3031
Spy Numbers / E07a 7437 USB July 18, 2013 0430Z-0432Z
« on: July 18, 2013, 0433 UTC »
On the Univ of Twente SDR
OM Repeated:
411 411 411 000
OM Repeated:
411 411 411 000
Shortwave Pirate Radio In North America And Around The World, And Other Signals That Go Bump In The Night
We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.
Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.
Show Posts
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
3032
General Radio Discussion / U.S. Repeals Propaganda Ban, Spreads Government-Made News To Americans
« on: July 15, 2013, 0115 UTC »
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/07/12/us_backs_off_propaganda_ban_spreads_government_made_news_to_americans
Posted By John Hudson Sunday, July 14, 2013 - 7:06 PM
For decades, a so-called anti-propaganda law prevented the U.S. government's mammoth broadcasting arm from delivering programming to American audiences. But on July 2, that came silently to an end with the implementation of a new reform passed in January. The result: an unleashing of thousands of hours per week of government-funded radio and TV programs for domestic U.S. consumption in a reform initially criticized as a green light for U.S. domestic propaganda efforts. So what just happened?
Until this month, a vast ocean of U.S. programming produced by the Broadcasting Board of Governors such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks could only be viewed or listened to at broadcast quality in foreign countries. The programming varies in tone and quality, but its breadth is vast: It's viewed in more than 100 countries in 61 languages. The topics covered include human rights abuses in Iran; self-immolation in Tibet; human trafficking across Asia; and on-the-ground reporting in Egypt and Iraq.
The restriction of these broadcasts was due to the Smith-Mundt Act, a long standing piece of legislation that has been amended numerous times over the years, perhaps most consequentially by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright. In the 70s, Fulbright was no friend of VOA and Radio Free Europe, and moved to restrict them from domestic distribution, saying they "should be given the opportunity to take their rightful place in the graveyard of Cold War relics." Fulbright's amendment to Smith-Mundt was bolstered in 1985 by Nebraska Senator Edward Zorinsky who argued that such "propaganda" should be kept out of America as to distinguish the U.S. "from the Soviet Union where domestic propaganda is a principal government activity."
Zorinsky and Fulbright sold their amendments on sensible rhetoric: American taxpayers shouldn't be funding propaganda for American audiences. So did Congress just tear down the American public's last defense against domestic propaganda?
BBG spokeswoman Lynne Weil insists BBG is not a propaganda outlet, and its flagship services such as VOA "present fair and accurate news."
"They don't shy away from stories that don't shed the best light on the United States," she told The Cable. She pointed to the charters of VOA and RFE: "Our journalists provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible, discussion, and open debate."
A former U.S. government source with knowledge of the BBG says the organization is no Pravda, but it does advance U.S. interests in more subtle ways. In Somalia, for instance, VOA serves as counterprogramming to outlets peddling anti-American or jihadist sentiment. "Somalis have three options for news," the source said, "word of mouth, Al-Shabaab or VOA Somalia."
This partially explains the push to allow BBG broadcasts on local radio stations in the United States. The agency wants to reach diaspora communities, such as St. Paul Minnesota's significant Somali expat community. "Those people can get Al-Shabaab, they can get Russia Today, but they couldn't get access to their taxpayer-funded news sources like VOA Somalia," the source said. "It was silly."
Lynne added that the reform has a transparency benefit as well. "Now Americans will be able to know more about what they are paying for with their tax dollars - greater transparency is a win-win for all involved," she said. And so with that we have the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012, which passed as part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, and went into effect this month.
But if anyone needed a reminder of the dangers of domestic propaganda efforts, the past 12 months provided ample reasons. Last year, two USA Today journalists were ensnared in a propaganda campaign after reporting about millions of dollars in back taxes owed by the Pentagon's top propaganda contractor in Afghanistan. Eventually, one of the co-owners of the firm confessed to creating phony websites and Twitter accounts to smear the journalists anonymously. Additionally, just this month, The Washington Post exposed a counter propaganda program by the Pentagon that recommended posting comments on a U.S. website run by a Somali expat with readers opposing Al-Shabaab. "Today, the military is more focused on manipulating news and commentary on the Internet, especially social media, by posting material and images without necessarily claiming ownership," reported The Post.
But for BBG officials, the references to Pentagon propaganda efforts are nauseating, particularly because the Smith-Mundt Act never had anything to do with regulating the Pentagon, a fact that was misunderstood in media reports in the run-up to the passage of new Smith-Mundt reforms in January.
One example included a report by the late Buzzfeed reporter Michael Hastings, who suggested that the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act would open the door to Pentagon propaganda of U.S. audiences. In fact, as amended in 1987, the act only covers portions of the State Department engaged in public diplomacy abroad (i.e. the public diplomacy section of the "R" bureau, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors.)
But the news circulated regardless, much to the displeasure of Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), a sponsor of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012. "To me, it's a fascinating case study in how one blogger was pretty sloppy, not understanding the issue and then it got picked up by Politico's Playbook, and you had one level of sloppiness on top of another," Thornberry told The Cable last May. "And once something sensational gets out there, it just spreads like wildfire."
That of course doesn't leave the BBG off the hook if its content smacks of agitprop. But now that its materials are allowed to be broadcast by local radio stations and TV networks, they won't be a complete mystery to Americans. "Previously, the legislation had the effect of clouding and hiding this stuff," the former U.S. official told The Cable. "Now we'll have a better sense: Gee some of this stuff is really good. Or gee some of this stuff is really bad. At least we'll know now."
Posted By John Hudson Sunday, July 14, 2013 - 7:06 PM
For decades, a so-called anti-propaganda law prevented the U.S. government's mammoth broadcasting arm from delivering programming to American audiences. But on July 2, that came silently to an end with the implementation of a new reform passed in January. The result: an unleashing of thousands of hours per week of government-funded radio and TV programs for domestic U.S. consumption in a reform initially criticized as a green light for U.S. domestic propaganda efforts. So what just happened?
Until this month, a vast ocean of U.S. programming produced by the Broadcasting Board of Governors such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks could only be viewed or listened to at broadcast quality in foreign countries. The programming varies in tone and quality, but its breadth is vast: It's viewed in more than 100 countries in 61 languages. The topics covered include human rights abuses in Iran; self-immolation in Tibet; human trafficking across Asia; and on-the-ground reporting in Egypt and Iraq.
The restriction of these broadcasts was due to the Smith-Mundt Act, a long standing piece of legislation that has been amended numerous times over the years, perhaps most consequentially by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright. In the 70s, Fulbright was no friend of VOA and Radio Free Europe, and moved to restrict them from domestic distribution, saying they "should be given the opportunity to take their rightful place in the graveyard of Cold War relics." Fulbright's amendment to Smith-Mundt was bolstered in 1985 by Nebraska Senator Edward Zorinsky who argued that such "propaganda" should be kept out of America as to distinguish the U.S. "from the Soviet Union where domestic propaganda is a principal government activity."
Zorinsky and Fulbright sold their amendments on sensible rhetoric: American taxpayers shouldn't be funding propaganda for American audiences. So did Congress just tear down the American public's last defense against domestic propaganda?
BBG spokeswoman Lynne Weil insists BBG is not a propaganda outlet, and its flagship services such as VOA "present fair and accurate news."
"They don't shy away from stories that don't shed the best light on the United States," she told The Cable. She pointed to the charters of VOA and RFE: "Our journalists provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible, discussion, and open debate."
A former U.S. government source with knowledge of the BBG says the organization is no Pravda, but it does advance U.S. interests in more subtle ways. In Somalia, for instance, VOA serves as counterprogramming to outlets peddling anti-American or jihadist sentiment. "Somalis have three options for news," the source said, "word of mouth, Al-Shabaab or VOA Somalia."
This partially explains the push to allow BBG broadcasts on local radio stations in the United States. The agency wants to reach diaspora communities, such as St. Paul Minnesota's significant Somali expat community. "Those people can get Al-Shabaab, they can get Russia Today, but they couldn't get access to their taxpayer-funded news sources like VOA Somalia," the source said. "It was silly."
Lynne added that the reform has a transparency benefit as well. "Now Americans will be able to know more about what they are paying for with their tax dollars - greater transparency is a win-win for all involved," she said. And so with that we have the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012, which passed as part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, and went into effect this month.
