Radio Bar-Kulan announces to leave shortwave

Radio Bar-Kulan has announced to drop shortwave transmissions with effect from 1st Jan 2012, per RBK this follows a continuing reduction of audience and the need to expand their FM network within Somalia. Outside of the country RBK is still available on Thaicom 5 satellite, and web streaming on the RBK website.

(Alokesh Gupta)

Ian McFarland MP3 Library online

Ian and I have had a fairly successful few years selling CD sets to benefit his favorite charity - a local food bank and soup kitchen in Duncan, British Columbia Canada.

The series include a historic look at Interval Signals and Idents through the years, a series on Language Identification with many bonus features and a modern roundtable look back on the recent history of SW Broadcasting...where it has been and where it is going.

We are now beta testing the online library and are offering the CD's as MP3 downloads in 1 hour and 2 minute chapters for around $2 - the same end result applying - all proceeds go to Ian's favorite charity.

The online library can be found at http://www.dxer.ca/cd-store

As well, Ian McFarland and I have quite a few plans for new material in 2012 -so check back occasionally.

73 - Colin Newell

(Via HCDX List)

This is RADIO KASHMIR SRINAGAR

RUKHSANA JABEEN
With a period spanning over half a century Radio Kashmir has become an inseparable part of Kashmir's modern history. It was once a household voice but things have changed a lot. Many now call it a shadow of the institution it once was. GK Magazine's ALTAF KHAN talked to the officials and noted broadcasters about its glorious past and the challenges ahead.

Full story at :
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Dec/26/this-is-radio-kashmir-srinagar-3.asp

Cyclone Warning for north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast : Red Message

Bulletin No. BOB 05/2011/28
Dated: 29.12. 2011 Time of issue:1630 hours IST

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'THANE' over southwest Bay of Bengal:-Cyclone Warning for north Tamilnadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast : Red Message.

The very severe cyclonic storm 'THANE' over southwest Bay of Bengal slightly moved westward and lay centered at 1430 hrs IST of today, the 29th December 2011 near latitude 12.00N and longitude 81.70E, about 180 km east of Puducherry, 180 km southeast of Chennai (Tamilnadu) and 400 km north-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka). The system is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai, close to Puducherry around early morning of 30th December 2011.
Based on latest analysis with NWP models and other conventional techniques, estimated track and intensity of the system are given in the Table below:

Date/Time(IST) Position (lat. 0N/ long. 0E) Sustained maximum surface wind speed (kmph) Intensity

29-12-2011/1430 12.0/81.7 130-140 gusting to 155 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/1730 12.0/81.3 130-140 gusting to 155 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
29-12-2011/2330 12.0/80.6 120-130 gusting to 145 Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/0530 12.0/79.9 110-120 gusting to 135 Severe Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/1130 12.0/79.2 80-90 gusting to 100 Cyclonic Storm
30-12-2011/2330 12.0/77.8 55-65 gusting to 75 Cyclonic Storm
31-12-2011/1130 12.0/76.4 45-55 gusting to 65 Deep Depression
31-12-2011/2330 12.0/75.0 30-40 gusting to 50 Low pressure area

Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25cm or more) would occur over north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry during next 48 hours. Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would also occur over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema and isolated heavy rainfall would occur over south Tamil Nadu during the same period.
Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph is likely along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. The wind speed will increase gradually becoming 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along and off north Tamilnadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast from today night onwards.
Storm surge of about 1.0-1.5 meter height above the astronomical tide would inundate the low lying areas of Puducherry and Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram & Villupuram districts of north Tamil Nadu at the time of landfall.
Sea condition is very rough. It will gradually become very high to phenomenal along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not to venture into sea during next 48 hrs.
Damage expected (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Extensive damage to thatched roof and huts. Minor damage to power and communication line due to uprooting of large avenue trees. Flooding of escape routes. Storm is expected to damage the standing rice, groundnut and maize in coastal districts of Tamilnadu and rice and groundnut in coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Action suggested (over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh): Total suspension of fishing operations. Coastal hutment dwellers to be moved to safer place. People in affected areas to remain indoors. Farmers are advised to drain out excess water from the field to prevent crop damage. Taller crops like banana, leaves may be removed and extra physical support may be given.
The next bulletin will be issued at 2030 hrs IST of today, the 29th December, 2011.

