Both Al Jazeera's on digital cable in Turkey. "Both the Al Jazeera news channels - Arabic and English - have gained carriage on Turkey's fast-expanding digital cable system. ... Bridging Europe and Asia, and with a population of 70m, Turkey is a key market for the broadcaster. Both Al Jazeera English and Al Jazeera Arabic are already carried on Turksat's free-to-air satellite DTH platform (reaching 6m households) and Al Jazeera English is carried on Digiturk's DTH service (reaching 2m households)." Rapid TV News, 1 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

BBC scholarships for aspiring Thai journalists. "BBC World News and the Council of the Mass Communications Faculty Members of Thailand (CMCT) are offering 30 training scholarships to university students who wish to become professional journalists and to enhance Thai journalism in the international arena. The top two successful applicants will be given the opportunity to obtain hands-on experience through training with professional journalists at world-class news organisations, the BBC World News headquarters in London and the TNN 24 news channel (also known as TrueVisions 07)." Bangkok Post, 2 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

Death of Vladimir Rubinstein, linguist with the BBC's wartime Monitoring Service. "Vladimir Rubinstein, who has died aged 91, was a significant figure in the BBC's crucial wartime monitoring of foreign radio broadcasts and in the global listening operations of the following decades. ... In the early days of the Second World War it was quickly recognised that the regular domestic German radio broadcasts, and also those of Russia, France and Italy, were just as important a source of information as coded, military transmissions. A new monitoring operation was therefore established, run by the BBC, using all available technology to find and record these broadcasts, and relaying any significant contents to the relevant government and military departments." The Telegraph, 1 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

Congressional attention to the Azerbaijan foreign radio ban (updated again). "The leaders of a key congressional human rights panel warned the president of Azerbaijan that he risks antagonizing the incoming Obama administration with his plans to shut down U.S. radio news broadcasts coming into the Eurasian nation. 'As you begin your second term and prepare to establish good working relations with President-elect Barack Obama with the goal of strengthening U.S.-Azerbaijani relations, we believe it would send exactly the wrong signal to terminate the FM broadcasts of RFE/RL [Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty] and VOA [the Voice of America] in Azerbaijan,' Rep. Alcee L. Hastings, Florida Democrat, and Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Democrat, said in a letter this week to President Ilham Aliyev. Mr. Hastings, chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Mr. Cardin, the co-chairman, argued that the congressionally funded American radio stations set an example for Azerbaijani journalists by providing 'up-to-date, objective' news. 'Moreover, as Azerbaijan moves increasingly toward integration with the West, RFE/RL and VOA supply a model of media professionalism, as well as the sort of impartial and innovative programming Azerbaijan's citizens need to remain informed, engaged and competitive,' they said in their letter.' Washington Times, 26 November 2008. See also VOA News, 25 November 2008. See previous post about same subject.
     "The decision regarding suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations will be made in the second half of December. ... [Nushiravan Maharramli , chairman of National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council] said it is wrong to describe suspension of broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan as a political and democratic issue. 'European countries consider it a technical matter. The attitude to our decisions is different as there is no standard situation in Azerbaijan as in Europe. This is simply a legal issue. It has nothing to do with politics.'" Trend News Agency, 27 November 2008.
     Update: "The Council of Europe has come out in support of further broadcasting of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan. Broadcasting of these radio stations should be suspended since 1 January 2009 in accordance with the relevant decision of the National Broadcasting Council." ABC.AZ, 2 December 2008.
     "'I urge the Azerbaijani authorities to review plans on closing foreign radio stations and issue them a license for broadcasting', says a report of the OSCE special representative on freedom of speech Miklos Kharashti." Today.Az, 2 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

North Korea: leaflet cleanup troops mobilized. "A U.S. broadcaster says North Korea has mobilized its troops to collect anti-communist leaflets distributed by South Korean civic groups off its western coast. Radio Free Asia reported that many leaflets were found in Jangyeon and Yongyeon in the North's Hwanghae Province. The report said Pyongyang’s intelligence agents are monitoring residents in the area and punishing those who read or keep the leaflets. " KBS Korea, 2 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

International radio via new digital radio channel in Ireland. "RTÉ Choice is RTÉ Radio 1’s complementary or sister speech service. It will broadcast vintage RTÉ Radio programmes and also shows programming from international public service broadcasters such as National Public Radio (NPR) and the BBC World Service." Irish Times, 30 November 2008. See also RTÉ Choice web page, and click on Schedules, showing programs also from Radio Netherlands, Deutsche Welle, Vatican Radio, Radio Sweden, and other international broadcasters. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

DW for China "will never be a surrogate service" (updated). Kai Ludwig in Germany writes: "DW director Erik Bettermann said in an Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg interview about DW's Chinese service that it would be jammed by China at varying intensity. He said that they 'are playing music over it', an obvious reference to Firedrake [jamming using Chinese opera]. I never heard about DW being amongst the victims of the SARFT [China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television] transmission command, so what are the experiences? I tried some of the recordings of DW Chinese currently available in IBB's RMS and found that reception of the 1030-1150 transmission was rather noisy on all frequencies while for the 2300-2350 transmission Yelizovo (Kamchatka) on 11830 was pretty good. Be that as it may, nowhere a trace of jamming, also not of co-channeling with CNR-1, since what I heard was no doubt the DW programming, judging from German takes with voice-over and various keywords. ... And to summarize Bettermann's points of view: They have translated many Chinese programs (back) to German and found no any evidence for the claim that they praised the Chinese regime. [See previous post.] It can be asked how good the journalistic work was, but these critical points do not justify the assertion that DW is a mouthpiece of China's Communist Party. External experts will be consulted to improve the quality of the programmes. DW has to keep its journalistic distance, not only from the regime but also from the dissidents. 'We are no missionary station' and DW will never be a surrogate service, also not for countries with a dictatorship."
     Update: "Germany's international broadcaster, government- funded Deutsche Welle (DW), said Monday an internal inquiry had disproved claims that its Chinese-language programming had a pro- Beijing bias. Before this year's summer Olympic Games in Beijing, controversy erupted over allegations by German critics that DW was not neutral. But a detailed analysis showed the 'groundless' claims were based on poor translations. DW chief executive Erik Bettermann also said DW would be increasing its English-language television programming abroad in the next few years, and as a first step would increase English transmissions to Asia to 18 hours daily." DPA, 1 December 2008. See also DW press release on 1 December 2008 and separate release, same date. And Deutschlandradio Kultur, 1 December 2008. See Kai's Ludwig's summary translation of these three item. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

Confusing the enemy by increasing the size of the U.S. bureaucracy. "Last week's terrorist assault in Mumbai brings into focus one of the biggest challenges facing President-elect Barack Obama and U.S. allies: How to defeat the ideology that underpins the global jihadist insurgency and unifies its diverse adherents? The U.S. government needs to resurrect the nonviolent practice of 'political warfare' and create an agency to manage it. The Bush administration started this process by providing more resources for public diplomacy and appointing prominent officials to oversee the task. But efforts to explain America's values and ideals to Muslims need to be supplemented with measures that confront directly the jihadist ideology. Mr. Obama's administration could use as a model the British Political Warfare Executive, which rallied support for the Allied cause behind enemy lines during World War II, or the U.S. Information Agency, which helped network opponents of communism and undermine Moscow's intellectual appeal during the Cold War. A civilian should sit atop this new organization. His or her mission should be to undermine the jihadist ideology that underpins terrorism. We believe this mission is so important that the person should answer directly to the President, just as military combatant commanders do. U.S. government-supported broadcasting, such as the Voice of America, should be adapted to this mission." Christian Whiton and Kristofer Harrison, Wall Street Journal, 30 November 2008.
     How to defeat an undesirable ideology? Create a new bureaucracy. It's Washington's favorite solution.
     And, once again, this plan for "political warfare" wants U.S. international broadcasting to join in the "mission." This probably means transmitting more of this, less of that, and hammering hard on key themes. This would be an application of the bullet theory of communication, which social scientists discarded by the 1940s. Nothing like early twentieth century thinking to form the basis of twenty-first century U.S. international communication.
     If U.S. international broadcasting is to attract an audience, its "mission" can only be defined by that audience. The audience is seeking news that is more reliable than the news they get from their state-controlled domestic media. Credibility is the key.
     The benefits of funding an international broadcasting effort that simply informs are explained in "Air of Truth," New York Times, 4 June 2007.
     "The problem with this proposal is the same we have had with many others in the past: they are based on the premise that VOA is some sort of U.S. government mouthpiece." Alex Belida, VOA News Blog, 1 December 2008. Posted: 02 Dec 2008 Permalink

VOA jazz from the "citadel on the hill." "Today, as Poland sheds the remnants of its communist past, jazz enjoys a special place in the nation’s affection, thanks in no small part to Willis Conover’s Music USA and Jazz Hour broadcasts on Voice of America—the short wave radio station heard by an estimated 100 million people behind the former Iron Curtain during the darkest days of the Cold War. As a result of Conover’s broadcasts, Poles will probably always associate jazz with freedom and an idealized vision of America as the 'citadel on the hill' and the 'last best hope for mankind.'" Stuart Nicholson, jazz.com, 29 November 2008. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