But if anyone needed a reminder of the dangers of domestic propaganda efforts, the past 12 months provided ample reasons. Last year, two USA Today journalists were ensnared in a propaganda campaign after reporting about millions of dollars in back taxes owed by the Pentagon's top propaganda contractor in Afghanistan. Eventually, one of the co-owners of the firm confessed to creating phony websites and Twitter accounts to smear the journalists anonymously. Additionally, just this month, The Washington Post exposed a counter propaganda program by the Pentagon that recommended posting comments on a U.S. website run by a Somali expat with readers opposing Al-Shabaab. "Today, the military is more focused on manipulating news and commentary on the Internet, especially social media, by posting material and images without necessarily claiming ownership," reported The Post.
But for BBG officials, the references to Pentagon propaganda efforts are nauseating, particularly because the Smith-Mundt Act never had anything to do with regulating the Pentagon, a fact that was misunderstood in media reports in the run-up to the passage of new Smith-Mundt reforms in January.
One example included a report by the late Buzzfeed reporter Michael Hastings, who suggested that the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act would open the door to Pentagon propaganda of U.S. audiences. In fact, as amended in 1987, the act only covers portions of the State Department engaged in public diplomacy abroad (i.e. the public diplomacy section of the "R" bureau, and the Broadcasting Board of Governors.)
But the news circulated regardless, much to the displeasure of Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), a sponsor of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2012. "To me, it's a fascinating case study in how one blogger was pretty sloppy, not understanding the issue and then it got picked up by Politico's Playbook, and you had one level of sloppiness on top of another," Thornberry told The Cable last May. "And once something sensational gets out there, it just spreads like wildfire."
That of course doesn't leave the BBG off the hook if its content smacks of agitprop. But now that its materials are allowed to be broadcast by local radio stations and TV networks, they won't be a complete mystery to Americans. "Previously, the legislation had the effect of clouding and hiding this stuff," the former U.S. official told The Cable. "Now we'll have a better sense: Gee some of this stuff is really good. Or gee some of this stuff is really bad. At least we'll know now."
3033
General Radio Discussion / How South Korea communicates with spies in North Korea
« on: July 13, 2013, 0457 UTC »3034
MW Loggings / UNID 1690 kHz July 7, 2013 1807Z
« on: July 07, 2013, 1807 UTC »
UNID station back on 1690 playing oldies.
1808Z 55454 S9+ The Lovin' Spoonful "Do You Believe In Magic"
1810Z 55454 S9+ "The real oldies live here on The Real Oldies Channel."
1810Z 55454 S9+ Richie Valens "Donna"
1812Z 55454 S9+ The Outsiders "Girl In Love"
1815Z 55454 S9+ DJ - Craig Stevens
1816Z 55454 S9+ Gene Pitney "It Hurts To Be In Love"
1818Z 55454 S9+ Martha Reeves and the Vandellas "Heat Wave"
1821Z 55454 S9+ DJ
1821Z 55454 S9+ Tony Orlando & Dawn "Knock Three Times"
1824Z 55454 S9+ The Drifters "There Goes My Baby"
1826Z 55454 S9+ "The roots of rock and roll live here on The Real Oldies Channel"
1826Z 55454 S9+ Chubby Checker "Slow Twistin'"
1829Z 55454 S9+ Sam & Dave "Soul Man"
1831Z 55454 S9+ The Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday"
1834Z 55454 S9+ "Come for the real oldies and stay for the fun."
1834Z 55454 S9+ Bobby Vinton "Mr. Lonely"
1837Z 55454 S9+ Three Dog Night "Easy To Be Hard"
1839Z Off air mid song
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
1808Z 55454 S9+ The Lovin' Spoonful "Do You Believe In Magic"
1810Z 55454 S9+ "The real oldies live here on The Real Oldies Channel."
1810Z 55454 S9+ Richie Valens "Donna"
1812Z 55454 S9+ The Outsiders "Girl In Love"
1815Z 55454 S9+ DJ - Craig Stevens
1816Z 55454 S9+ Gene Pitney "It Hurts To Be In Love"
1818Z 55454 S9+ Martha Reeves and the Vandellas "Heat Wave"
1821Z 55454 S9+ DJ
1821Z 55454 S9+ Tony Orlando & Dawn "Knock Three Times"
1824Z 55454 S9+ The Drifters "There Goes My Baby"
1826Z 55454 S9+ "The roots of rock and roll live here on The Real Oldies Channel"
1826Z 55454 S9+ Chubby Checker "Slow Twistin'"
1829Z 55454 S9+ Sam & Dave "Soul Man"
1831Z 55454 S9+ The Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday"
1834Z 55454 S9+ "Come for the real oldies and stay for the fun."
1834Z 55454 S9+ Bobby Vinton "Mr. Lonely"
1837Z 55454 S9+ Three Dog Night "Easy To Be Hard"
1839Z Off air mid song
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
3035
General Radio Discussion / Mission impossible: Is government broadcasting irrelevant?
« on: July 07, 2013, 0002 UTC »
http://www.cjr.org/feature/mission_impossible.php?page=all
By Gary Thomas
What US government agency was recently labeled “dysfunctional” by the State Department’s Inspector General, and year after year is rated in employee surveys as the worst—or near worst—place to work in government? If you guessed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Marti, Radio Free Europe, and the rest of the federal government’s media outlets, you are correct. In 2009, Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson wrote that the bbg has come to mean “bottom of the barrel in government.”
The core problem afflicting the BBG and its various entities is institutional schizophrenia. It is simultaneously a news organization trying to be a government agency, and a government agency trying to be a news outlet. Since 1942, the US government has been broadcasting—and now texting, tweeting, and Facebooking—to the world. VOA was the first, and remains the best known of the government broadcasters. In VOA’s first broadcast (in German), the announcer said, “The news may be good or bad. We shall tell you the truth.”
VOA’s journalists have had a clear mandate under the charter, signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1976, to present unbiased news to the world, especially to countries denied uncensored news. But the charter also says VOA will “present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.” The schizophrenia, then, was built into the equation from the start.
Today, though, the problem of conflicting missions is exacerbated by the fact that the Board of Governors—and in particular the VOA, where I worked as a correspondent and news analyst for 27 years—has become mired in bloated bureaucracy, duplication of effort, internecine warfare between broadcast entities, and subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) efforts to politicize the news. The workforce is demoralized, and the credibility of the news has been undercut. It raises the question of whether, given that people around the world now have unprecedented access to news and information, we still need the VOA and its sister outlets to attempt this awkward dance between journalism and public diplomacy.
* * *
Policymakers have long viewed US international broadcasting as part of the public-diplomacy effort. The USC Center on Public Diplomacy’s website notes that the term was coined to get away from the pejorative word “propaganda.” The center says that “in the past few decades, public diplomacy has been widely seen as the transparent means by which a sovereign country communicates with publics in other countries aimed at informing and influencing audiences overseas for the purpose of promoting the national interest and advancing its foreign policy goals [italics added].”
In other words, “public diplomacy” is simply public affairs—that is, spin, propaganda, messaging, whatever you wish to call it—relabeled and repackaged for foreign consumption. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said as much before departing from the Obama cabinet. “We have abdicated the broadcasting arena,” she said at a congressional hearing. “[W]e have private stations, CNN, Fox, NBC, all of that. They’re out there, they convey information. But we’re not doing what we did during the Cold War. Our Broadcasting Board of Governors is practically defunct in terms of its capacity to be able to tell a message around the world.”
VOA has often been called a propaganda agency, but it’s not. It has fulfilled its public-diplomacy role by broadcasting editorials, which are labeled as official government viewpoints. In this way, the separation between news and propaganda is maintained, at least in theory. VOA correspondents travel on normal passports (although non-journalist employees use “official” or “diplomatic” ones) and get journalist visas to travel to countries with visa requirements. However, when VOA/BBG executives and administrators travel overseas, they use official or diplomatic passports and get logistic and other assistance from the local US embassy. It’s no wonder that governments are confused about the role of American international broadcasting.
VOA earned credibility around the world on the basis of its honest journalism, even when its stories conflicted with US policy. “Some might argue that as a government-funded network, the voa should always be expected to portray US policies as righteous and successful,” wrote former VOA Director Sanford Ungar in Foreign Affairs in 2005. “But experience demonstrates that the VOA is most appreciated and effective when it functions as a model US-style news organization that presents a balanced view of domestic and international events, setting an example for how independent journalism can strengthen democracy.”
VOA was part of the US Information Agency (USIA), which was an arm of the State Department. But VOA, in particular its Central News Division, which provides content to 45 language services, has fought to protect the agency’s journalistic independence in the face of attempts by government officials to influence news coverage. I once had a deputy chief of mission in Pakistan threaten to have me thrown out of the country if I went into then-communist Afghanistan without embassy permission. In his Foreign Affairs article, Ungar cited instances of attempts by one of his predecessors, David Jackson, to skew news coverage to be favorable to the Bush administration, especially during the Iraq War. (In a rebuttal, Jackson—now executive editor of The Washington Times—denied Ungar’s assertions, saying his piece was “filled with errors and unsupportable accusations.”)
