Re: BBC cutting news jobs

[hmglaz@webtv.net (Howard Glazer)]

>I really wish they'd find the brainiac
> responsible for cutting back the
> Shortwave transmissions to North
> America and shoot him.

At least the  BBC is still transmitting on shortwave to _somewhere_! In
the past year, Norway has dropped English on shortwave and Switzerland
has abandoned shortwave altogether. It's been reported that Deutsche
Welle, Germany's shortwave voice, will end service to North America at
the end of March.

I've been a shortwave listener since the mid-'60s and it is unbearably
depressing to scan the bands these days. Not that long ago, 49, 31 and
25 meters were wall-to-wall signals at night. Now there are wide gaps,
and the signals present are increasing from leased-time operations here
and abroad, most with paid religion or patriot/survivalist/conspiracy
talk. 

With the Cold War receding into history and a recession gripping much of
Western world, shortwave is difficult to defend at budget time. We North
American listeners don't _need_ shortwave from Europe; it's
entertainment, a luxury. If there's no ideology to convert us to -- or
any other tangible long-term benefit to the sender, like more money from
advertising -- why should the sender continue to send if there are more
pressing domestic needs for the shrinking budget to cover?

Howard

PS--The BBC World Service is available on XM, if you don't mind paying
for radio.