Filling all that international television time requires translations. "Compass Languages was recently tapped to translate more than 100 History Channel episodes into Farsi for broadcast in Iran in 2009. The Crofton [Maryland]-based firm was selected for the task by Voice of America, an international broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government." The Capital (Annapolis), 30 November 2008. These History Channel episodes will be competing with whatever is on the new BBC Farsi television channel. Update: I'm informed that VOA Persian television has already been using translated History Channel material, so BBC Farsi TV will be competing against that. And much of the History Channel fare is very good. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

U.S. public diplomacy outpost on the West Bank. "A U.S.-funded youth center that has opened in the West Bank village of Beita is meant to show America at its can-do best: It will teach English and computer courses, hoping to provide an antidote to political extremism along the way. But if organizers hope the locals will also learn to love America a little - that's a much harder sell." Ha'aretz, 30 November 2008. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

RFE/RL journalist freed by Taliban. "Taliban militants who kidnapped two Afghan journalists have released them after three days in captivity, officials said Sunday. The two journalists freed late Saturday are Dawa Khan Menapal of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Aziz Popal, who worked for a local TV station in Kandahar... Salih Mohammad Salih, who worked for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said a Taliban commander named Rakmatullah repeatedly called him and told him he would send suicide bombers to attack him. Salih resigned from his job earlier this month. ... 'As you know I have no soldiers to protect me. I can't protect myself,' Salih said. 'And my company told me they could not protect me. That's why I left.'" AP, 30 November 2008. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

A meeting of the Italian language radio broadcasters. “'The Role of Italian Language in the Global and Local Media' was the topic of the 7th Italradio Forum, held from November 21 to 23 in the Romanian city of Timisuara. The discussion gathered the reporters, linguists and university professors from Italy, Serbia, Romania, Slovenia and Russia, and their colleagues from Greece, Turkey and Switzerland joined the discussion through the phone link. For the first time Serbia had its representatives, coming from the Italian service of our radio. That was a good opportunity for the Italian Service of the International Radio Serbia to establish its position among other media that do broadcasts in the Italian language." Radio Srbija, 29 November 2008. Less and less Italian to be heard on shortwave, especially since RAI dropped all shortwave broadcasting in Sepptember 2007. It's still available online at www.international.rai.it/radio/. International Radio Serbia's Italian broadcast is at 1830-1900 UTC on 7200 kHz. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

More about Mumbai and international twittercasting. "The issue with Twitter as a news source is that it's not organized to handle news reporting. Frankly it's a complete mess. Twitter users are tagging way too many messages which only adds to the noise. This noise makes allowing potential 'real news' to get through nearly impossible." Allen Stern, Information Week, 29 November 2008.
     "'When you look at TV, you see one channel at a time, then you go to another channel,' said Dina Mehta, an ethnographer and social media consultant in Mumbai. 'On Twitter, you get feeds from many different people at the same time.' Citizen journalists avoided some of the bureaucratic headaches faced by media organizations. At the end of the day on Friday, CNN’s license to transmit live video in India expired, forcing the network’s correspondents to report via telephone. CNN and other channels in the United States relied on live coverage and taped reports from Indian networks." New York Times. 29 November 2008.
     "Blogs and social networking sites like Twitter and Flickr buzzed with eyewitness accounts from India's financial capital, providing some of the first photos of the besieged targets and serving as a forum for pleas for updates on friends and family." AP, 30 November 2008.
     "This just reveals what the online world can really do in such crisis situations. Blogs, YouTube, Twitter and even Google, if used well and with caution the news can actually be broadcasted faster and more efficient than ever. Unfortunately, journalism still has an ace up its sleeve, and that ace is called professionalism and reliability. Journalists usually verify their data and are trained to offer information in such a way that it is useful. The twitter postings related to Mumbai were only valuable if taken as a whole, individually they lacked consistency." Davie Barret, eFluxMedia, 30 November 2008.
     "I am a Sri Lankan, and I have been listening to the Mumbai attacks from the day it happened on Wed, our time 3.00 a.m. in the morning and from that time onwards to the live broadcasts from CNN International, shown - my eyes were only glued to CNN TV with great shock and horror as the drama in real life unfolded before my very eyes. At the same time I was also on ireport web site talking back and forth to my friends about this horror..." Kandy, iReport, 30 November 2008.
     "Something police and the military need to remember in the future, is that these aren't guerillas using sticks or something to attack. If they can get their hands on an AK-47, they can get their hands on a BlackBerry, more easily in fact. Reports are the police were surprised that the terrorists had Blackberrys, but they shouldn't be. However, while terrorists used their BlackBerrys to help themselves, so did survivors. According to reports, Amit Gupta used his own BlackBerry to keep track of things once the cable feed was cut off from the Oberoi Trident Hotel. He survived a 42-hour ordeal, all told, and despite it all, is going back to work on Monday." Iria, Huliq News, 30 November 2008. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 30 Nov 2008 Permalink

Labor issues at RFE/RL. "Under Jeffrey Gedmin, RFE/RL is embroiled in ugly lawsuits with its former employees who, contrary to the strict requirements of Czech labor law, were fired without any reason given to them and with no warning whatsoever. No disciplinary measures at all were applied prior to their termination. RFE/RL justifies such a mode of firing its employees in the Czech Republic by the use of American 'employment-at-will' doctrine." Lev Roitman, "a former senior editor with RFE/RL [who] retired in 2004 after 30 years of service," The Herald News (Fall River, MA), 28 November 2008. See previous post about RFE/RL and Gedmin. Posted: 29 Nov 2008 Permalink

International broadcasting interviewee in exile. Arash "Sigarchi escaped to the United States while on medical leave from prison in Rashat, where he was serving a three-year sentence on charges that included espionage, engaging in propaganda against the system, and undermining national security. The charges followed interviews he gave to BBC World Service radio and the U.S. government-funded Radio Farda." One of "five snapshots of journalists in exile," Committee to Protect Journalists, November 2008. Posted: 29 Nov 2008 Permalink

NATO in Afghanistan: putting news and propaganda in the same outbox? "The U.S. general commanding NATO forces in Afghanistan has ordered a merger of the office that releases news with 'Psy Ops,' which deals with propaganda, a move that goes against the alliance's policy, three officials said. ... Information Operations advises on information designed to affect the will of the enemy, while Psy Ops includes so-called 'black operations,' or outright deception. While Public Affairs and Information Operations, PA and Info Ops in military jargon, 'are separate, but related functions,' according to the official NATO policy document on public affairs, 'PA is not an Info Ops discipline.'" Reuters, 29 November 2008. Posted: 29 Nov 2008 Permalink

Blogs in closed societies: opportunity or blather? At a recent Open Society Institute "panel discussion on the role of the blogosphere in closed societies. ... -A picture of sunny optimism, articulated by writers like Don Tapscott, who see the opportunity to contribute and collaborate online as creating a generation of citizens who are more involved and creative than a previous generation of passive media consumers. -A dystopian vision advanced by folks like Andrew Keen, suggesting that the unedited blather of user-generated content will cause us to devalue and neglect expert content and may decrease meaningful participation." Ethan Zuckerman, Worldchanging, 28 November 2008. Posted: 29 Nov 2008 Permalink

The Mumbai terrorist attacks: traditional journalism versus tweets. "First-hand accounts of the deadly Mumbai attacks are pouring in on Twitter, Flickr, and other social media." Noah Shachtman, Wired Danger Room, 26 November 2008.
     "As someone who has previously equated 'citizen journalism' with 'citizen dentistry' Twitter heads were obviously going to have a hard time convincing me. ... Looking through the Twitter search stream for 'Mumbai', I see so much useless information, I quickly get the feeling I am wasting my time." Andrew Stroehlein, Reuters AlertNet, 28 November 2008.
     "Twitter users swapped messages at a breakneck pace as the events unfolded, whether it was seeking information on family or friends or links to the latest breaking news reports. There were even unconfirmed reports that the Indian authorities had tried to stop people posting to Twitter because of fears the information could be used by the militants still holding hostages." AFP, 28 November 2008.
     "The question now is how to manage--if it is manageable at all--the information that comes to the forefront when anyone with a cellphone or a cheap laptop can blast information around the globe with a few keystrokes. There are some reports that Indian authorities asked those in Mumbai to stop Twittering about the event in order to keep the activities of police quiet." Forbes.com, 28 November 2008.
     "Indian officials said at least five BlackBerry handsets found on the nine dead terrorists showed they had surfed British websites. ... Key figures in the gang were said to have equipped themselves with BlackBerrys to monitor British news if power was cut to televisions." The Sun, 29 November 2008.
     "As the Mumbai Terror attack played out through Thursday and Friday bringing India’s financial capital to a grinding halt, the Internet became the link between people across nations. It has been in many ways the coming of age of the Indian blogosphere." indianexpress.com, 29 November 2008.
     "Despite the tremendous volume of information — and its immediacy — coming from Mumbai via Twitter, getting context about the situation has been a struggle. While a few people have been tweeting firsthand accounts, much of the information has been re-tweets or just rambling, reaction-based tweets. Maybe I was overcome with emotion, but the sheer volume of tweets and lack of clarity only fed my frustration with Twitter. (I’m sure it’s the same kind of frustration people feel with blogs at times as well.)" GigaOM, 28 November 2008.
     "A glance at Twitter during the day quickly revealed that being first was mostly preferred to being right - posts claiming that the stand-off had ended at the Taj Mahal hotel were followed by reports of further explosions. ... But the TV news, broadcasting live to India and the world, also got things wrong. In the chaos of Mumbai, it was tempting to trust the observations of an individual on the ground sharing his own limited observations, than the distant news-desks assimilating thousands of reports." Demotix, The Telegraph, 28 November 2008.
     "Around the web there have been mixed reviews of the Twitter reporting of the Mumbai terror strikes. Some of the mainstream press was rather critical of the reporting quality... In general, I found international media coverage of the terror strike to be woefully inadequate. Mainstream news sites like Reuters did provide some well written summaries of the events, but did not give us anything that had not been previously tweeted, re-tweeted and re-re-tweeted. Over the past two days, social media sites have provided more than an additional source of information, they provided a viable alternative to the mainstream press. Sure it was raw, and there were a few idiots who wanted to make a scene, but at the end of the day a good deal of truth came out." C.S. Magor, UberReview, 28 November 2008.
     "Many Twitterers just repeat headlines they see on local tv, rather than reporting their own observations. Rumours keep being repeated without ever being checked. Journalists say the social networking site can provide some of the basic material, fast and topical, but there is still a need for all those facts and non-facts to be filtered, tied together and put into context." Radio Netherlands, 28 November 2008.
     "A group of Mumbai-based bloggers turned their Metroblog into a news wire service, while the blog MumbaiHelp offered to help users get through to their family and friends in the city, or to get information about them, and has had a number of successes. Flickr also proved a useful source of haunting images chronicling the aftermath of the attacks. Journalist Vinukumar Ranganathan's stream of photos were published by CNN and other major broadcasters. ... However, as is the case with such widespread dissemination of information, a vast number of the posts on Twitter amounted to unsubstantiated rumors and wild inaccuracies. ... A quick trawl through the enormous numbers of tweets showed that most were sourced from mainstream media." CNN, 28 November 2008.
     "The biggest problem with the huge amounts of information coming in is how to make sense of it. Which are trusted sources, for instance, that won’t publish false or exaggerated information? You can’t tell that very easily. We really need context for what happened in Mumbai, with seasoned, trusted sources that can help analyse and interpret the events and this is where good journalism comes in. ... Amazingly enough, given all the above, there are managers of some news organisations who still think that relying on the phone and wire services, with social media and much of the internet firewalled off by corporate MIS makes for an acceptable work environment for journalists." Juha Saarinen Auckland, Fairfax Business Media, 28 November 2008. Posted: 29 Nov 2008 Permalink