In 1994, Congress reorganized the government’s international broadcasting function by creating the Broadcasting Board of Governors within USIA to oversee all broadcast entities. The USIA as a whole was abolished five years later, with all non-broadcasting functions (embassy public affairs, libraries, etc.) transferred to State Department control, but the BBG was kept as a separate organization. The board was to act as a “firewall” against political or bureaucratic influence over the integrity of the news. But instead of being a solution, the BBG became the problem. The part-time, nine-member, politically appointed board—half Democrats, half Republicans, with the secretary of state as an ex-officio member—started micromanaging operations through the creation of an administrative bureaucracy dubbed the International Broadcasting Bureau. The bureau runs the day-to-day business of the broadcasters, but over time has expanded into peripheral projects like audience research and strategic planning—in essence whatever the Board of Governors wants it to do. Senator Richard Lugar wrote in a 2010 piece in the Foreign Service Journal that “after 15 years . . . it has become clear that, rather than serving as a political ‘firewall,’ the bbg has often become a political ‘football’ as board nominations have become enmeshed in partisan politics.”
One result of this micromanaging is that a commercial mode has taken root at Voice of America, where the equivalent of chasing ratings has become paramount and the news has been trivialized in much the same way it has at networks and stations across the country. As a 2007 report by McCormick-Tribune Foundation put it, “Once the centerpiece in America’s arsenal for fighting the war of ideas through their trenchant and focused programming, American international broadcasting in recent years has lurched in the direction of becoming just another competitor in the crowded field of commercial broadcasters purveying a menu of entertainment, popular culture and news.”
The BBG brought in outside people, many of them former CNN managers, to sharpen this commercial-style focus. Hard news, the meat and potatoes of VOA since its inception, has been greatly de-emphasized. Pressure has increased for softer stories, usually of two minutes or less, which are then translated for use by the language services. (There is virtually no English-language television, and English-language radio programming has been drastically cut back, even though it’s the strongest medium to reach remote audiences that lack computers or TVs.)
The VOA’s journalistic standards have suffered in this push into a more commercial-TV mode. For instance, there was always a strict two-source rule: The essential elements of all stories had to be verified by two sources (typically two wire services) before a story would be issued. The exception was if a voa correspondent witnessed an event. But some language services complained that they were not getting stories from Central News fast enough. VOA Director David Ensor, and a subsequent internal review of the news operation, recommended doing away with that requirement and allowing stories to be pinned on one attributed source, usually a wire service.
The Central News Division has resisted efforts to dumb down the news operation, and that has led to clashes with upper management. VOA management has tried to break up the division, which is staffed by professional journalists, and scatter its members to the language services. Traditionally, most of the news broadcast by the VOA has been produced by the journalists in Central News and sent to the various language services, where it is translated for their respective audiences. For some time now, the language services have been eager to broaden their mandate, and the agency’s leadership has come to believe that much of the work done by Central News can be done by language services. “We have to struggle every day just to cover the important news now,” said one VOA senior news editor, who asked not to be identified.
The politically incorrect secret at VOA is the wildly inconsistent journalistic acumen of the language services. Some possess a wealth of journalistic expertise; others are woefully bereft. The disparity is explained by the simple fact that it is difficult to find people who are fluent in a given language, and also have experience in the kind of rigorous journalism VOA has traditionally required. Many are academics, here or in their country of origin, but have no journalistic background. The services often turn to émigré communities for recruitment, and a lot of the staffers come from countries where news organizations are expected to be politically partisan or pro-government. Some language services—in particular the Farsi-language service broadcasting to Iran—have been criticized on Capitol Hill and elsewhere for alleged bias in their broadcasts, arising in large part from deep partisan divides over developments or movements in the countries to which they broadcast.
But VOA officials continue to deny there is any disparity in journalistic expertise. At a recent program review of the Central News Division, one of the reviewing officers said: “There are still two classes of reporters in this place, the English-language reporters and then everybody else who is a reporter or stringer. And some of those reporters and stringers in the field, in vernacular language, are as good or better than the English-language people, and we think Central News cheats itself by not allowing, not taking advantage, frankly, of all of the voa news sources that are covering stories.”
Thus, the journalistic coherence that Central News brings to VOA has been rendered impotent. In effect, VOA now has 45 different news operations, each with the potential to put a different spin on the same story. If there is a clash on the India-Pakistan border, let’s say, the Pakistani-oriented Urdu Service may issue a very different view of events than the Hindi-language service aimed at India.
The Board of Governors is trying to sell the Obama administration and Congress on a scheme to merge all the broadcast entities into something called the Global News Network, under the authority of an international broadcasting czar. The BBG’s Strategic Plan outlines a grandiose vision to “become the world’s leading international news agency by 2016.” There are indications this plan may be shelved for now, or ramped down, because of the fragile budgetary climate. The FY 2013 budget for BBG is $756 million—chump change in the governmental scheme of things—and the kind of effort envisioned by the BBG would require huge increases if it is to be done right. The proposed 2014 budget asks for $732 million. Without significantly more money, something Congress would likely be leery of approving, the Global News Network cannot hope to compete with other news entities.
And there is the unresolved question of whether what would emerge under consolidation would really be a news organization. The board and VOA management say the VOA charter is still valid, but a new mission statement in the strategic plan says the goal is “to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy [italics added].”
That last phrase is advocacy, not journalism. Regimes around the world—especially hostile ones like Iran—will read that and see VOA as a regime-change instrument of the US government. This formulation not only undercuts VOA’s journalistic credibility, it puts VOA correspondents at even greater risk than necessary. I made several trips to Iran to cover events, including the 2005 presidential election. Iranian officials told me they gave visas to VOA Central News correspondents, but not to the Farsi-language service, now called the Persian Service, because the language service is perceived as partisan.
VOA was offered an opportunity to comment on the issues raised in this article, and questions were submitted to the agency for response. It declined to answer any of the questions. The VOA Public Affairs Office’s response was: “Frankly speaking, the questions submitted by Mr. Thomas, a former VOA employee, contain multiple errors and suggest a bias that concerns us greatly. We invite those who want to evaluate the quality of VOA journalism to look at our websites or our programs that reach over 135 million people each week in 45 separate languages.”
* * *
US international broadcasting is at a crossroads. If it is to be a truly dynamic, respected news organization in the 21st-century media market, then several steps must be taken:
• Get rid of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. It has been a disastrous experiment. A January 2013 report by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General concluded that, since its inception, the board “has been fully staffed for only seven of its 17 years of existence, and current governors are serving under expired terms.” Members have as a rule lacked journalistic credentials, coming from corporate media executive jobs or diplomatic posts. On May 11, President Obama nominated Ryan Crocker to the board, a diplomat who over a 37-year career has served as ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon, and, most recently, Afghanistan. A distinguished record, certainly, but one lacking any journalistic background.
• If a “broadcasting czar” is to oversee the proposed combined operation, then he or she should be someone with an unimpeachable journalistic reputation, not someone who goes through the revolving door between government spokesman and working journalist. The appointee should be named by the president and subject to Senate confirmation (as VOA directors were before the creation of the BBG), and be appointed for a fixed term (like the FBI director) as additional safeguards against politicization of the news.
• Re-establish the Central News Division as the operational hub of VOA (and, if there is consolidation, of the combined operation) to ensure journalistic cohesion, continuity, and credibility. Having what amounts to dozens of separate news shops competing with one another for resources, stories, and interviews breeds duplication and uncertainty.
• Don’t dumb down the news. Without a complete fiscal change of heart in Congress, international broadcasting will never have the money and staff to compete with commercial outlets. So stop focusing undue effort on lightweight fluff that is eroding credibility, and encourage and support intelligent and thoughtful journalism that is unfettered by bureaucracy and politics.
• Stop dismissing radio as a dead medium. Radio remains a highly effective way to reach the many people in remote areas who don’t have Internet or TV, and television broadcasting, such as to Iran, is much more easily jammed than radio. The proposed 2014 budget would gut Urdu and Afghan radio services that broadcast to Pakistan and Afghanistan and shut down all Farsi-language radio to Iran.
However, if the mission of US broadcasting is to be “messaging” and policy advocacy, then stop hiding behind the label of journalism. Call it what it is—public diplomacy—and put it under the State Department. Anything less is a disservice to VOA listeners and to the profession of journalism, and an insult to the men and women who strive to uphold the journalistic integrity of Voice of America.
