Re: BBC cutting news jobs

[Garrett Wollman <wollman@lcs.mit.edu>]

<<On Sun, 26 Jan 2003 12:41:06 -0500, Larry Weil <kc1ih@mac.com> said:

> Murdoch has big investments in digital transmissions in Europe, So
> it's in his interest to eliminate shortwave broadcasting to make
> broadcasters dependent on his digital satellites.

People in most parts of Western and Central Europe can receive the BBC
World Service on 648 mediumwave from Orfordness, Radio 4 UK on 198
longwave from Droitwich, and Radio 5 Live synchros on 693 from
Burghead, Droitwich, Stagshaw, and Start point, and on 909 from
Brookmans Park, Clevedon, Moorside Edge, and Westerglen, plus Radio
Scotland on 810 synchros in Burghead and Westerglen, Radio Wales on
882 from Washford, and Radio Ulster on 1341 from Lisnagarvey.  (That's
not to mention the commercial services on 1053, 1089, and 1215.)

Coastal DXers in New England regularly report trans-Atlantic reception
of 198, 693, 909, 1053, 1089, 1215, and 1341.  The 500-kW 648
transmitter uses a directional array beamed at central Europe; the
same facility is also home to a Dutch station on 1296, Radio
Nationaal.  Most stations in the UK are non-directional; neither 648
nor 1296 is regularly heard across the Atlantic.

Most of the World Service shortwave transmissions to North America
were transmitted from RCI Sackville, although a few hours a day
originated from UK transmitters.  Broadcasts in English and Spanish
continue to Central and South America, mostly from relay facilities in
Antigua.  Meanwhile, RCI has found other international broadcasters to
lease those transmitters.

-GAWollman