BBG member to the US Senate (updated). Ted Kaufman, adviser to Vice President elect Joseph R. Biden and charter member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, has been selected by Delaware's governor to take Biden's Senate seat. CQ Politics, 24 November 2008. "Mr. Kaufman has been a dedicated guardian of the journalistic independence of our broadcasters and a passionate advocate of the Agency's mission. He helped lead the BBG to become an independent federal agency in 1999, and set a standard for the bipartisan work of the Board. ... The people of Delaware are fortunate to have a man of such distinction as their Senator." BBG statement, 25 November 2008. Kaufman background. Wilmington News Journal, 24 November 2008. So the BBG is now down to four members, plus the ex oficio Secretary of State.
     Update: "Ted Kaufman was the primary force behind the shutting down of many Voice of America radio broadcasts, including programs to Russia, a secretive action taken last summer only days before the Russian army attacked Georgia. ... Upon learning of Ted Kaufman’s appointment to the U.S. Senate, a high-ranking Union leader told FreeMediaOnline.org that 'Ted Kaufman was no friend to the employees of the VOA.'" Ted Lipien, Free Media Online blog, 28 November 2008. See previous post. Posted: 28 Nov 2008 Permalink

Media cover the Mumbai attacks -- with varying results. "BBC World News America was one of the first networks with a reporter on the ground in Mumbai yesterday. Anchor Matt Frei also spoke with one of the hotel guests hiding at the Taj Mahal hotel." Media Bistro, 27 November 2008.
     "The Fox News channel does not have anywhere near the worldwide on-staff resources that CNN International does, but it plugged into NDTV (New Delhi Television) for some excellent coverage and images of the early and ongoing attacks. Don't get too excited about Fox's performance, though, by 10 p.m. it was airing a rerun of Greta Van Susteren's softball interview with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. CNN was all over the story, and you could feel its strength build as staffers came back to work and joined in. CNN International had much help in terms of imagery from sister channel IBN (India Broadcast News). CNN stayed on the case throughout the night. But on MSNBC, no real coverage -- nothing except a brief mention and discussion at the anchor desk in New York. Isn't this a great way to cut reporting costs -- just stop doing it." David Zurawik, Baltimore Sun, 26 November 2008.
     "Al Jazeera English has the best TV coverage out of the region at the moment. Again, context is so important. Radio used to have the best 'pictures' and analysis. Not any more." Jonathan Marks, Critical Distance Weblog, 27 November 2008.
     "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." Ted Lipien, Free Media Online blog, 28 November 2008. Posted: 28 Nov 2008 Permalink

VOA reporter participates in Chinese media "peer review." "Local and international media gathered at the Press Hall of the All China Journalists Association (ACJA) in Beijing Thursday morning to commemorate the 30th anniversary of China's opening-up policy and to examine how this had impacted on the nation's media. ... Reporters from Voice of America, the Guardian, Asahi Shimbun, various European, China's Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao media all gathered to probe the panelists on the recent melamine milk scandal, coverage of the May 12 earthquake, openness during the Olympics, increasing demands for advertising revenue and the proliferation of new media including online and hand-held content such as mobile phone news." China Daily, 27 November 2008. Posted: 28 Nov 2008 Permalink

DW's the BOBs blog awards announced. The jury award for best blog is "Generación Y, a Cuban blog written by Yoani Sanchez." The people's choice winner is the Chinese blog Science Guru. Deutsche Welle's The BOBs website. See also Radio Netherlands Internet, 28 November 2008. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 28 Nov 2008 Permalink

Worldspace, and ex-Worldspace, personnel notes. "WorldSpace filed last month for Chapter 11 in a Wilmington, Del., court, to 'engage in an orderly process' to raise money to repay debts by either a sale or recapitalization, executives said in a statement. The company listed liabilities of $2.1 billion and assets of $307.4 million. WorldSpace has reduced its work force in Silver Spring to about 50 from 111 employees some 18 months ago." The Gazette (Maryland), 27 November 2008.
     "TerreStar Corporation today announced that Vincent Loiacono has joined TerreStar as Chief Accounting Officer and Principal Accounting Officer responsible for the financial planning, analysis, and treasury activities; reporting to TerreStar President Jeffrey Epstein ... [who said] 'We welcome the addition of Vincent's level of professionalism and financial discipline and believe there is great value in his experience with both public companies and start-ups - including an initial public offering (IPO).' Prior to joining TerreStar, Loiacono served as Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller of WorldSpace, Inc, a satellite-based radio and data broadcasting service, which operated in countries in Africa, Asia and Western Europe. He was responsible for all global accounting activities, including compliance and controls, financial reporting, accounting transactional work processes and financial information systems, as well as financial standards, planning and financial support to its global businesses such as a $221 million IPO for WorldSpace.'" TerreStar press release, 26 November 2008. See previous post about Worldspace. Posted: 28 Nov 2008 Permalink

Home-grown competition claims success over BBC World News. "Just eight weeks into its run, the new nightly news program Worldfocus is coming on strong, beating its nearest head-to-head competitor BBC World News last night. The program, anchored by former CNN and NBC News anchor/correspondent Martin Savidge, airs on PBS stations in various cities, at various times. BBC World News also airs on PBS stations throughout the country and on BBC America on cable. Last night, in all markets, Worldfocus drew 328,892 viewers, up 16% from its lifetime average of 283,749. BBC World News drew 312,310, down 15% from its 8-week average of 365,592. The New York-based internationally-focused news program performed even better in the top 30 markets, topping the BBC program on both Monday and Tuesday of this week. (Note: Because it also airs on cable, BBC World News will have more viewers than listed above which is the average for the airings on PBS stations.)" Media Bistro, 26 November 2008. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

Growing audience for international television channel in NZ. "Triangle Television is attracting a rapidly growing number of viewers in the Auckland market, the latest Neilsen Media cumulative audience figures reveal. The survey returned cumulative audience of more than 403,000 viewers for the month of October for Triangle. ... Its reputation is also growing throughout New Zealand ... for being the channel that offers alternative views on world news. The channels screen news and current affairs services in English from Al Jazeerah, Euro News, Deutsche Welle (DW), Voice of America, PBS, McLaughlin Group (US politics), Frost over the World (David Frost) and Tongan, Fijian, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, French, Swiss, Flemish, Greek, Russian, Chinese, Thai and Japanese language news. ... 'We are able to instantly switch to Al Jazeerah, Voice of America or DW should something of worldwide significance happen, which allows us to provide local and meaningful perspectives.'" Triangle Television press release, 27 November 2008. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

VOA on Facebook and Twitter (but not yet for sale on eBay). From VOA memo on 26 November: "Go to the Facebook Home page and type Voice of America in the search bar in order to locate the special page. This page features live RSS feeds of VOA’s Top News Stories in four languages, videos from VOA’s YouTube page, links to VOA programming, descriptions of upcoming VOA events and more." On Twitter: "One of our special pages is titled VOA_News. It provides the top news stories in English to users who select to follow our headlines. As we gain more experience with Twitter, we will add headlines in other languages and additional content, including photographs. You can visit it by going to www.Twitter.com/voa_news." Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