By Gary Thomas
What US government agency was recently labeled “dysfunctional” by the State Department’s Inspector General, and year after year is rated in employee surveys as the worst—or near worst—place to work in government? If you guessed the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Marti, Radio Free Europe, and the rest of the federal government’s media outlets, you are correct. In 2009, Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson wrote that the bbg has come to mean “bottom of the barrel in government.”
The core problem afflicting the BBG and its various entities is institutional schizophrenia. It is simultaneously a news organization trying to be a government agency, and a government agency trying to be a news outlet. Since 1942, the US government has been broadcasting—and now texting, tweeting, and Facebooking—to the world. VOA was the first, and remains the best known of the government broadcasters. In VOA’s first broadcast (in German), the announcer said, “The news may be good or bad. We shall tell you the truth.”
VOA’s journalists have had a clear mandate under the charter, signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1976, to present unbiased news to the world, especially to countries denied uncensored news. But the charter also says VOA will “present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.” The schizophrenia, then, was built into the equation from the start.
Today, though, the problem of conflicting missions is exacerbated by the fact that the Board of Governors—and in particular the VOA, where I worked as a correspondent and news analyst for 27 years—has become mired in bloated bureaucracy, duplication of effort, internecine warfare between broadcast entities, and subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) efforts to politicize the news. The workforce is demoralized, and the credibility of the news has been undercut. It raises the question of whether, given that people around the world now have unprecedented access to news and information, we still need the VOA and its sister outlets to attempt this awkward dance between journalism and public diplomacy.
* * *
Policymakers have long viewed US international broadcasting as part of the public-diplomacy effort. The USC Center on Public Diplomacy’s website notes that the term was coined to get away from the pejorative word “propaganda.” The center says that “in the past few decades, public diplomacy has been widely seen as the transparent means by which a sovereign country communicates with publics in other countries aimed at informing and influencing audiences overseas for the purpose of promoting the national interest and advancing its foreign policy goals [italics added].”
In other words, “public diplomacy” is simply public affairs—that is, spin, propaganda, messaging, whatever you wish to call it—relabeled and repackaged for foreign consumption. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said as much before departing from the Obama cabinet. “We have abdicated the broadcasting arena,” she said at a congressional hearing. “[W]e have private stations, CNN, Fox, NBC, all of that. They’re out there, they convey information. But we’re not doing what we did during the Cold War. Our Broadcasting Board of Governors is practically defunct in terms of its capacity to be able to tell a message around the world.”
VOA has often been called a propaganda agency, but it’s not. It has fulfilled its public-diplomacy role by broadcasting editorials, which are labeled as official government viewpoints. In this way, the separation between news and propaganda is maintained, at least in theory. VOA correspondents travel on normal passports (although non-journalist employees use “official” or “diplomatic” ones) and get journalist visas to travel to countries with visa requirements. However, when VOA/BBG executives and administrators travel overseas, they use official or diplomatic passports and get logistic and other assistance from the local US embassy. It’s no wonder that governments are confused about the role of American international broadcasting.
VOA earned credibility around the world on the basis of its honest journalism, even when its stories conflicted with US policy. “Some might argue that as a government-funded network, the voa should always be expected to portray US policies as righteous and successful,” wrote former VOA Director Sanford Ungar in Foreign Affairs in 2005. “But experience demonstrates that the VOA is most appreciated and effective when it functions as a model US-style news organization that presents a balanced view of domestic and international events, setting an example for how independent journalism can strengthen democracy.”
VOA was part of the US Information Agency (USIA), which was an arm of the State Department. But VOA, in particular its Central News Division, which provides content to 45 language services, has fought to protect the agency’s journalistic independence in the face of attempts by government officials to influence news coverage. I once had a deputy chief of mission in Pakistan threaten to have me thrown out of the country if I went into then-communist Afghanistan without embassy permission. In his Foreign Affairs article, Ungar cited instances of attempts by one of his predecessors, David Jackson, to skew news coverage to be favorable to the Bush administration, especially during the Iraq War. (In a rebuttal, Jackson—now executive editor of The Washington Times—denied Ungar’s assertions, saying his piece was “filled with errors and unsupportable accusations.”)
In 1994, Congress reorganized the government’s international broadcasting function by creating the Broadcasting Board of Governors within USIA to oversee all broadcast entities. The USIA as a whole was abolished five years later, with all non-broadcasting functions (embassy public affairs, libraries, etc.) transferred to State Department control, but the BBG was kept as a separate organization. The board was to act as a “firewall” against political or bureaucratic influence over the integrity of the news. But instead of being a solution, the BBG became the problem. The part-time, nine-member, politically appointed board—half Democrats, half Republicans, with the secretary of state as an ex-officio member—started micromanaging operations through the creation of an administrative bureaucracy dubbed the International Broadcasting Bureau. The bureau runs the day-to-day business of the broadcasters, but over time has expanded into peripheral projects like audience research and strategic planning—in essence whatever the Board of Governors wants it to do. Senator Richard Lugar wrote in a 2010 piece in the Foreign Service Journal that “after 15 years . . . it has become clear that, rather than serving as a political ‘firewall,’ the bbg has often become a political ‘football’ as board nominations have become enmeshed in partisan politics.”
One result of this micromanaging is that a commercial mode has taken root at Voice of America, where the equivalent of chasing ratings has become paramount and the news has been trivialized in much the same way it has at networks and stations across the country. As a 2007 report by McCormick-Tribune Foundation put it, “Once the centerpiece in America’s arsenal for fighting the war of ideas through their trenchant and focused programming, American international broadcasting in recent years has lurched in the direction of becoming just another competitor in the crowded field of commercial broadcasters purveying a menu of entertainment, popular culture and news.”
The BBG brought in outside people, many of them former CNN managers, to sharpen this commercial-style focus. Hard news, the meat and potatoes of VOA since its inception, has been greatly de-emphasized. Pressure has increased for softer stories, usually of two minutes or less, which are then translated for use by the language services. (There is virtually no English-language television, and English-language radio programming has been drastically cut back, even though it’s the strongest medium to reach remote audiences that lack computers or TVs.)
The VOA’s journalistic standards have suffered in this push into a more commercial-TV mode. For instance, there was always a strict two-source rule: The essential elements of all stories had to be verified by two sources (typically two wire services) before a story would be issued. The exception was if a voa correspondent witnessed an event. But some language services complained that they were not getting stories from Central News fast enough. VOA Director David Ensor, and a subsequent internal review of the news operation, recommended doing away with that requirement and allowing stories to be pinned on one attributed source, usually a wire service.
The Central News Division has resisted efforts to dumb down the news operation, and that has led to clashes with upper management. VOA management has tried to break up the division, which is staffed by professional journalists, and scatter its members to the language services. Traditionally, most of the news broadcast by the VOA has been produced by the journalists in Central News and sent to the various language services, where it is translated for their respective audiences. For some time now, the language services have been eager to broaden their mandate, and the agency’s leadership has come to believe that much of the work done by Central News can be done by language services. “We have to struggle every day just to cover the important news now,” said one VOA senior news editor, who asked not to be identified.
The politically incorrect secret at VOA is the wildly inconsistent journalistic acumen of the language services. Some possess a wealth of journalistic expertise; others are woefully bereft. The disparity is explained by the simple fact that it is difficult to find people who are fluent in a given language, and also have experience in the kind of rigorous journalism VOA has traditionally required. Many are academics, here or in their country of origin, but have no journalistic background. The services often turn to émigré communities for recruitment, and a lot of the staffers come from countries where news organizations are expected to be politically partisan or pro-government. Some language services—in particular the Farsi-language service broadcasting to Iran—have been criticized on Capitol Hill and elsewhere for alleged bias in their broadcasts, arising in large part from deep partisan divides over developments or movements in the countries to which they broadcast.
But VOA officials continue to deny there is any disparity in journalistic expertise. At a recent program review of the Central News Division, one of the reviewing officers said: “There are still two classes of reporters in this place, the English-language reporters and then everybody else who is a reporter or stringer. And some of those reporters and stringers in the field, in vernacular language, are as good or better than the English-language people, and we think Central News cheats itself by not allowing, not taking advantage, frankly, of all of the voa news sources that are covering stories.”
Thus, the journalistic coherence that Central News brings to VOA has been rendered impotent. In effect, VOA now has 45 different news operations, each with the potential to put a different spin on the same story. If there is a clash on the India-Pakistan border, let’s say, the Pakistani-oriented Urdu Service may issue a very different view of events than the Hindi-language service aimed at India.