(IMD, Govt. of India)

TWR Announces Project Hannah Arabic Broadcasts

TWR is pleased to announce launch of Project Hannah broadcasts in the Arabic language, which will begin airing the first week of January 2012. The weekly Project Hannah Women of Hope 30-minute broadcasts will air from TWR's transmitting outlet to the Middle East on Saturdays at 9:11pm (21:11) on 1233 kHz AM/MW.
The Project Hannah prayer movement in Arabic started in July 2011. It is remarkable to see how God answered prayers and provided funding for this strategic new program to go on the air in the New Year. Project Hannah, a ministry of TWR, offers compassion, encouragement and hope to suffering women worldwide through prayer, awareness and radio programming. Including Arabic, the Women of Hope program is aired in 59 languages around the world. TWR broadcasts several hours of gospel messages in Arabic daily.
Detailed broadcast schedules can be found at www.arabicprograms.org and also at www.twr.org.

Massive solar storm 'could knock out radio signals' over next three days, warn scientists

By Ted Thornhill
Skywatchers will be hoping for clear skies from today because particles from a recent solar storm will slam into Earth and produce amazing Northern Lights, or auroras.

Read more at :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2079352/Massive-solar-storm-knock-radio-signals-produce-amazing-Northern-Lights.html#ixzz1hszeq4cI

DRM Logs 27th Dec 2011

Few screenshots from today's DRM logs ..
Disco Palace on 12115 kHz at 1600 UTC

BBC English on 5845 at 1727 UTC ...

Vatican Radio on 15190 kHz at 1548 UTC ..

(Click on the pics to enlarge)

VOA Marks 70th Year of US Broadcasts to China

Washington, D.C. — December 27, 2011
The Voice of America is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first U.S. radio broadcasts to China, which began the 28th of December 1941, just weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of World War Two.

Voice of America was still months away from being officially established when the first Chinese language shortwave broadcasts were transmitted from studios in San Francisco. U.S. government broadcasting operations to China were eventually moved to New York and then Washington under the Voice of America.
VOA Director David Ensor hailed the distinguished line of journalists who have worked at the service and transformed it into a modern multi-media platform. "Because of the professionalism and creativity of our journalists, the Voice of America is a trusted source of news to the people of China and the world," Ensor said. "As we move forward, we plan to make VOA programming even more vibrant and dynamic."

Earlier this month, U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) hosted a reception to honor VOA's China Branch journalists. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement congratulating Voice of America for "70 years of outstanding broadcasts to China."
VOA programs in Mandarin, Cantonese and Tibetan are delivered on radio, television, the Internet, mobile platforms, satellite, and by proxy servers designed to circumvent Chinese Internet blocking. VOA English language teaching programs, including the social media sensation, OMG! Meiyu, enjoy a large audience in China.

(VOA Press Release)

Bahrain signs key deals to train radio, TV staff

Bahrain’s Information Affairs Authority (IAA) has signed contracts with several key international media firms to train staff and provide programming to improve Bahrain Radio and Television Corporation (BRTC) services.