Out: listeners. In: citizen journalists. The Broadcasting Board of Governors and The George Washington University Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communications will host International News Coverage in a New Media World: The Decline of the Foreign Correspondent and the Rise of the Citizen Journalist, on 10 December at GWU. BBG announcement and RSVP.
      "A citizen-journalism upload portal has been launched by Qatar-based Arabic satellite network Al Jazeera, "seeking eyewitness news reports from its vast international audience." The Editors Weblog, 27 November 2008.
     "But then the bloggers appear, writers of no training but natural talent, positioned by chance to see events and parts of the world which the news machines cannot reach." George Brock, The Times Literary Supplement, 26 November 2008. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

Another State Department video contest. "The State Department and Adobe Foundation will announce the launch of an online video contest to amplify U.S. public diplomacy using Web-based outreach campaigns and social media platforms on Monday, Dec. 1. The 'My Culture + Your Culture = ? Share Your Story' contest is part of a Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs initiative to encourage cross-cultural community building and mutual understanding via the Web and social media platforms." National Journal Tech Daily Dose, 24 November 2008. See also State Department press release, 25 November 2008.
     And the Democracy Video Challenge deadline is 30 January 2009. See the competition's website and previous post. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

"Youth" is the word to describe young people who behave as adults would want them to (updated). "Facebook, Google, YouTube, MTV, Howcast, Columbia Law School, the U.S. Department of State and Access 360 Media are bringing leaders of 17 pioneering organizations from 15 countries together with technology experts next month in New York for the first-ever conclave to empower youth against violence and oppression through the use of the latest online tools. These young leaders will form a new group, the Alliance of Youth Movements, which will produce a field manual for youth empowerment. The field manual will stand in stark contrast to the Al-Qaeda manual on the basics of terrorism, found by Coalition Forces in Iraq. ... 'The State Department is proud to play a role in highlighting the new wave of civil-society empowerment that is happening online,' said James K. Glassman, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs." Howcast/State Department press release, 18 November 2008.
     Update: See State Department briefing, 24 November 2008. And James Glassman op-ed, Miami Herald, 25 November 2008. Also posted at the website of the President of Colombia. See also AFP, 25 November 2008. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

Three indictments related to murder of RFA GC (updated). "Three men at the center of an enduring murder mystery in an elegant Dupont Circle townhouse have been indicted on obstruction of justice charges as police continue to investigate the slaying of Robert Wone, a rising star in Washington's legal community who was fatally stabbed two years ago while staying overnight at the home. ... No one has yet been accused of killing Wone, 32, a highly regarded lawyer who was found dead in a guest room on Aug. 2, 2006. He was president-elect of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association's Washington chapter and had recently become general counsel at Radio Free Asia." Washington Post, 21 November 2008. Two of the indicted pleaded not guilty. "They were released from custody and ordered to wear ankle monitoring bracelets." Washington Post, 22 November 2008. See also The Flat Hat (College of William and Mary), 21 November 2008. -- Blog of LegalTimes, 20 November 2008. -- Legal Times, 24 November 2008 issue. -- ABC News, 21 November 2008. See previous post about same subject.
     Update: Wone's widow and family file a $20 million lawsuit against the three indicted. Washington Post, 26 November 2008. See also The Blog of Legal Times, 25 November 2008 and another story, same date, from BLT. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

More intrigue in the history of RFE. "The Czechoslovak secret service StB and the Soviet KGB closely collaborated when infiltrating the structures of the U.S.-sponsored broadcaster Radio Free Europe (RFE), historian Jan Kalous said at a conference on NKVD/KGB on Friday. ... 'The link of the [Russian emigre organisation Narodno-Trudovoy soyuz (NTS)] with Czechoslovak emigres and RFE broadcasts was interesting for the StB,' Kalous said." Prague Daily Monitor, 24 November 2008. Posted: 27 Nov 2008 Permalink

BET to Africa via GTV. "African pay-TV network GTV is launching Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the Afro Music Channel on its service as of December 1. BET will kick off on GTV with a slate of hit programming, including 106 & Park, Real Life Divas, College Hill, Keyshia Cole and Leading Men, as well as special events such as the BET Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards and Celebration of Gospel." WorldScreen.com, 25 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Vatican Radio Polish section is 70 years old. "During WWII the Polish section at Vatican Radio helped in uniting separated families, but did not comment the political situation. During the communist rule in Poland Vatican Radio played the role of ‘Catholic Radio Free Europe’ bringing political news and information about the persecution of Catholic Church in Poland." Polskie Radio, 24 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Nigel Chapman departing as BBC World Service director (updated). "Director of the BBC World Service Nigel Chapman is leaving the corporation after 31 years to become chief executive of children’s charity Plan International. He has been director of the World Service since 2004 and has previously been director of BBC Online and controller of English Regions. Chapman has also worked as a producer and editor on a number of news and current affairs programmes. BBC director of global news Richard Sambrook said today in a message to staff: 'I'd like to pay tribute to the huge contribution Nigel has made to the BBC - and in particular to the World Service over the last eight years. He has overseen the biggest restructuring of the service since it was launched and the move into language television and the strengthening of our internet presence. The World Service today is stronger than when he joined it and enjoys the largest audience it has ever had - a fitting tribute to his hard work and commitment.'" Press Gazette, 25 November 2008.
     Update: "In a separate note to staff, Chapman said: 'There is never a perfect time to leave something as fascinating and all-consuming as the World Service. There is always more to do: new audience demands to meet, new services to launch and existing ones to improve.'" Radioandmusic.com, 26 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Encore: RFI on strike. "Several thousand radio and television workers took the streets Tuesday to protest a law to reform public media being discussed in the National Assembly. According to France Televisions management, 43.3 per cent of the company's personnel stopped work. Several Radio France stations were interrupted and most of RFI programming in French and other languages." Radio France Internationale, 26 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

DW Indonesian celebrates its 45th anniversary. "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. ... This year, Indonesia will also be in focus in the blogosphere. For the first time ever, Deutsche Welle will be presenting an award for blogs in Indonesian at this year’s BOBs Awards on November 27." DW press release, 21 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

This year's DW blog awards will be blogged (updated). "For the fourth year in a row, Deutsche Welle will be presenting its Reporters Without Borders Award for blogging at the BOBs Awards on November 27. This award is the result of a cooperative project with Reporters Without Borders designed to recognize bloggers who use the platform to highlight, promote and further the advancement of the freedom of opinion throughout the world. ... This year’s BOBs Awards will be announced at a ceremony on November 27 at the Communication Museum in Berlin. The BOBs is the world’s largest international blogging competition – drawing in more than 7,000 nominations per year. It was developed in 2004 and now has 16 categories, with winners being chosen by both an international jury of media experts and bloggers and through online voting. Judges look at blogs in 11 different languages – making the BOBs the world‘s only awards competition that offers a comprehensive overview of the global blogosphere. For the first time ever, this year’s BOBs ceremony will also be broadcast via livestream and live blogging. The livestream is available through Sevenload and Peter Bihr will be creating and posting the live blog (http://www.thewavingcat.com/)." DW press release, 24 November 2008.
     Update: "Cedric Kalonji, a blogger from the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s BOBs Awards on November 27 at the Communication Museum in Berlin. Kalonji was awarded the best French-language blog at the BOBs in 2007 and will speak about his personal experiences and how blogging has changed his life." DW press release, 26 November 2008.
     "Local authorities prevent the participation of a prominent Chinese citizen journalist in Deutsche Welle's international weblog awards, The BOBs, in Berlin. Chinese authorities are preventing Chinese blogger and citizen journalist Shuguang Zhou from leaving for Germany without providing any official justification." DW press release, 25 November 2008. See also The BOB's website. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Reported, and not reported, on Al Jazeera. At the Foreign Press Association (of London) Media Awards: "Story of the year by a member of the FPA was clinched by Jonah Hull's The War in Georgia, which was broadcast on the al-Jazeera English channel." The Guardian, 26 November 2008.
     "Farah Abd Jameh, apparently one of the [Somali] pirates, contacted the Arab television network Al-Jazeera to announce the gang's ransom demand: 'The ransom will be taken in cash to the oil tanker. We assure the safety of the ship that carries the ransom. We will mechanically count the money and we have machines that can detect fake money.'" sail-world.com, 26 November 2008.
     South Africa: "In damning footage being aired worldwide by international news channel Al Jazeera, Jason Mkhwane, the chairperson of the league branch in Sedibeng, southern Gauteng, is heard saying: 'People like Terror Lekota and all those people who want to destroy the history of the organisation (ANC), they behave like cockroaches and they must be destroyed'." The Star (Johennesburg), 26 November 2008.
     "Janesville [Wisconsin] doesn’t make international news very often. But the impending end of SUV production here, throwing hundreds out of work, has caught the attention of news organizations from Europe, the Far East and the Middle East. ... Swedish national TV recently interviewed Bob Borremans, executive director of the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board, about the GM situation. Borremans said he turned down a request from Al Jazeera English, the TV news channel headquartered in the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar. 'I didn’t think Al Jazeera was somebody we necessarily wanted to be interviewed by and broadcast over there,' Borremans said. Borremans said he has since heard that Al Jazeera has a good reputation and wonders if he should have done the interview." Janesville Gazette, 26 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Russian-Georgian media war carries on (updated). "Georgia has launched a campaign to counter an increasing number of media reports which allege that the government of Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian president, was responsible for starting the war with Russia in August. ... The government-funded Georgia Update website issued a detailed rebuttal of what it called 'inaccurate and incomplete' Western media stories this week. It has also published transcripts of intercepted mobile-phone conversations which it claims prove that Russian troops moved into South Ossetia before the war, forcing Georgia to defend itself by fighting back. On the other side, two professionally-designed websites, Truth for Ossetia and Help Ossetia Now, have been set up to portray Georgia as the aggressor." Aljazeera.net, 23 November 2008.
     Update: "This battle of words has been highlighted by Georgian State Minister for Reintegration Temur Iakobashvili, who said that an information war for international public opinion was in progress and claimed that Moscow was investing large sums of money in a propaganda campaign to change the West’s perception of the conflict. 'We know for sure that Russia allocated quite an impressive number of dollars to spin anti-Georgian sentiments in the West, and we see some results of that, but I think truth will prevail,' he told Al Jazeera." Roger N McDermott, The Jamestown Foundation, 25 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Back in the news: Canadian psyop in Afghanistan. "While the Taliban have made intimidation and propaganda almost an art form, it's the job of Psy Ops to visit village leaders and try and undo the damage. Psy Ops is not as much about military intelligence as 'influence peddling' - a sales job aimed at getting the impoverished local people to accept the Canadian Forces. It might be considered an anti-propaganda unit. But the Zhari district is worth a study all of its own. It is a favourite haunt of the Taliban, but there are also villages that are pro-government. 'The one next to the police sub station,' Rogers said, pointing to a village a few hundred metres away, 'is one of the most friendly, permissive villages there is. The next one over, you can tell there's a sense of fear, whispering, caution about who is observing,' he continued. 'And the last village over: the last time we were there, it was a firefight.'" The Canadian Press, 24 November 2008. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