The Board of Governors is trying to sell the Obama administration and Congress on a scheme to merge all the broadcast entities into something called the Global News Network, under the authority of an international broadcasting czar. The BBG’s Strategic Plan outlines a grandiose vision to “become the world’s leading international news agency by 2016.” There are indications this plan may be shelved for now, or ramped down, because of the fragile budgetary climate. The FY 2013 budget for BBG is $756 million—chump change in the governmental scheme of things—and the kind of effort envisioned by the BBG would require huge increases if it is to be done right. The proposed 2014 budget asks for $732 million. Without significantly more money, something Congress would likely be leery of approving, the Global News Network cannot hope to compete with other news entities.
And there is the unresolved question of whether what would emerge under consolidation would really be a news organization. The board and VOA management say the VOA charter is still valid, but a new mission statement in the strategic plan says the goal is “to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy [italics added].”
That last phrase is advocacy, not journalism. Regimes around the world—especially hostile ones like Iran—will read that and see VOA as a regime-change instrument of the US government. This formulation not only undercuts VOA’s journalistic credibility, it puts VOA correspondents at even greater risk than necessary. I made several trips to Iran to cover events, including the 2005 presidential election. Iranian officials told me they gave visas to VOA Central News correspondents, but not to the Farsi-language service, now called the Persian Service, because the language service is perceived as partisan.
VOA was offered an opportunity to comment on the issues raised in this article, and questions were submitted to the agency for response. It declined to answer any of the questions. The VOA Public Affairs Office’s response was: “Frankly speaking, the questions submitted by Mr. Thomas, a former VOA employee, contain multiple errors and suggest a bias that concerns us greatly. We invite those who want to evaluate the quality of VOA journalism to look at our websites or our programs that reach over 135 million people each week in 45 separate languages.”
* * *
US international broadcasting is at a crossroads. If it is to be a truly dynamic, respected news organization in the 21st-century media market, then several steps must be taken:
• Get rid of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. It has been a disastrous experiment. A January 2013 report by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General concluded that, since its inception, the board “has been fully staffed for only seven of its 17 years of existence, and current governors are serving under expired terms.” Members have as a rule lacked journalistic credentials, coming from corporate media executive jobs or diplomatic posts. On May 11, President Obama nominated Ryan Crocker to the board, a diplomat who over a 37-year career has served as ambassador to Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon, and, most recently, Afghanistan. A distinguished record, certainly, but one lacking any journalistic background.
• If a “broadcasting czar” is to oversee the proposed combined operation, then he or she should be someone with an unimpeachable journalistic reputation, not someone who goes through the revolving door between government spokesman and working journalist. The appointee should be named by the president and subject to Senate confirmation (as VOA directors were before the creation of the BBG), and be appointed for a fixed term (like the FBI director) as additional safeguards against politicization of the news.
• Re-establish the Central News Division as the operational hub of VOA (and, if there is consolidation, of the combined operation) to ensure journalistic cohesion, continuity, and credibility. Having what amounts to dozens of separate news shops competing with one another for resources, stories, and interviews breeds duplication and uncertainty.
• Don’t dumb down the news. Without a complete fiscal change of heart in Congress, international broadcasting will never have the money and staff to compete with commercial outlets. So stop focusing undue effort on lightweight fluff that is eroding credibility, and encourage and support intelligent and thoughtful journalism that is unfettered by bureaucracy and politics.
• Stop dismissing radio as a dead medium. Radio remains a highly effective way to reach the many people in remote areas who don’t have Internet or TV, and television broadcasting, such as to Iran, is much more easily jammed than radio. The proposed 2014 budget would gut Urdu and Afghan radio services that broadcast to Pakistan and Afghanistan and shut down all Farsi-language radio to Iran.
However, if the mission of US broadcasting is to be “messaging” and policy advocacy, then stop hiding behind the label of journalism. Call it what it is—public diplomacy—and put it under the State Department. Anything less is a disservice to VOA listeners and to the profession of journalism, and an insult to the men and women who strive to uphold the journalistic integrity of Voice of America.
3036
General Radio Discussion / ROC office rebuts Sound of Hope charges on broadcasting issue
« on: July 04, 2013, 1228 UTC »
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201307030014.aspx
ROC office rebuts Sound of Hope charges on broadcasting issue
2013/07/03 14:41:09
Washington, July 2 (CNA) The Republic of China's representative office in the United
States on Tuesday described as "inaccurate" a radio network's claim that the office
has failed to convey to its home government congressional concerns over a shortwave
broadcasting issue.
The Falun Gong-affiliated Sound of Hope Radio Network said recently that several U.S.
Congress members have expressed concerns about Radio Taiwan International's decision
to demolish RTI broadcasting towers in southern Taiwan.
The towers have been used in part to send shortwave radio signals to China, including
programming that the Falun Gong contracts Radio Taiwan International (RTI) to
broadcast, and the group fears that without the towers its exposure in China will be
limited.
The Sound of Hope charged that Taiwan's representative office, under the leadership
of King Pu-tsung, did not seem to have conveyed the congressional concerns to
President Ma Ying-jeou or forwarded letters addressed to him on the issue by American
lawmakers.
"The allegations are not true," the ROC representative office said in a statement.
The office has dealt with the issue promptly and faithfully and has conveyed the
congressmen's concerns to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other related
government agencies, the statement said.
On June 21, ROC Deputy Representative to the U.S. Jacob Chang also met with Sound of
Hope senior executives to listen to their appeals and convened to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs their appeals the same day, the statement said.
"It's extremely regrettable that Sound of Hope has run reports without verification,"
King said in the statement.
San Francisco-based Sound of Hope was founded by Falun Gong supporters in 2003. It
began leasing time on Radio Taiwan International's shortwave radio network in 2004 to
broadcast programs to China.
Much of the programming has been broadcast via RTI towers in Tainan and in Huwei,
Yunlin County, but the Tainan towers were torn down in June and work on the Huwei
site is expected to start in the second half of the year.
A resolution passed by Taiwan's Legislature has demanded that the towers on the two
sites be completely torn down by the end of 2013.
Arrangements have been made for Sound of Hope Radio programs to be broadcast to China
in the future via RTI's Danshui and Baozhong facilities, the statement said.
The Taiwanese broadcaster has given Sound of Hope assurances that the move will not
affect the number of hours it can broadcast through RTI facilities and the services
it receives, the statement said.
RTI has already briefed U.S. congressional members through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Taiwan's representative office in Washington, D.C. on its decision-making
process and handling of the case, the statement added.
According to the office, the towers' removal was based on valid reasons and had been
planned for a long time.
Residents in the vicinity of the Tainan towers have long complained about
electromagnetic wave interference and repeatedly pushed for their relocation, and the
Huwei towers are being removed to make way for a special high-speed rail zone, the
statement said.
The decision to demolish the Tainan towers was made in 2004 when the Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) was still in power and the decision to phase out the Huwei
station was made in 2011, it said.
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei, who represents a Tainan constituency, has on many
occasions pushed for early removal of the towers to facilitate the city's
development, according to the statement.
It further said the Tainan station was torn down in late June ahead of schedule
mainly because the site was part of a river cleaning and flood-prevention project.
(By Tony Liao and Sofia Wu)
enditem/ls
ROC office rebuts Sound of Hope charges on broadcasting issue
2013/07/03 14:41:09
Washington, July 2 (CNA) The Republic of China's representative office in the United
States on Tuesday described as "inaccurate" a radio network's claim that the office
has failed to convey to its home government congressional concerns over a shortwave
broadcasting issue.
The Falun Gong-affiliated Sound of Hope Radio Network said recently that several U.S.
Congress members have expressed concerns about Radio Taiwan International's decision
to demolish RTI broadcasting towers in southern Taiwan.
The towers have been used in part to send shortwave radio signals to China, including
programming that the Falun Gong contracts Radio Taiwan International (RTI) to
broadcast, and the group fears that without the towers its exposure in China will be
limited.
The Sound of Hope charged that Taiwan's representative office, under the leadership
of King Pu-tsung, did not seem to have conveyed the congressional concerns to
President Ma Ying-jeou or forwarded letters addressed to him on the issue by American
lawmakers.
"The allegations are not true," the ROC representative office said in a statement.
The office has dealt with the issue promptly and faithfully and has conveyed the
congressmen's concerns to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other related
government agencies, the statement said.
On June 21, ROC Deputy Representative to the U.S. Jacob Chang also met with Sound of
Hope senior executives to listen to their appeals and convened to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs their appeals the same day, the statement said.
"It's extremely regrettable that Sound of Hope has run reports without verification,"
King said in the statement.
San Francisco-based Sound of Hope was founded by Falun Gong supporters in 2003. It
began leasing time on Radio Taiwan International's shortwave radio network in 2004 to
broadcast programs to China.
