2 July 2003
The BBC is underlining its commitment to DAB digital radio, with a major on-air promotional campaign for its complete portfolio of digital radio stations – 1Xtra, Five Live Sports Extra, 6 Music, BBC 7 and the Asian Network.
The five-week campaign, the first by the BBC to promote its family of digital radio services, incorporates TV, radio and online elements. The BBC also confirmed details of the upgrading of its digital radio transmitter network from 65 per cent to 85 per cent coverage of the UK population in 2004.
Jenny Abramsky, Director of BBC Radio & Music and Vice-Chair of the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) said “For the first time digital radio is on its way to becoming a mass market proposition, rather than the preserve of audio enthusiasts. For the BBC there is also the encouraging sign of digital converts being attracted by new stations, particularly those provided by the BBC.
27 June 2003
The Voice of Nigeria (VON), the arm of Radio Nigeria directed at audiences outside the country, has started to broadcast in two of the nation’s main languages.
The VON, a state-run short wave radio, started operations in 1962. Ibo and Yoruba are two of the main languages spoken in the southern part of Nigeria. A VON official said. “The aim is to reach as many Nigerians outside the country as possible while not forgetting to export our culture, of which the local languages are part.” Yoruba is also spoken in nearby Benin, Togo as well as in Brazil, while Ibo is used in western part of Cameroon.
VON already broadcasts in English, French, Arabic, Swahili and Fulfude.
27 June 2003
The director-general of the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Yosef Barel, has presented his restructuring plan to the IBA managing committee. Under the plan, the Foreign Service of Israel Radio will close. The plan has been necessitated by the government’s planned budget cut of 230m new Israeli shekels (about 52m US dollars) in the period through 2006. The plan will see 200 employees taking early retirement, saving 30m new Israeli shekels (just under 7m US dollars).
The IBA will also save 65m new Israeli shekels (14.7m US dollars) by merging or closing some of its networks.
27 June 2003
Jean-Paul Cluzel, chairman and director-general of Radio France Internationale, and Nigel Chapman, BBC World Service Deputy Director, launched a joint frequency in Budapest on Wednesday 11 June.
The Budapest frequency of 92.1 MHz FM will be shared by RFI and the BBC, with air time being shared equally between the two international broadcasters. RFI broadcasts in French (10 hours) and in German (2 hours), and the BBC in English and Hungarian. This is the first multilingual international radio in Hungary. In Germany the two international broadcasters are already operating this type of radio arrangement.
22 June 2003
The 24-hour Arabic language music news and information service, now marking its first annivserary, has increased the number of correspondents and the amount of news coverage inside Iraq. The stream for Iraq is on medium wave (1548 kHz), and on FM Baghdad (100.4 MHz), Arbil (100.5) and Sulamaniyah (88.0). During the war the service was heard primarily on AM transmissions from Kuwait
22 June 2003
After months of speculation that AIB member RFE/RL would have to move out of Prague for security reasons, the station is to stay in the capital. Staff will not stay in the building of the former Federal Assembly near Wenceslas Square, but will be relocated to a different place in Prague, said preisdent Thomas Dine. When the lease for the current premises expires next, it may be extended, or removals may begin.