China-India cyber psyop. "At the core of India-China tension is the difference in perceptions between the two and it is here that the psychological warfare or psyops plays the crucial role. As psyops is often defined as management of perceptions, a distinct part of psychological warfare is the strategic use of propaganda through the Internet, media and print literature. China in recent times is developing psychological warfare as a new strategy for both wartime and peacetime uses. Cyber-nationalism thus is a part of psyops which the Chinese government uses to bolster its strategic policies and to reinforce its domestic legitimacy." Abanti Bhattacharya, Asia Times, 27 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

HCJB-built shortwave transmitter on air at TWR Swaziland. "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 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.'" HCJB press release, 25 November 2008. See previous post about the HCJB Global Technology Center in Elkhart, my home town. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Give thanks that we don't have to get our news via shortwave? "Among the 'small' things that we have come to overlook and not appreciate. ... We may gripe about the television shows on our 50-inch wide screens. Consider those around the globe who may still rely, for entertainment and news, on a simple, short-wave radio powered by the sun or hand-cranked magneto because batteries are too expensive or just not available." Al Campbell, Cape May County (NJ) Herald, 25 November 2008. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Christian Science Monitor, soon to drop print, previously dropped shortwave. From timeline to mark the Monitor's 100th anniversary: "1920: The Monitor joins several other newspapers in developing distribution of worldwide news via radio, beginning AM transmission in February 1922, adding programming seven years later, and expanding to shortwave broadcasts by late 1935. ... February 1987: The World Service of The Christian Science Monitor” begins broadcasting on international shortwave radio to Europe and Africa from station WCSN in Scotts Corners, Maine – and a year later to Japan, Korea, and China from station KYOI on Saipan, Mariana Islands. ... 1989: “MonitoRadio Early Edition” premières on American Public Radio stations. Shortwave expands to reach Latin America and the Pacific Rim. ... 1997: MonitoRadio shuts down in June; shortwave scaled back." Christian Science Monitor, 25 November 2008. Not mentioned is that, in June 2004, the Christian Science church sold its last shortwave facility, in South Carolina, to World Harvest Radio. Posted: 26 Nov 2008 Permalink

Christine Amanpour will anchor program on CNN International. "In her 25 years at CNN, Christiane Amanpour has hopscotched the world, the very model of a foreign correspondent, turning up at seemingly every war, genocide, famine and natural disaster, slipping through previously closed borders and interviewing even the most recalcitrant of foreign leaders. But there is one thing she has never done: anchored her own daily news show. That will change next year, when she starts a nightly program on CNN International, which is retooling its lineup. An edited version of Ms. Amanpour’s show is expected to be shown on the weekends on CNN’s United States channel. ... Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International, said: 'Our thinking was we wanted a big, the biggest, name to hub our international prime time, and when it comes to global international superstars that list pretty much begins and ends with Christiane Amanpour.'" New York Times, 23 November 2008. Posted: 25 Nov 2008 Permalink

More sparring about BBC Russian (updated). "Mr Chapman seems oddly reluctant to believe that BBC employees can be subjected to intimidation. Everywhere, he is moving programmers 'closer to their audiences'. It is his intention that the Russian-language programme Early Hour, at present broadcast to Central Asia and the Caucasus from London, should instead be broadcast from Moscow. Does he really believe that, in the event of another crisis between Russia and Georgia, editors and producers in Moscow will feel able to broadcast freely?" Robert Chandler, letter to The Times, 17 November 2008. See previous post about same subject and for earlier letters to The Times.
     "Only time will tell if the letter writers’ concerns are justified. But if Russia’s Internet can attract both an unorthodox start-up like Demotix, and a venerable institution like the BBC, it suggests that the tide of change is strong, but not necessarily malignant. 'There is a balance to be had between bearing your past in mind and changing to reflect current realities' [said Sarah Gibson, head of BBC Russian]." Roland Oliphant, Russia Profile, 17 November 2008. Update: Chandler responds to Oliphant: "There is no justification for existence of the BBC Russian Service unless it provides something different from any other broadcaster or website. And there are, at present, some good Russian-language online news services. The Russian service should be proud, rather than ashamed, of what has made it unique. This, above all, means serious pre-recorded features incorporating a variety of voices and viewpoints." via Johnson's Russia List, 19 November 2008.
     Somewhat related: Recent BBC "licence-fee refuseniks include Vladimir Bukovsky, a former Russian dissident." The Times, 16 November 2008. Posted: 25 Nov 2008 Permalink

BBG takes "sharp exception" to PDC white paper. "The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) takes sharp exception to many points in 'Reforming U.S. International Broadcasting for a New Era,' a statement issued by the Public Diplomacy Council (PDC) on November 17. It is false to claim that the BBG has acted in any way that contravenes Congress. The BBG received Congressional approval for all program changes that have been made, including language service reductions. The PDC should correct its error." BBG press release, 24 November 2008. See previous post about same subject, including Kim's comments. Posted: 25 Nov 2008 Permalink

Give me the equivalent of six Apaches and I can duplicate VOA worldwide (updated). "Today, the nonprofit, U.S.-funded RFE reaches 30 million people, in 28 languages, in 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Central Asian republics. All for the relatively low price of $83 million. That is approximately the cost of four Apache helicopters and, inarguably, provides a significant bang for the buck. 'Give me the equivalent of six Apaches and we'd probably change the world,' said Gedmin over coffee while in Washington this week. ... Gedmin, who is one of the signatories to a 1998 letter urging President Bill Clinton to overthrow Saddam Hussein, is hardly a touchy-feely guy. But he appreciates that the war of ideas is best fought with the 'weapon of the word.' Give that man six Apaches." Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 21 November 2008. Update: "The real issue behind RFE/RL is that of an anachronistic 'cold war' bureaucracy that has outlived its usefulness (a few saves in Afghanistan, notwithstanding). Washington is replete with Federal Agencies that, originally designed with a purposeful mission, have outlived its efficacy but have refused to be terminated. The law of the bureaucracy states Federal programs and agencies must search for new missions to continue to receive federal funding. So it is with RFE/RL. The new Obama administration will be facing close to a Trillion dollar deficit in the upcoming fiscal year. Getting rid of superfluous, outmoded agencies and programs like RFE/RL will be a necessity to avoid saddling this generation of workers with oppressive taxes." Ron Lafond, letter to Wilmington (NC) Star News, 23 November 2008.
     "'In public diplomacy, the messenger matters,' [RFE/RL president Jeffery] Gedmin said to a packed house at the DC-based Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC). 'President-elect Obama's global appeal marks a real opportunity for the U.S. to improve its image overseas. But the message matters, too – his administration needs to craft sound policies that advance our interests and values.' ... The discussion, titled Public Diplomacy in the Age of Obama: Getting the War of Ideas Right, was arranged at the invitation of EPPC Senior Fellow Senator Rick Santorum. Both speakers argued that U.S. International broadcasters such as the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA) and RFE/RL are effective tools of soft power that advance America's foreign policy interests." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty press release, 21 November 2008. Just provide a credible new service, and "America's foreign policy interests" will be served by well-informed publics. Best to leave the talk of public diplomacy, soft power, and improving the U.S. image to the public diplomacy people, elsewhere in Washington. Update: Transcript now available. Gedmin: "We need -- in my view -- Voice of America. Voice of America cannot be replaced or supplanted by other things. And the argument that we have international media, we have CNN, in my view just doesn’t cut ice. I think it’s really lacking in any kind of compelling rationale. I love markets – CNN and other things like that are commercial – but I do think markets at times lack wisdom and judiciousness and have flaws. They do give us things like Paris Hilton and pet rocks. ... I think we ought to continue to provide, through government, surrogate broadcasting. That’s what Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty does. But before that sounds too self-serving, just look at what a sister organization of ours does – Radio Free Asia in China, in North Korea, in Burma. It is remarkable work. It’s serious. They have audience, they have impact." EPPC website.
     Stephen Miller's The Peculiar Life of Sundays is reviewed by Jay Tolson, who "will become the news director at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in December," Wall Street Journal, 22 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