Much of the programming has been broadcast via RTI towers in Tainan and in Huwei,
Yunlin County, but the Tainan towers were torn down in June and work on the Huwei
site is expected to start in the second half of the year.
A resolution passed by Taiwan's Legislature has demanded that the towers on the two
sites be completely torn down by the end of 2013.
Arrangements have been made for Sound of Hope Radio programs to be broadcast to China
in the future via RTI's Danshui and Baozhong facilities, the statement said.
The Taiwanese broadcaster has given Sound of Hope assurances that the move will not
affect the number of hours it can broadcast through RTI facilities and the services
it receives, the statement said.
RTI has already briefed U.S. congressional members through the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Taiwan's representative office in Washington, D.C. on its decision-making
process and handling of the case, the statement added.
According to the office, the towers' removal was based on valid reasons and had been
planned for a long time.
Residents in the vicinity of the Tainan towers have long complained about
electromagnetic wave interference and repeatedly pushed for their relocation, and the
Huwei towers are being removed to make way for a special high-speed rail zone, the
statement said.
The decision to demolish the Tainan towers was made in 2004 when the Democratic
Progressive Party (DPP) was still in power and the decision to phase out the Huwei
station was made in 2011, it said.
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei, who represents a Tainan constituency, has on many
occasions pushed for early removal of the towers to facilitate the city's
development, according to the statement.
It further said the Tainan station was torn down in late June ahead of schedule
mainly because the site was part of a river cleaning and flood-prevention project.
(By Tony Liao and Sofia Wu)
enditem/ls
3037
General Radio Discussion / Ham radio operators to refine DPRK plans
« on: July 04, 2013, 0310 UTC »
http://www.northkoreatech.org/2013/07/02/ham-radio-operators-to-refine-dprk-plans/
Two ham radio operators hoping to get permission to set up a temporary amateur radio station in North Korea have returned from a trip to the country and have plans to visit again.
Paul Ewing (N6PSE) and David Flack (AH6HY) of the “Intrepid DX” group wrote that they will refine their proposal and “continue to communicate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.”
The two want permission to lead two groups of twelve people each on a two week expedition to the DPRK. While inside the country, they plan to operate an amateur radio station and make contacts with ham operators around the world.
Getting government permission for the plan is, of course, essential.
During their June trip, the two entered the DPRK in Namyang, near Tumen, and traveled as far south as Panmunjon, before leaving the country at Wonjong, near Rajin.
“The purpose of the visit was to meet with DPRK Government Representatives in Pyongyang and to survey and assess various potential Dxpedition venues throughout the country. Particular attention was paid to terrain and the availability of reliable power,” they wrote on the “P5 Project” blog.
The project is named for North Korea’s radio callsign prefix “P5.” Because the country has no licensed amateur operators, contacting a P5 radio station is extremely rare. If the group manage to get permission of their plan, they should receive a temporary P5 call sign and there will likely be strong demand to communicate with the station from overseas ham operators.
“Our goals are to provide a much needed P5 contact to the entire amateur radio community world-wide,” they wrote.
The two are now planning a second visit and, in what could be a savvy political move, have added a representative of the Chinese amateur radio community to their group: Fan Bin (BA1RB).
(For background on the project and previous attempts to operate ham radio stations from North Korea, see “Ham radio operators hope to put North Korea on the air” from June 11.)
Two ham radio operators hoping to get permission to set up a temporary amateur radio station in North Korea have returned from a trip to the country and have plans to visit again.
Paul Ewing (N6PSE) and David Flack (AH6HY) of the “Intrepid DX” group wrote that they will refine their proposal and “continue to communicate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.”
The two want permission to lead two groups of twelve people each on a two week expedition to the DPRK. While inside the country, they plan to operate an amateur radio station and make contacts with ham operators around the world.
Getting government permission for the plan is, of course, essential.
During their June trip, the two entered the DPRK in Namyang, near Tumen, and traveled as far south as Panmunjon, before leaving the country at Wonjong, near Rajin.
“The purpose of the visit was to meet with DPRK Government Representatives in Pyongyang and to survey and assess various potential Dxpedition venues throughout the country. Particular attention was paid to terrain and the availability of reliable power,” they wrote on the “P5 Project” blog.
The project is named for North Korea’s radio callsign prefix “P5.” Because the country has no licensed amateur operators, contacting a P5 radio station is extremely rare. If the group manage to get permission of their plan, they should receive a temporary P5 call sign and there will likely be strong demand to communicate with the station from overseas ham operators.
“Our goals are to provide a much needed P5 contact to the entire amateur radio community world-wide,” they wrote.
The two are now planning a second visit and, in what could be a savvy political move, have added a representative of the Chinese amateur radio community to their group: Fan Bin (BA1RB).
(For background on the project and previous attempts to operate ham radio stations from North Korea, see “Ham radio operators hope to put North Korea on the air” from June 11.)
3038
Spy Numbers / G11 3815U June 30, 2013 2000-2003Z
« on: June 30, 2013, 2009 UTC »
From the Univ of Twente SDR
2000-2003Z YL repeating 262/00. No message.
SINPO=45344
2000-2003Z YL repeating 262/00. No message.
SINPO=45344
3039
Spy Numbers / G11 5815U June 30, 2013 1755-1758Z
« on: June 30, 2013, 1839 UTC »
From the Univ of Twente SDR
Starting at 1755Z (SINPO=45443), German YL repeated 270/00 for about 3 minutes, then ende. No message.
Starting at 1755Z (SINPO=45443), German YL repeated 270/00 for about 3 minutes, then ende. No message.
3040
Shortwave Broadcast / The Mighty KBC 9925 kHz June 30, 2013 0000Z
« on: June 30, 2013, 0000 UTC »
Poor propagation conditions.
0000Z 25332 S5 ID
0000Z 25332 S5 The Equals "I Can See, But You Don't Know"
0002Z 25332 S5 DJ
0002Z 25332 S5 April Wine "Enough Is Enough"
0006Z 25332 S5 DJ
0006Z 25332 S5 "This Is The Night"
0011Z 25332 S5 DJ
0011Z 25332 S5 Dave Edmunds "Girl Talk"
0014Z 25332 S5 Ad - Americana International
0015Z 25332 S5 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0016Z 25332 S5 Ad - KBC store
0016Z 25332 S5 ID
0016Z 25332 S5 David Bowie "Blue Jean"
0019Z 25332 S5 DJ
0020Z 25332 S5 Eagles "Victim of Love"
0024Z 35333 S7 ID "The Giant Jukebox"
0024Z 35333 S7 a-ha "Touchy"
0028Z 35433 S7 DJ
0028Z 35433 S7 The Les Humphries Singers "Kansas City"
0033Z 35433 S7 DJ
0033Z 35433 S7 Time for Mr. Spencer's pee break.
0034Z 35433 S8 Dizzy Man's Band "The Opera"
0038Z 35433 S8 DJ
0038Z 35433 S8 Ad - Americana International
0039Z 35433 S8 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0039Z 35433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0040Z 35433 S7 Fischer Z "Marliese"
0043Z 35433 S8 ID + DJ "You are listening to your Dutch radio refugee"
0043Z 35433 S8 The Moody Blues "Tuesday Afternoon"
0048Z 35433 S8 DJ
0049Z 35433 S8 Ad - KBC Imports
0049Z 35433 S7 ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox with Eric Van Willegan"
0049Z 35433 S7 Fleetwood Mac "Not That Funny"
0052Z 35433 S7 DJ
0052Z 35433 S7 The Shirts "Laugh and Walk Away"
0055Z 35433 S7 DJ
0055Z 35433 S7 The Who "Shakin' All Over"
0100Z 35433 S7 ID + DJ "You are listening to Uncle Eric on The Giant Jukebox"
0100Z 35433 S7 Shocking Blue "Let Me Carry Your Bag"
0103Z 35433 S7 DJ +ID "You are listening to The Mighty KBC... we blow you away."