More at : http://www.tradearabia.com/news/MEDIA_210097.html

AIR carrying live commentary for India vs Australia cricket series

At 0405 UTC noted foll AIR stn's carrying live commentary :

4860 - Kingsway, Delhi
4880 - Lucknow
7270 - Chennai
7430 - Bhopal

Schedule as foll :

26-30 Dec 2011 - 1st Test Australia vs India Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne - 2330 UTC ONWARDS

3-7 Jan 2012 - 2nd Test Australia vs India Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney - 2330 UTC ONWARDS

13-17 Jan 2012 - 3rd Test - Australia vs India W.A.C.A., Perth - 0230 UTC OWARDS

24-28 Jan 2012 - 4th Test - Australia vs India Adelaide Oval, Adelaide - 0000 UTC ONWARDS

1 Feb 2012 - 1st T20 - Australia vs India ANZ Stadium, Sydney - 0835 UTC ONWARDS

3 Feb 2012 - 2nd T20 - Australia vs India Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne - 0835 UTC ONWARDS

KNLS Alaska Trip - Spring 2012

KNLS Alaska Trip - Spring 2012
by Gayle Crowe, World Christian Broadcasting - In your most vivid imagination, pack into two weeks a trek through one of the world's most scenic mountain ranges -- and a week-long relaxing cruise on one of the world's finest and most luxurious ships. Throw in up-close views of glaciers, the opportunity to see grizzly bear, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, and 650 species of flowering plants. Top that off with two weeks getting to know Christians with whom you will form lasting friendships.

More at : http://tinyurl.com/6watm7u

(Source : NASB)

Season's Greetings !

Special program on BBC Bangla 70th Anniverasry

Bangladesh’s rapidly changing media scene will be in the focus of the special BBC Bangla programme to be broadcast on Channel i, marking the 70th anniversary of BBC Bangla in the year of the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence.
Produced by BBC Bangla in collaboration with Channel i and moderated by BBC Bangla Editor, Sabir Mustafa, the programme, Freedom of information in the internet age, will debate issues raised by the spread of television and advent of social media.
The debate panel will include: Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H T Imam; Editor of News Today, Reazuddin Ahmed; and Abu Saeed Khan, Secretary General of AMTOB, the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh. An invited audience of some 200 people will ask the questions.
Sabir Mustafa will moderate the debate, asking about the challenges facing the traditional and new media: “These challenges are coming from the social media revolution which has opened up new avenues to exchange information and debate. They are also coming from governments and other regulatory bodies which seek to restrict the freedom of the established media through legislation and to restrict the use of social media.”
The pre-recorded hour-long debate will be followed by an hour-long live studio discussion during which BBC Bangla presenter, Akbar Hossain, and studio guests - photographer and blogger Shahidul Alam of Drik, and leading journalist and former president of National Press Club, Shawkat Mahmud - will discuss comments on the topic, texted by viewers using the short code 16262.
The panel debate will be broadcast by Channel i at 7.50pm Bangladesh time on Thursday 22 December, and at 8pm on Saturday 24 December on BBC 100 FM in Dhaka and on shortwave 12035kHz and 9800kHz. The live discussion will go on air on Channel i at 7.50pm Bangladesh time on Friday 23 December.

Related links :

Bangladesh at 40
http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/events/bangladesh-at-40/

BBC Radio Blog - Bangladesh at 40
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio/2011/12/bbc_asian_network_mintu_rahman.html

Kuzoo FM awarded the National Order of Merit (Gold) during National Day Celebrations

Kuzoo FM was awarded the National Order of Merit (Gold) during National Day Celebrations by King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Kuzoo FM is the second biggest radio station in Bhutan. A project initiated by the King, Kuzoo FM provides a forum where young people can express their views and share their experiences. It has two radio stations in the national language and English, and is on air 24/7. It can be heard online at www.kuzoo.net

More at :
http://www.abu.org.my/abu/index.cfm/elementid/74002/Bhutanese-media-honoured-by-King

Community Radio stations ask for the introduction of DRM+ in Europe

On behalf of the thousands of community media around Europe, the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE) and AMARC-Europe (the European regional section of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters) have written to the European Commission asking not to be left behind in the Digital revolution.

More at:

http://drm.org/news_item/Community_Radio_stations_ask_for_the_introduction_of_DRM%252B_in_Europe

Letter can be downloaded at :
http://www.cmfe.eu/docs/2011_12_19_CMFE_AMARCEUROPE_DIGITALREVOLUTION.pdf