Publisher questions RFA broadcasts to Cambodia. "Radio Free Asia, which is supported by US taxpayers' money including mine, justifies its existence by providing 'news and information' that citizens of totalitarian countries are deprived of. It therefore targets its broadcasts to such 'deprived' countries as China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Burma. RFA also spends millions of dollars in broadcasting to Cambodia. As the publisher of The Cambodia Daily, a newspaper which has appeared every day uninterruptedly for the past 15 years, I would like to challenge RFA's claim that this is another country that has no free access to news and therefore it needs to be fed RFA's news feed to be properly informed. The Cambodia Daily freely disseminates news and opinion without any interference from the government. Our newspaper has never been censored, threatened or otherwise been interfered with even though the powers that be don't necessarily like what we print." Bernard Krisher, undated op-ed, The Cambodia Daily.
     With weekly audiences of 27% for VOA and 22% for RFA (higher in Phnom Penh), there is obviously demand for international radio among the Cambodian population. Large audiences for international broadcasting are predicted not only by control of the domestic media by the target country's government, but also by limited resources in the target country to report news about the country. VOA and RFA Khmer compete in such a market, with the added advantage of access to two FM stations in Cambodia, a fact that supports Mr. Krisher's observation that Cambodia is not "another country that has no free access to news." Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

Ideological pinball: Trotskyist website cites RFA about clashes in China. "'At least a dozen farmers were arrested and wounded last night [17 November]. Many are in the hospital. The city Communist Party totally ignores us. So many farmers went there again this morning, demanding that the government not demolish our houses,' a farmer called Zhou told Radio Free Asia’s Cantonese service." China Worker, 23 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

Shortwave listening 70 years ago. Radio announcer Al Vinson recalls his family around the radio each night during the Depression years: "We had a console radio, American Bosch, It even had a shortwave band, and in those days of little electrical interference, I could hear ships at sea, police calls, ham radio operators and shortwave stations from around the world. I listened to those after everyone else had gone to bed." Lufkin (TX) Daily Times, 23 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

New web offerings from Turkey's international broadcaster (updated). "Turkey's state-run television and radio network TRT on Thursday began broadcasting news in 30 different languages on its website. The languages that the website "www.trt-world.com" uses include languages such as English, Turkish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Albanian, Azeri, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Persian, Georgian, Spanish, Greek, the Urdu and Tatar." Xinhua, 20 November 2008.
     Update: "Let us not allow 'teething problems' blur the fact that this new-look TRT will be a new and very useful tool for information about Turkey and for us to see how Turkey views the world." Ariana Ferentinou, Hurriyet, 24 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

The newest BBC channel for the USA will be in Spanish, for children. "BBC Worldwide Channels today announced the launch of its first wholly-owned, Spanish-language channel in the United States. CBeebies, the BBC-branded channel dedicated to preschoolers, will be available through DISH Network." BBC Worldwide press release, 19 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

BBC Worldwide hire has a big territory. "BBC Worldwide has announced the appointment of PV Shyam as the distribution head for the South Asian business. ... Shyam’s role will encompass creating distribution strategies to increase the reach and revenue of the current BBC branded TV channels and to launch new channels in India. In addition he will also create strategies for new markets like Pakistan and Sri Lanka and presence on new platforms like IPTV and mobile." TVNext, 24 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

A cheer for World Service. "I’m particularly fond of the World Service so I get a bit miffed when I hear unjustified criticism. ... In addition to English broadcasts, the World Service has thirty two language channels, from Arabic and Urdu to Portuguese and Persian. Many of these were also broadcasting from Washington. World Service is funded by the Foreign Office so, in theory, none of its activities draw upon the £3.3 billion licence fee that so exercises certain tabloids. In practice, correspondents also submit to UK outlets and in the modern, internal-market BBC, the exact arrangements are best unravelled by highly-paid accountants." Colin Shelbourn, The Westmorland Gazette, 23 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

Subsidized versus unsubsidized pan-European media. "The European media landscape is one which is fragmented, firstly in terms of readers for the obvious reasons of overlapping markets and spheres of reader, language etc, and secondly in terms of platforms, formats, quality and more. I was quite upset to read last month that EUX.TV, a service providing European video news analyses will have to significantly reduce its output. EUX, with its platform limited to internet, has undoubtedly been a success. With 2 million views of the videos in two years, it is safe to say that it has certainly managed to reach and engage Europeans looking for information on EU Affairs. It is absolutely ridiculous to watch millions dished out to Europarl TV, Euronews, the infamous MyParl, countless think tanks, European foundations, etc etc etc, while projects with a future such as EUX.TV go under. Europe needs independent media, on all popular platforms." Unnamed commentator, New Europe, 24 November 2008. Posted: 24 Nov 2008 Permalink

CNN's plans for Abu Dhabi. "CNN International's plan to start live daily news programming from Abu Dhabi is getting closer to becoming a reality as its new broadcasting facility is shaping up in the capital. This move signals the global network's expanded on-the-ground commitment to the Middle East and marks CNN's first regularly scheduled daily live show from the region. ... CNN's Abu Dhabi operation complements its presence in Dubai and will be the fourth international broadcast centre alongside those in London, Hong Kong and Mexico City; and US production centres in Atlanta, Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles. ... In addition to the launch of live daily news programming, CNN will also move the production of its popular Middle East focused feature shows Inside the Middle East and Marketplace Middle East to the UAE." Zawya, 23 November 2008. Similar to CNN press release in previous post. Posted: 23 Nov 2008 Permalink

Arab commentator's unflattering look-back at Bush Administration international communication. "Proof of the failure of Bush's public diplomacy campaign is also to be found in the spate of resignations tendered by officials responsible for it, starting with Charlotte Beers in February 2003, only a year and a half after having been put in charge of improving the US's image in the Arab and Islamic world. Ambassador Margaret Tutwiler did not fare better; she lasted only six months before handing in her resignation. Beers and Tutwiler were quickly joined by Karen Hughes and Egyptian Dina Habib Paul. Further testimony can be found in the dismissal of Norman Pattiz, who had originated the ideas of Sawa Radio and Al-Hurra TV, and then of the director of Al-Hurra, Mufaq Harb, who was replaced by a former CNN official, probably because the latter would agree to policies that Harb would not. The train of resignations and dismissals were the natural consequence of the Bush administration's determination to cling to the very policies and modes of behaviour that had alienated so much of the Arab world." Amr Abdel-Atti, Al-Ahram Weekly, 20 November 2008. Posted: 23 Nov 2008 Permalink

Some bureaucrat in Iran read five million websites, then banned them (updated). "Iran has blocked access to more than five million Internet sites, whose content is mostly perceived as immoral and anti-social, a judiciary official was quoted as saying on Wednesday." AFP, 19 November 2008.
     "Well-known Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan has been arrested and is being interrogated several weeks after his return to Iran, reports today the conservative news website, Tabnak, run by the former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Mohsen Rezai. ... Derakhshan, who would regularly visit the U.S. to participate in conferences on the media and give interviews to Iranian as well as American news outlets such as New York’s Daily Sun and Voice of America’s Persian Service as a blogger critical of Iran, turned especially anti-American when, following an entry in his blog that he was residing in Brooklyn, New York, he was told by US authorities in November 2005, that he could not reenter the country because he had no residence visa." Iran Visual News Corps, 19 November 2008.
     Update: "According to Iranian law, every ISP must be approved by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. They are also required to install special filters to control the content of websites and e-mails passing through their network. ISPs that fail to comply with these rules face heavy penalties or closure. At least 10 ISPs in Iran have reportedly been closed for failing to install content-control software. In addition, every website in Iran is required to register with the Culture Ministry. Hessam, an Internet cafe owner in Tehran, tells RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that the registration procedure is extremely complicated and is designed to discourage people from creating new websites." RFE/RL Watchdog, 21 November 2008. Posted: 23 Nov 2008 Permalink

NPR mentions US international broadcasting. "Iranians are big TV watchers, and they've been watching coverage of the American presidential election. Voice of America says calls and e-mails have been pouring in to their Persian News Network service in support of President-elect Obama." National Public Radio All Things Considered, 15 November 2008.
     "In Iraq, there's been an upsurge in violence in the past 10 days or so, mainly in the form of bombing attacks on police patrols and civilians. But it's difficult to gauge how serious the upsurge may be, because U.S. and Iraqi sources give widely differing reports of the casualties. ... The attack in Baghdad's Kasra neighborhood was horrendous by any standard: A car bomb struck a busy street at morning rush hour. ... Video taken by the U.S.-supported al-Hurra television showed the bus, its windows blasted out. The blood-spattered floor of the bus was strewn with girls' shoes and sandals." NPR Weekend Edition Sunday, 16 November 2008. Posted: 23 Nov 2008 Permalink