0104Z 35433 S7 Frankie Miller "Ain't Got No Money"
0106Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex is telling me its about 7 minutes after the hour"
0106Z 35433 S7 ID
0107Z 35433 S7 Queen "Hammer To Fall"
0110Z 35433 S7 DJ
0110Z 45433 S8 John Lennon "Dizzy Miss Lizzie"
0113Z 45433 S8 ID
0113Z 45433 S8 Ad - Americana International (July 11-15, 0213)
0115Z 45433 S8 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0115Z 45433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0115Z 45433 S8 Elvis Presley "Burning Love"
0118Z 45433 S8 DJ + ID
0119Z 45433 S8 The Alarm "Sixty Eight Guns"
0123Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID
0123Z 35433 S7 Roger Hodgson "Had A Dream"
0126Z 35433 S7 DJ
0128Z 35433 S7 Buddy Holly "Think It Over"
0130Z 35333 S7 DJ + ID
0130Z 35333 S7 Data transmission
0131Z 35433 S7 ID "You are listening to The Giant Jukebox"
0131Z 35433 S7 Rod Stewart "Pretty Flamingo"
0134Z 35433 S7 ID + DJ
0135Z 35433 S7 Time for Mr Spencer's pee break
0135Z 35433 S7 Frank Zappa "Bobby Brown"
0138Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0139Z 35433 S7 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0139Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC store
0140Z 35433 S7 Golden Earring "Dream"
0143Z 35433 S7 DJ
0143Z 35433 S7 Strawbs "Lay Down" Coming from a KBC turntable
0146Z 45433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0146Z 45433 S8 Ad - Magazine
0147Z 45433 S8 ID
0147Z 45433 S8 Big Arm "Flashbacks"
0150Z 45433 S8 DJ
0151Z 45433 S8 Busted "Crashed The Wedding"
0153Z 45433 S8 ID
0153Z 45433 S8 R.E.M. "Imitation Of Life"
0157Z 45433 S8 DJ. Shoutouts to listeners across the world. Signing off.
0200Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
0000Z 25332 S5 ID
0000Z 25332 S5 The Equals "I Can See, But You Don't Know"
0002Z 25332 S5 DJ
0002Z 25332 S5 April Wine "Enough Is Enough"
0006Z 25332 S5 DJ
0006Z 25332 S5 "This Is The Night"
0011Z 25332 S5 DJ
0011Z 25332 S5 Dave Edmunds "Girl Talk"
0014Z 25332 S5 Ad - Americana International
0015Z 25332 S5 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0016Z 25332 S5 Ad - KBC store
0016Z 25332 S5 ID
0016Z 25332 S5 David Bowie "Blue Jean"
0019Z 25332 S5 DJ
0020Z 25332 S5 Eagles "Victim of Love"
0024Z 35333 S7 ID "The Giant Jukebox"
0024Z 35333 S7 a-ha "Touchy"
0028Z 35433 S7 DJ
0028Z 35433 S7 The Les Humphries Singers "Kansas City"
0033Z 35433 S7 DJ
0033Z 35433 S7 Time for Mr. Spencer's pee break.
0034Z 35433 S8 Dizzy Man's Band "The Opera"
0038Z 35433 S8 DJ
0038Z 35433 S8 Ad - Americana International
0039Z 35433 S8 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0039Z 35433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0040Z 35433 S7 Fischer Z "Marliese"
0043Z 35433 S8 ID + DJ "You are listening to your Dutch radio refugee"
0043Z 35433 S8 The Moody Blues "Tuesday Afternoon"
0048Z 35433 S8 DJ
0049Z 35433 S8 Ad - KBC Imports
0049Z 35433 S7 ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox with Eric Van Willegan"
0049Z 35433 S7 Fleetwood Mac "Not That Funny"
0052Z 35433 S7 DJ
0052Z 35433 S7 The Shirts "Laugh and Walk Away"
0055Z 35433 S7 DJ
0055Z 35433 S7 The Who "Shakin' All Over"
0100Z 35433 S7 ID + DJ "You are listening to Uncle Eric on The Giant Jukebox"
0100Z 35433 S7 Shocking Blue "Let Me Carry Your Bag"
0103Z 35433 S7 DJ +ID "You are listening to The Mighty KBC... we blow you away."
0104Z 35433 S7 Frankie Miller "Ain't Got No Money"
0106Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex is telling me its about 7 minutes after the hour"
0106Z 35433 S7 ID
0107Z 35433 S7 Queen "Hammer To Fall"
0110Z 35433 S7 DJ
0110Z 45433 S8 John Lennon "Dizzy Miss Lizzie"
0113Z 45433 S8 ID
0113Z 45433 S8 Ad - Americana International (July 11-15, 0213)
0115Z 45433 S8 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0115Z 45433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0115Z 45433 S8 Elvis Presley "Burning Love"
0118Z 45433 S8 DJ + ID
0119Z 45433 S8 The Alarm "Sixty Eight Guns"
0123Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID
0123Z 35433 S7 Roger Hodgson "Had A Dream"
0126Z 35433 S7 DJ
0128Z 35433 S7 Buddy Holly "Think It Over"
0130Z 35333 S7 DJ + ID
0130Z 35333 S7 Data transmission
0131Z 35433 S7 ID "You are listening to The Giant Jukebox"
0131Z 35433 S7 Rod Stewart "Pretty Flamingo"
0134Z 35433 S7 ID + DJ
0135Z 35433 S7 Time for Mr Spencer's pee break
0135Z 35433 S7 Frank Zappa "Bobby Brown"
0138Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0139Z 35433 S7 Ad - Blaupunkt (not in English)
0139Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC store
0140Z 35433 S7 Golden Earring "Dream"
0143Z 35433 S7 DJ
0143Z 35433 S7 Strawbs "Lay Down" Coming from a KBC turntable
0146Z 45433 S8 Ad - KBC store
0146Z 45433 S8 Ad - Magazine
0147Z 45433 S8 ID
0147Z 45433 S8 Big Arm "Flashbacks"
0150Z 45433 S8 DJ
0151Z 45433 S8 Busted "Crashed The Wedding"
0153Z 45433 S8 ID
0153Z 45433 S8 R.E.M. "Imitation Of Life"
0157Z 45433 S8 DJ. Shoutouts to listeners across the world. Signing off.
0200Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
3041
General Radio Discussion / Zimbabwe Minister condoned seizure of radios by police
« on: June 28, 2013, 1456 UTC »
http://www.swradioafrica.com/2013/06/27/minister-theresa-makone-condoned-seizure-of-radios-by-police/
By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
27 June 2013
Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone has defended the move by police to ban possession of wind-up shortwave radios in February.
The issue was raised in parliament by legislator Simon Hove, who wanted to know from the Minister what the motives for the ban were.
A report in the Herald newspaper indicates that Makone, whose ministry is responsible for the police, condoned the seizures, saying the police were within their powers to confiscate the illegally imported radios.
The same report also quoted Makone as saying the receivers were a security threat because they peddled hate speech.
Outgoing MDC-T Highfield East MP Simon Hove, who asked the question in parliament, told SW Radio Africa Thursday that Minister Makone’s response left him none the wiser.
He said Thursday: “I wanted to know the motive behind such selective and vindictive actions by the police. I wanted the minister to explain to me whether this was government policy or whether police were pursuing political parochial interests.
“In her response, Makone went on to address the issue of two-way radio transmitters used by the police and security personnel, commonly known as ‘Over-Overs’, yet my question was specifically about shortwave radios used by ordinary citizens to access and acquire information,” Hove said.
MP Hove said it did not make sense that the police viewed wind-up shortwave radios as a security threat.
“People have a right to know what is happening around them and beyond. Besides radios do not tune themselves, individuals navigate through several stations before they select a particular station to listen to,” he said.
Hove said towards the end of her answer Minister Makone appeared to acknowledge the usefulness of the shortwave radios but still seemed to justify the police actions by saying they were either confiscating illegally imported radios or acting against hate speech.
This was also confirmed by the MDC-T MP for Mazoe Central, Shepherd Mushonga, who said Minister Makone first condoned radio seizures before adding that hate speech was also prevalent in the print media within the country.
“The radios are not the problem, but the peddling of hate speech, and the police will also confiscate illegally imported radios. The threat is found when citizens are being set against each other,” Makone is quoted in the Herald as having said.
Hove said: “Even so, there is no justification for the police to be raiding private citizens’ homes. They are supposed to take this up with the importers. Still, the receivers could not have got into the country without the authorities being aware.”
Hove added that the so-called hate speech said to be peddled by radio stations based outside the country, which are the main target of the police ban, is nothing more than citizens finding an alternative channel to be heard.
He said public figures should be prepared to be subjected to scrutiny by citizens: “Most of what is being called hate speech by the police is people expressing themselves on issues that wouldn’t have been attended to by elected officials.
“The solution is not in shutting out those voices but in listening to what the people are saying,” Hove said.
SW Radio Africa could not get a comment from Minister Makone, as her assistant said she was in a meeting.
Since the confiscations began in February, human rights activists have raised concern that the banning of the solar powered radios violates the people’s constitutional right to information.
By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
27 June 2013
Co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone has defended the move by police to ban possession of wind-up shortwave radios in February.
The issue was raised in parliament by legislator Simon Hove, who wanted to know from the Minister what the motives for the ban were.
