC               9350 9780 9800 11640 11790
1600-1700 UTC               9355 9480 11675 15625

Notes: FNP* = frequency not promoted
All frequencies are in kiloHertz (kHz). 1 MegaHertz (MHz) is equal to 1000 kHz. Conversion to meter bands: Meters=300000/frequency in kHz. e.g.: 17705 kHz --> 16.9 meters

Source : RFA, 14th March'22

(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India)

RFA A21

RADIO FREE ASIA A21
(Mar 28 to Oct 30, 21)

Burmese
0030-0130 UTC 12140 15110 15700
1230-1330 UTC 7530 9370
1330-1400 UTC 7530 12140
1400-1430 UTC 7530

Cantonese
1400-1500 UTC FNP*

Khmer
1230-1330 UTC 9700 12140
1430-1500 UTC 9355 12140
2230-2330 UTC 9890 12140

Korean
1000-1100 UTC 1566
1500-1700 UTC 1188 9910 9990 11985
1700-1900 UTC 1188 9990 11985
2100-2200 UTC 9540 11945 11985

Lao
0000-0100 UTC 9940
1100-1200 UTC 15195

Mandarin
0300-0400 UTC 11570 11895 11985 17690
0400-0500 UTC 11895 13750 17690 21505
0500-0600 UTC 11895 17690 21690
0600-0700 UTC 11895 13790 17690 17810
1500-1600 UTC 9940 11675 13810
1600-1700 UTC 7540 11610 13570 13810
1700-1800 UTC 9360 9970
1800-1900 UTC 9360 9970 11745
1900-2000 UTC 1557 9360 9720
2000-2100 UTC 1557 6080 9360 9535
2100-2200 UTC 1557 7435 9685
2300-2400 UTC 9535 9720 15555

Tibetan
0100-0200 UTC 9370 9510 9705 11705 17670
0200-0300 UTC 9370 11705 11745 17670 FNP*
0600-0700 UTC 15720 21690 FNP*
1000-1100 UTC 13800 15330 FNP*
1100-1200 UTC 13580 15265 15470 17640
1200-1300 UTC 11570 13580 15470 17690 17720
1300-1400 UTC 11570 13835 15275 15470 17860
1500-1600 UTC 9355 12085 FNP*
2200-2300 UTC 7505 9380 FNP*
2300-2400 UTC 5965 9555 9570

Uyghur
0100-0200 UTC 9350 9780 9800 11640 11790
1600-1700 UTC 9355 9480 11675 15700

Notes: FNP* = frequency not promoted
All frequencies are in kiloHertz (kHz)

All times and dates are Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

Reception reports by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports
Radio Free Asia
2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300
Washington DC 20036
United States of America

(Alokesh Gupta)

Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks Get New Leaders

The U.S. Agency for Global Media announced Tuesday that Stephen Yates will be the next president of Radio Free Asia and Victoria Coates will lead the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. Yates, who was an aide to former Vice President Dick Cheney, replaces acting president Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 

More at : 

https://www.voanews.com/usa/radio-free-asia-middle-east-broadcasting-networks-get-new-leaders

Radio Free Asia announces year of the Ox QSL

Radio Free Asia (RFA) has announced its latest QSL card commemorating 2021 as the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese astrology calendar. 

People born in ox years are considered kind, caring, logical, positive, having a great deal of common sense, and live with their feet 'firmly planted on the ground.' They are also considered to be hard workers in order to provide comfort and security for their families, while also highly intelligent and strong minded. The ox is one of 12 animals used in the Chinese Zodiac; the others are tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig and rat. 

This QSL card confirms all valid reception reports from January 1 – April 30, 2021. The design was created by RFA's Brian Powell.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest. 

More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports. Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener. RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DX'ers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

(A.J.Janitschek, RFA)

Radio Free Asia Hosts Secure Mirror Websites for Asian, Chinese Audiences

Sites circumvent blocking, improve access to COVID-19 and other sensitive coverage

WASHINGTON – Radio Free Asia (RFA), in partnership with the Open Technology Fund (OTF), is hosting dedicated .onion addresses for its Mandarin and Cantonese Services' websites, in addition to its English-language site. These sites enhance the ability of audiences in restricted media environments, including mainland China, to securely access RFA's up-to-date, accurate reports and content on the coronavirus pandemic, among other topics deemed sensitive to censors.

"Radio Free Asia's mission is to inform audiences in China about critical developments and topics that are censored in state media," said Bay Fang, RFA's President. "With the deadly Covid-19 pandemic and the abuse of information about it via China's official media, this responsibility for our organization takes on an even greater urgency. These secure websites will help to protect and empower our audiences, whether they are in mainland China, where RFA's online content is blocked, or in Hong Kong where the growing threat of surveillance can have a chilling effect on freedom of information."

