Voice of America operator plans "sunset" for shortwave radio broadcasts

[mahatmakanejeeves]

I have a lot of shortwave radios, but I have to say I just don't listen to them the way I used to. Every nation is cutting back. That pesky Interwebs and those darn smartphones are taking its place, I'm afraid.

That's too bad, because as "yellocanine" points out in a reply, all you need is a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, and you can hear signals from the other side of the world. I was amazed every time I heard North Korea's broadcasts.

There are occasions when the United States does something right, and we should let people know about it.

Voice of America operator plans "sunset" for shortwave radio broadcasts

Rob Beschizza at 1:00 AM Monday, Jun 6, 2011

The sun is setting on Voice of America's shortwave radio service, heard worldwide in dozens of languages for 70 years.

A strategic technology plan prepared by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency responsible for Voice of America, Alhurra, Radio Free Asia and other international stations, concludes that it should end many shortwave broadcasts in favor of "more effective" media such as internet radio.

"The intrinsic high cost of operating high powered shortwave stations is constantly being weighed against the rapidly diminishing effectiveness of shortwave within a growing number of countries," the report states. "... the cost effectiveness of shortwave transmissions continues to wane and is expected to be circumscribed to a very small number of target countries in the relatively near future."
....

The report, released following a Freedom of Information Act request by Government Attic, took six months to surface and it isn't clear to what extent its recommendations have been implemented. In February, however, Voice of America ceased shortwave broadcasts in China.

and

A New Voice of America for the Age of Twitter

By MARK LANDLER
Published: June 7, 2011

WASHINGTON — When Walter Isaacson championed Voice of America’s decision to shut down its shortwave radio broadcasts to China — and shift those funds to the Internet, cellphones and other forms of digital media — he viewed it as the sensible updating of a propaganda playbook dating from the cold war.

But nothing is simple in the world of government broadcasting. Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican and staunch critic of China, condemned the move, saying it would deprive Chinese listeners of unfiltered news. It amounted, he said, to an American retreat in the face of Beijing’s growing global influence.

“Who knew shortwave in China was a land mine?” said Mr. Isaacson, a onetime head of CNN who is chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees Voice of America and its four sister networks.

[tridim]

1. My Dad doesn't care.

He'll be broadcasting his call letters until the day he dies.

[itsrobert]

2. Oh No, How will the Aliens find us

If we are not broadcasting all those shortwave signals?

[yellowcanine]

3. For people with little internet access (A lot of people) shortwave is still the best way to get news

of the outside world, and even national and local news in some cases. A small battery, windup, or solar powered SW is all that is required and a lot easier to come by than internet access in many rural areas. This is a mistake, imo. I guess that means I agree with Dana Rohrabacher on this, which is scary, I will admit. But I do.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. "I guess that means I agree with Dana Rohrabacher on this,..."

Yeah, me too. Hard to admit, but it happens. Steve Forbes used to be on the BBG, I think. VOA has a lot of RW support. It should get progressive support too.

Thanks for the reply.

Edit: maybe it was Malcolm Forbes. He used to head up Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe.

[MineralMan]

4. This has been progressing for some time.

The BBC no longer broadcasts to the US, and most old SW stations from around the world are now off the air. I used to be an avid short wave listener, and was pretty shocked when I recently fired up my old receiver, only to find all the familiar broadcasts long gone. The SW bands are quiet these days, victims of the Internet.

Interesting times. I suspect that all commercial over-the-air broadcasting is doomed to a short life. Commercial radio broadcasts really began in the 1920s. Less than 100 years later, it's fading away quickly. How interesting...

[KamaAina]

6. Radio is the only modern invention that has really taken root throughout the world.

Something like 80 percent of people have no Internet, television, or even telephone.

I guess we're not really interested in reaching people if they live in remote villages rather than capital cities. :eyes:

[madrchsod]

7. i still have my early 70`s Panasonic shortwave

it`s a little scratchy but it still works