VOA calling Tibet. "Yesterday, Voice of America's Tibetan Service invited me to participate in its weekly TV program, Kunleng, to discuss the ongoing Special General Meeting of Tibetans in Dharamsala. This program is quite popular within the Tibetan community in exile. I understand that Tibetans in Tibet, too, are able to watch the program through different means." Bhuchung K. Tsering, vice president at the International Campaign for Tibet, News Blaze, 21 November 2008.
     "Singer-Songwriter Phil Void's rock music career began with instructions from the Dalai Lama himself to continue performing his songs about Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan freedom, and the New Yorker has spent nearly 35 years doing just that. Formerly Philip Hemley from Woodstock, Void has been coming to Dharamsala every year since 1975, when he first formed the Dharma Bums, named after the Jack Kerouac book of the same name. ... In a travel shop, two Tibetan Buddhist monks warmly embrace Void and say they are delighted at the way foreigners are helping them. 'They play a very important role in the independence movement. We know him from Voice of America and we love his performance.'" Irish Times, 21 November 2008. Posted: 23 Nov 2008 Permalink

DW-TV in US fiber optic distribution deal. "Comcast-owned International Networks, an aggregator of multi-ethnic programming in the U.S., has struck a deal to launch German channels Deutsche Welle and ProSiebenSat.1 Welt on Verizon's FiOS TV service. The two general-entertainment networks have launched on FiOS TV in Maryland, Virginia and southeastern Pennsylvania, with additional markets to follow. The channels are sold together in a package for $14.99 per month." WorldScreen.com, 21 November 2008. FiOS is a Verizon-owned fiber optic broadband and multichannel distributor, and thus actually a competitor to Comcast. See also International Networks website. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

Not broadcasting. but still using shortwave. "The Global ALE High Frequency Network (HFN) http://hflink.net/ -- an international Amateur Radio Service organization of ham operators dedicated to emergency/relief radio communications -- has become the first network to operate continuously for more than 500 days on all international Amateur Radio shortwave bands simultaneously. According to HFN International ALE Coordinator Bonnie Crystal, KQ6XA, the main purpose of the Network is to provide efficient emergency and disaster relief communications to remote areas of the world. ... Relying on ionospheric radio communications, interconnected HFN base stations scan the radio bands every 10 seconds, from 3.5 MHz-28.0 MHz. Through this Net, Crystal said, ham operators stay connected with each other at all hours of the day or night in any mode of operation, and can send Internet e-mail or cell phone mobile text messages from the field." American Radio Relay League, 21 November 2008. In a future crisis, after all the shortwave broadcasters that transmit reliable news have disappeared, and after most people no longer have shortwave receivers, it will be necessary for governments to resurrect shortwave news broadcasts through whatever transmitters they can find. The radio amateurs mentioned in this article will be able to monitor these newscasts, and can pass the information on to their local publics. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

Report: more jamming by Ethiopia. "The Meles dictatorship in Ethiopia has jammed a radio program that was being broadcast to Ethiopia from Europe by the Ginbot 7 Movement for Freedom and Democracy, according to Ethiopian Review sources in Addis Ababa. Voice of Ginbot 7 was launched on September 11, 2008, and had been heard through out Ethiopia and most countries in eastern Africa." Ethiopian Review, 20 November 2008. The Ginbot 7 schedule is 1700-1730 UTC on 12120 and 15350 kHz shortwave. See also Ginbot 7 website. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

The Alistair Cooke Memorial Lecture on his 100th birthday. "Alistair Cooke would have been one hundred years old this November. As part of the BBC's centenary celebrations, David Mamet has been invited to deliver this year's prestigious 'Alistair Cooke Memorial Lecture'. Established in Alistair's honour after his death in 2004, the first Memorial Lecturer was Senator John McCain. David Mamet will give his lecture before an invited audience at the newly opened Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. It will be broadcast round the world on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service to up to 60 million people. And the subject of the lecture, fittingly, is 'language' - a passion for both David Mamet and Alistair Cooke." BBC World Service, 22 November 2008, with audio of the lecture. -- Disappointing that Mamet had never heard Cooke's "Letter From America," and indeed did not know much about Cooke. A future Cooke memorial lecture should be given by someone who actually heard "Letter From America," in all its glory via shortwave. Actually, in the final years of "Letter From America," it was transmitted only at times when World Service was typically not heard in the United States. This was based on the chopped logic that the program was about the United States but for audiences outside the United States. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

BBC World News to the Twin Cities, digitally. "Twin Cities Public Television (tpt) today announced its channel line-up and other services to serve its audiences in the era of digital television and beyond. ... 2-3 tpt LIFE, a new channel featuring a mix of lifestyle and how-to programming, convenient encore presentations of PBS programs, and favorites like Charlie Rose and the BBC World News" Asian American Press (St. Paul, MN), 19 November 2008. BBC World News may find itself on secondary digital channels of public television stations throughout the United States. In theory, this should not be a problem, as everyone should have a digital converter or other access to digital channels by February 2009. But are all the Twin Cities cable systems carrying all the tpt digital channels? Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

BBC as an alternative to SLBC for "discerning listeners." "Rather unfortunately, the grand old dame of Torrington Square [Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation] never had a chance to aspire to her true potential. Early on, our political parties realised the power of the airwaves and never allowed SLBC to evolve into a public service broadcaster that it was meant to be. Over the years, governments of different political colour and hue persistently misused the station for their narrow, partisan needs. State broadcasting in Sri Lanka is misinterpreted as government broadcasting which in turn is reduced to shameless propaganda. This perversion is at its worst in the news bulletins, which over the years have become daily chronicles of the head of state and powerful ministers, never mind the real news. To find out what was really happening in their own country, discerning listeners used to turn to foreign radio stations on shortwave, especially the BBC." Nalaka Gunawardene, groundviews, 21 November 2008. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

Radio Dabanga now broadcasting to Darfur. "A new radio station went on air Saturday, said reporters of Radio Dabanga, who pledged to report from inside Sudan as well as abroad. News and information programmes will commence on December 1st. ... The journalists will broadcast in three vernacular languages—soon to be expanded to four—and said they will produce 'independent news and relevant information for all Darfuri' ... Radio Dabanga is a project of the Radio Darfur Network, a coalition of Sudanese journalists and international media development organizations, supported by a consortium of international donors, humanitarian community organizations and local NGOs. The radio station is operated by Press Now in the Netherlands. ... The station broadcasts on shortwave radio at 07:30-08:30 Sudan time on 7315 kHz, 41 meter band, or 13800 kHz, 22 meter band." Also via NileSat, Arabsat, and Hotbird 6. Sudan Tribune, 21 November 2008. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

Just tune to channel 527,443: Israel tries YouTube in Arabic (updated). "The Foreign Ministry has launched a YouTube channel in Arabic which is meant to bypass Arab media and give Israel's version of current events directly to Arab viewers, Haaretz has learned. The ministry's Arab media department chief Ofir Gendelman told Haaretz on Wednesday that they seek to reduce Israel's dependency on Arab media channels, who tend to give Israeli spokespersons relatively limited airtime. ... Gendelman says that the channel will update more frequently, and that the Ministry considers adding English subtitles." Ha'aretz, 19 November 2008.
     Update: "The reason why Israeli Foreign Ministry is using the Internet is because it allows them to reach the young generation across the Arab world, which is more hi-tech, more affluent and educated, more internationally aware and open to different views, [Professor Gerald Steinberg, Political Studies Department Chair at Bar Ilan University] said. 'Israel is taking public diplomacy seriously for the first time. The government is actually looking at long-term efforts to reach out, of which YouTube is one of many,' he said." Xinhua, 22 November 2008. See also Menassat, 21 November 2008. Posted: 22 Nov 2008 Permalink

Discussion of Azerbaijan's foreign radio ban continues (updated). "Chairman of National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Azerbaijan (NTRBC) called on international organizations and ambassadors to respect Azerbaijan’s laws. 'If international organizations achieve broadcast of foreign radio stations in Azerbaijan, I will be sorry about it,' NTRBC chairman Nushiravan Maharramli told Trend News. ... At present, US Voice of America, Radio Liberty and BBC radio stations and Turkish TRT TV channel broadcast in Azerbaijan. The contract signed with the above-mentioned radios and TV expires at the end of the year. Frequencies of all foreign radios broadcasting in Azerbaijan are expected to be withdrawn by the end of the year. ... The broadcast of foreign radio stations and TV channels should meet requirements of world experience. 'Azerbaijan should act in accordance with the US and European experience. Can the countries making these statements permit TV channels of other countries to broadcast on their frequencies,' Maharramli said." Trend News Agency, 18 November 2008. See previous post about same subject.
     I can't think of any international broadcasters that have full-time access to U.S. terrestrial analog radio or channels. BBC World Service is full time on some public radio stations' secondary HD digital channels. MHZ Networks in the Washington, D.C., area has foreign channels on its secondary digital channels.
     In Washington, Radio France International (in French) in China Radio International (in English) purchase weekday time on WUST, 1120 kHz AM. There are similar time purchases in some other U.S. cities.
     In the United States, only U.S. citizens can hold broadcast licenses. But there are no laws against content from international broadcasting entities on U.S. stations, part time or full time. The actual restraint is market forces. Time on terrestrial television and FM stations is expensive, and many stations would be unwilling to sell it to foreign broadcasters at any price because it would disrupt the U.S. stations' formats.
     "'The U.S. does not support the decision of Azerbaijan on possible close of broadcasting of foreign radio stations in the territory of Azerbaijan. We respect the laws in Azerbaijan, however, we believe that the problem can be removed more easily than closing,' David Kramer, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, said." Trend News Agency, 19 November 2008, includes video. -- Update: See also VOA News, 20 November 2008.
     "Fakhraddin Gasimov, 34, said he was very worried by the announcement. He said that television news is not worth watching, and he relies on Radio Liberty to get up-to date reliable information. 'On Radio Liberty, as opposed to other stations, you can find out the position both of the authorities and of the opposition,' said Gasimov. 'I love listening to their discussions on political topics. If these radio stations shut down, we won’t know what’s really happening in the country.'" Sevinj Telmangyzy, Institute for War & Peace Reporting, 20 November 2008.
     "At the same time the chairman of the National Council noted that this ban is not related to separate programs, which local TV channels may take from foreign colleagues. 'Let's assume that someone buys a license for any program, demonstrated in foreign TV channels. He may use it both as his own production, without pointing at the logotype of a foreign TV channel', said Meherremli." Today.Az, 21 November 2008. Posted: 21 Nov 2008 Permalink