"RFA's decision to begin hosting dedicated Tor .onion sites will only make it easier for audiences in Asia to get around censors and access news and information relevant to their everyday lives," said Sarah Aoun, Director of Technology at OTF. "RFA continues to leverage the power of technology in order to further fulfill its mission of bringing free press to closed societies."

In hosting .onion websites, RFA joins other news organizations such as the BBC and Deutsche Welle in making its content available on this secure network. In the months since the coronavirus outbreak, RFA Mandarin has seen a boost in visits to its website, along with sharp increases in the number of user profiles following the service's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Concerns about blocking by Chinese authorities, who tightly control the narrative around major news developments, were a significant factor in the decision to better ensure access to RFA's timely reports. These include RFA's recent investigation into the official statistics of Wuhan's coronavirus fatalities, as well as coverage of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, and the crackdown on ethnic minorities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, among other restricted issues. China's vast filtering and censorship of its internet and social media platforms has earned it the dubious distinction of being "the world's worst abuser of internet freedom," according to Freedom House.

RFA's .onion websites are:

English: https://www.rfa62zl6z6owmtlf.onion/english/

Cantonese: https://www.rfa62zl6z6owmtlf.onion/cantonese/

Mandarin: https://www.rfa62zl6z6owmtlf.onion/mandarin/

(RFA Press Release)

Radio Free Asia releases Year of the Rat QSL

Radio Free Asia (RFA)announces its Chinese Lunar Year QSL

The Year of the Rat begins January 25, 2020 and ends February 11, 2021. The rat is one of twelve animals used in the Chinese zodiac. Those born in a rat year are considered ambitious, meticulous, industrious and sociable. They are also are very focused, naturals at following their instincts, and they are highly attentive which supposedly makes them excellent in business. This is RFA's 72ndQSL and is used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports January – April 2020.

Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean to North Korea, Lao, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Tibetan (including Uke, Amdo, and Kham dialects), and Uyghur. RFA strives for accuracy, balance, and fairness in our editorial content. As a 'surrogate' broadcaster, RFA provides news and commentary specific to each of our target countries, acting as the free press these countries lack. RFA broadcasts only in local languages and dialects, and most of our broadcasts comprise news of specific local interest.  More information about RFA, including our current broadcast frequency schedule, is always available at www.rfa.org.

RFA encourages listeners to submit reception reports.  Reception reports are valuable to RFA as they help us evaluate the signal strength and quality of our transmissions. RFA confirms all accurate reception reports by mailing a QSL card to the listener.  RFA welcomes all reception report submissions at http://techweb.rfa.org (follow the QSL REPORTS link) not only from DXers, but also from our general listening audience.

Reception reports are also accepted by email at qsl@rfa.org and by mail to:

Reception Reports

Radio Free Asia

2025 M. Street NW, Suite 300

Washington DC 20036

United States of America

USAGM networks recognized for excellence with Edward R. Murrow Awards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Two U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) networks-Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Radio Free Asia (RFA)-have been named winners of the prestigious 2019 National Murrow Awards. This is the first time the two networks have received this honor, presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for excellence in electronic journalism.

"I am thrilled that the RTDNA's Edward R. Murrow Awards have recognized the high-caliber reporting that RFE/RL and RFA produce," said USAGM CEO John F. Lansing. "My heartfelt congratulations go to the skillful journalists and storytellers who offer our global audiences accurate and professional journalism-the bedrock of what we do at USAGM."

CEO Lansing added, "Edward R. Murrow, who in the early 1960s led the U.S. Information Agency, a predecessor to USAGM, would be proud of our modern media organization's wide-reaching impact."

Daisy Sindelar, Acting President of RFE/RL, and Libby Liu, President of RFA, offered praise for their award-winning networks, which provide compelling, uncensored and locally-oriented news and information to audiences in some of the harshest media environments around the world.

"We are honored to receive this recognition for providing our audiences with unique stories, powerfully told, on the most influential formats in our coverage area," said Sindelar.

RFE/RL received the National Murrow Awards' top honor for Multimedia in the Television Network category. Judges reviewed eleven examples of RFE/RL's impressive domestic news coverage ranging from Armenia to Uzbekistan.

RFA Mandarin's "The Women Against the State" won in the juried contest's Excellence in Video category. The piece focuses on the aftermath of China's "709 crackdown"- a nationwide roundup of lawyers and legal activists that began in July 2015 - and the wives of those still held in custody today.

"RFA Mandarin's digital team deserves full credit for this prestigious award. Their hard work to spotlight these brave individuals and share their stories speaks to Radio Free Asia's critical journalistic mission," said Liu.

Although this marks the first time that RFA has won a National Murrow Award, the network won several Regional Murrow Awards in years past.

The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) is an independent federal agency, supervising all U.S. government-supported, civilian international media, whose mission is to inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy. USAGM networks include the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Marti), Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Alhurra TV and Radio Sawa). USAGM programming has a measured audience of 345 million in more than 100 countries and in 60 languages.

(Press Release)