In these recommendations for U.S. international broadcasting, there is sure to be a paragraph you like. "By broad consensus of its members, the Public Diplomacy Council strongly recommends to the new Administration and Congress an urgent reform of America’s publicly funded international broadcasting." Text available as the Word document "Reforming U.S. International Broadcasting for a New Era," at the Public Diplomacy Council, 17 November 2008. See also Andy Sennitt's summary of the recommendations, Radio Netherlands Media Network, 21 November 2008 and Kim's comments. Posted: 21 Nov 2008 Permalink

Abu Dhabi's new media zone may have strings attached. Abu Dhabi is creating the "twofour54" (for the city's geographic coordinates) media zone to rival to Dubai Media City. "One major criticism of the cash-heavy media havens, however, is that while there are clear advantages in both forging a new power center for global news content and ensuring Middle East events are covered exclusively from the region, other more newsworthy areas are being ignored as a result. Rather than investing heavily in a Baghdad news bureau or reporting capabilities in the Gaza Strip, where news content runs high, media moguls are opting for the well-resourced but typically less relevant Gulf states. According to a recent report by US daily The Washington Post, the number of Western journalists operating out of Baghdad is sharply declining. What also worries critics is that international news organizations are situating themselves in a traditionally autocratic area of the world. The UAE, which ranked 65 out of 169 nations on the Reporters Without Borders 2007 Press Freedom Index, continues to keep draconian press laws on the books. Everything produced in the twofour54 zone will be subject to both the laws of Abu Dhabi and UAE federal regulations, allowing the country’s National Media Council the right to censor the material and with strong implications for the nature of the content. Doha-based Al Jazeera, arguably the most popular news network in the Arab world that is now making headway in international markets with its English-language channel, noticeably fails to report on the Qatari royal family." Business Today Egypt, November 2008. Posted: 21 Nov 2008 Permalink

Shortwave listening in the 1960s (updated). "When I QSL'd Radio Peking, I opened a Pandora's Box. Not only did I receive a handsome QSL card from the Chinese broadcaster, but I received propaganda -- lots of it. It seemed like every week I would receive something new from Radio Peking: Books, magazines, Mao's "Little Red Book," calendars, a huge poster of Chairman Mao and more! While I was having a blast receiving all this stuff, my father was very concerned." Stan Horzepa, American Radio Relay League, 7 November 2008. Update: See follow-up by Stan Horzepa, ARRL, 21 November 2008. For much more shortwave history, see previous post about two recent books by Jerome S. Berg. Posted: 21 Nov 2008 Permalink

RFE-RL's Uzbek husband-wife team. "In 2005, when the government of Uzbekistan cracked down brutally on unarmed protestors in the eastern city of Andijan, [Uzbek journalist Umida] Niyazova was one of the few independent witnesses to whom the media could turn. She became a vital source of information. After the massacre, she started working as a freelancer for Radio Free Europe. She hosted a biweekly program, taking listeners into the homes of women whose male relatives had been killed, jailed or forced into exile by the government of Islam Karimov. Her own husband, who operated a private television station, had been driven out of Uzbekistan. State authorities closed the station and froze his bank account. He now works for Radio Liberty in Prague." Toronto Star, 19 November 2008. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

For the new administration, two cheers for VOA. "The international buzz caused by President-elect Obama earlier in the month offers him an opportunity to revive what had been a valuable American resource for so many years. In short, the reputation of the Voice needs to be revived and treasured -- not squandered as it has been by the Bush Administration the past eight years." Murray Fromson, Huffington Post, 19 November 2008.
     "The members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors have made many mistakes over the past decade. As President, you will have the unique opportunity to reverse those mistakes. And if you do, America’s Voice can once again be heard loudly and clearly throughout the world and regain its place as the beacon of liberty to the world. If, by some remote chance, you do say 'yes, we can,' it would surely be a Happy Thanksgiving for many Voice of America employees." "QuoVadis," Free Media Online blog, 19 November 2008. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

Kurt Weill wrote a song for VOA, 65 years ago. "Fugitives," at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York, is based on composers whose work was condemned by the Nazis. "In some ways the most dramatic moment of the evening was a song Weill wrote for Voice of America to be broadcast into Germany in 1943. The text, by Walter Mehring, is the plea of a woman who fell in love too heedlessly and longs for the day she can rid herself of a cruel and faithless lover, a clear analogy with Germany and the man it once idolized, Hitler. [Soprano Kate] Lindsey sang it with shattering force." Howard Kissell, New York Daily News, 18 November 2008. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

VOA's jazz history is still in the news. "For the first time in his life [U.S. ambassador to Russia John Beyrly] heard jazz when he came to the Soviet Union in the 1970s. He said that his family used to listen to classic or pop music and never to jazz. All Leningrad citizens listened to jazz at the time. ... 'I want to say that in the Soviet time the American radio “The Voice of America” was broadcasted in your country. The Soviet government was trying to jam the broadcasts, though, people listened to it. I think it influenced your people. So, due to your country I fell in love with jazz!'" Восток Медиа, 17 November 2008.
     VOA "was the regularly scheduled broadcasts of Willis Conover, the music maestro who spread the love of American jazz around the world. During the worst of times in the Soviet Union I remember Russian musicians taping Conover's daily programs and then transcribing the music to sheet music for jam sessions of their own." Murray Fromson, Huffington Post, 19 November 2008.
     "In Pune, plasma technologist Max Babi talks about Pune Jazz Club which he helped form seven years ago. ... 'Short wave radio drew me to jazz in 1959 when I was 10. I fell in love with Voice of America’s Jazz Hour and Music USA. Attending Jazz Yatra in Mumbai in 1978 transformed my love for jazz into a regular passion,' says Babi." The Times of India, 17 November 2008. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

Sports, picnics on a piece of VOA history. "Butler County [Ohio] officials told trustees Tuesday, Nov. 18, they were one step closer to adopting the final plans for the enhancement of Voice of America Park. A $20 million, 10-year Park Enhancement Plan, which was presented to trustees Tuesday, includes 23 multipurpose playing fields — for soccer, lacrosse, football or other sports — softball and baseball complexes, play structures, restrooms, concession stands and even an amphitheater and several picnic shelters." Western Star (Lebanon OH), 18 November 2008. Adjacent to Miami University Voice of America Learning Center, subject of previous post, both on the old VOA Bethany shortwave transmitting station site. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

CRI gets five FM outlets in Liberia. "The Government of the People's Republic of China has turned over to the Liberian Government, newly renovated and expanded facilities of the Liberia Broadcasting System. Wednesday's ceremony also marked the formal launch of the China/LBS Radio Project, under which the Chinese Government has provided a 10-thousand kilowatt FM transmitter to boost the station's radio transmission throughout the country. A second transmitter has also been provided by the Chinese to relay English programs produced by China Radio International throughout Liberia. The transmission will also provide 3-hours of radio programming in Chinese." Government of Liberia press release, 19 November 2008. "Starting today, listeners in Liberia will be able to hear China Radio International's programs on five FM different stations in the West African country." CRI News, 19 November 2008. Liberia was the location of a major VOA shortwave relay site, until it was destroyed in 1990 during the civil war in that country. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

Is BBC compensating for something? "BBC World News has created an oversize microphone at Berlin Hauptbahnhof to draw attention to the channel’s 'probing and courageous' journalism. ... Alongside it is the strapline 'you can’t bury a powerful question'. Passers by can also access a 30-second TV commercial on their Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. ... The microphone is also appearing in a series of advertisements currently running in a cross-media campaign in Germany." Broadband TV News, 19 November 2008. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

How to present news online. "The Web site for BBC News may be the best example of how journalistic organizations can deliver context in the digital environment. A news story about the Russia-Georgia crisis, for example, is displayed alongside a list of links to a map of the region, a country profile, an explanation of the crisis, a summary of Russian foreign policy, and related news articles and video footage. All online BBC News stories are presented in this manner, giving consumers multiple ways to learn about and understand an issue." Bree Nordenson, Columbia Journalism Review, November/December 2008. For international broadcasters, the difficulty of presenting news is compounded by the need to do in multiple languages, most of which are not the native language of the broadcasting country. Posted: 20 Nov 2008 Permalink

Replace the VOA newsroom with a Facebook account? "'We have not done the creative conceptualizing,' [biographer Walter] Isaacson said. 'We are still using Voice of America and Radio Free Europe instead of getting the people who created Facebook and Google to come up with new ways to use social networking.' He explained that the reliance on old institutions created for a different set of global problems 'shows a lack of creativity' in today’s society. He added that the administration of Presi