A report in the Herald newspaper indicates that Makone, whose ministry is responsible for the police, condoned the seizures, saying the police were within their powers to confiscate the illegally imported radios.
The same report also quoted Makone as saying the receivers were a security threat because they peddled hate speech.
Outgoing MDC-T Highfield East MP Simon Hove, who asked the question in parliament, told SW Radio Africa Thursday that Minister Makone’s response left him none the wiser.
He said Thursday: “I wanted to know the motive behind such selective and vindictive actions by the police. I wanted the minister to explain to me whether this was government policy or whether police were pursuing political parochial interests.
“In her response, Makone went on to address the issue of two-way radio transmitters used by the police and security personnel, commonly known as ‘Over-Overs’, yet my question was specifically about shortwave radios used by ordinary citizens to access and acquire information,” Hove said.
MP Hove said it did not make sense that the police viewed wind-up shortwave radios as a security threat.
“People have a right to know what is happening around them and beyond. Besides radios do not tune themselves, individuals navigate through several stations before they select a particular station to listen to,” he said.
Hove said towards the end of her answer Minister Makone appeared to acknowledge the usefulness of the shortwave radios but still seemed to justify the police actions by saying they were either confiscating illegally imported radios or acting against hate speech.
This was also confirmed by the MDC-T MP for Mazoe Central, Shepherd Mushonga, who said Minister Makone first condoned radio seizures before adding that hate speech was also prevalent in the print media within the country.
“The radios are not the problem, but the peddling of hate speech, and the police will also confiscate illegally imported radios. The threat is found when citizens are being set against each other,” Makone is quoted in the Herald as having said.
Hove said: “Even so, there is no justification for the police to be raiding private citizens’ homes. They are supposed to take this up with the importers. Still, the receivers could not have got into the country without the authorities being aware.”
Hove added that the so-called hate speech said to be peddled by radio stations based outside the country, which are the main target of the police ban, is nothing more than citizens finding an alternative channel to be heard.
He said public figures should be prepared to be subjected to scrutiny by citizens: “Most of what is being called hate speech by the police is people expressing themselves on issues that wouldn’t have been attended to by elected officials.
“The solution is not in shutting out those voices but in listening to what the people are saying,” Hove said.
SW Radio Africa could not get a comment from Minister Makone, as her assistant said she was in a meeting.
Since the confiscations began in February, human rights activists have raised concern that the banning of the solar powered radios violates the people’s constitutional right to information.
3042
Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Nacional da Amazonias 11780 kHz June 24, 2013 0034Z
« on: June 24, 2013, 0036 UTC »
0034Z 45434 S9 Music! Lots of music. Sounds similar to last night and tonight the recorder is going.
0045Z 45434 S9 A YL & OM talking about things. No idea what.
0050Z 45434 S9 More music.
0235Z 45434 S9 Music still cookin'. Sounds like recorded at a concert or could perhaps be live.
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
0045Z 45434 S9 A YL & OM talking about things. No idea what.
0050Z 45434 S9 More music.
0235Z 45434 S9 Music still cookin'. Sounds like recorded at a concert or could perhaps be live.
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
3043
Shortwave Broadcast / The Mighty KBC 9925 kHz June 23, 2013 0007Z
« on: June 23, 2013, 0008 UTC »
Propagation not as good as usual due to a disturbance from the sun. Geomagnetic field is unsettled.
0007Z 35433 S7 Bryan Adams "One Night Love Affair"
0008Z 35433 S8 The Moody Blues "Sitting At The Wheel"
0012Z 35433 S7 DJ
0012Z 35433 S7 Shane Fenton & The Fentones "Cindy's Birthday"
0014Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0015Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC online store
0016Z 35433 S7 John Lennon "John Sinclair"
0019Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex is telling me its almost 20 minutes after the hour."
0020Z 35433 S7 The Cure "The Lovecats"
0023Z 35433 S7 The Everly Brothers "How Can I Meet Her"
0025Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox on The Mighty KBC."
0025Z 35433 S7 Status Quo "I Don't Want To Hurt You Anymore"
0029Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex says its 30 minutes after the hour, which means its time for Mr Spencer's pee break."
0031Z 35433 S7 Andy Williams "It's So Easy"
0033Z 35433 S7 DJ. Gave email address.
0033Z 35433 S7 Ben's Brothers "Stuttering"
0036Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0037Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC online store
0038Z 35433 S7 The Corrs "Only When I Sleep"
0042Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID
0042Z 35433 S7 The Rolling Stones "Wild Horses"
0048Z 35433 S7 DJ
0048Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC store
0049Z 35433 S7 Queen "Breakthru"
0053Z 45434 S7 DJ "Broadcasting from Nauen, Germany with 125,000 Watts"
0053Z 45434 S7 Bonnie Tyler "Faster Than The Speed of Night"
0057Z 45434 S7 DJ
0057Z 45434 S9 Gene Vincent "Lotta Lovin'"
0100Z 45434 S9 ID
0100Z 45434 S9 Jack Hammer "Swim"
0103Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0103Z 45434 S9 The Clash "Know Your Rights"
0107Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0107Z 45434 S9 Adam Ant "Goody Two Shoes"
0111Z 45434 S9 DJ
0111Z 45434 S9 Chicago "Lowdown"
0114Z 45434 S9 Ad - Americana International
0115Z 45434 S9 Rainbox "
0119Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0120Z 55434 S9+10 Wings "Girls' School"
0124Z 55434 S9+10 DJ + ID
0125Z 55434 S9+10 Crazy Horse "I'll Get By"
0128Z 55434 S9+ DJ
0128Z 55434 S9+ Ted Nugent "Free-For-All"
0132Z 55434 S9+ DJ
0133Z 55434 S9+ Digital transmission
0135Z 45434 S9 Vanessa "Upside Down"
0138Z 45434 S9 DJ
0138Z 45434 S9 Mason Williams "Classical Gas"
0141Z 45434 S9 Ad - Americana International
0142Z 45434 S9 Ad - Blaupunkt
0142Z 45434 S9 Ad - KBC store
0143Z 45434 S9 ID
0143Z 45434 S9 The Nice "The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack"
0146Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0146Z 45434 S9 The Les Humphries Singers "The Promised Land"
0149Z 45434 S9 ID "KBC Radio International"
0149Z 45434 S9 Ad - KBC store
0150Z 45434 S9 ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox with Eric van Willegen"
0150Z 45434 S9 DJ
0150Z 45434 S9 Clout "Without Love"
0153Z 45434 S9 Shoutouts to listeners & saying good bye for this week.
0153Z 45434 S9 Eagles "Life In The Fast Lane"
0158Z 45434 S9 ID
0159Z 45434 S9 Digital transmission
0200Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
0007Z 35433 S7 Bryan Adams "One Night Love Affair"
0008Z 35433 S8 The Moody Blues "Sitting At The Wheel"
0012Z 35433 S7 DJ
0012Z 35433 S7 Shane Fenton & The Fentones "Cindy's Birthday"
0014Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0015Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC online store
0016Z 35433 S7 John Lennon "John Sinclair"
0019Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex is telling me its almost 20 minutes after the hour."
0020Z 35433 S7 The Cure "The Lovecats"
0023Z 35433 S7 The Everly Brothers "How Can I Meet Her"
0025Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox on The Mighty KBC."
0025Z 35433 S7 Status Quo "I Don't Want To Hurt You Anymore"
0029Z 35433 S7 DJ "My fake Rolex says its 30 minutes after the hour, which means its time for Mr Spencer's pee break."
0031Z 35433 S7 Andy Williams "It's So Easy"
0033Z 35433 S7 DJ. Gave email address.
0033Z 35433 S7 Ben's Brothers "Stuttering"
0036Z 35433 S7 Ad - Americana International
0037Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC online store
0038Z 35433 S7 The Corrs "Only When I Sleep"
0042Z 35433 S7 DJ + ID
0042Z 35433 S7 The Rolling Stones "Wild Horses"
0048Z 35433 S7 DJ
0048Z 35433 S7 Ad - KBC store
0049Z 35433 S7 Queen "Breakthru"
0053Z 45434 S7 DJ "Broadcasting from Nauen, Germany with 125,000 Watts"
0053Z 45434 S7 Bonnie Tyler "Faster Than The Speed of Night"
0057Z 45434 S7 DJ
0057Z 45434 S9 Gene Vincent "Lotta Lovin'"
0100Z 45434 S9 ID
0100Z 45434 S9 Jack Hammer "Swim"
0103Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0103Z 45434 S9 The Clash "Know Your Rights"
0107Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0107Z 45434 S9 Adam Ant "Goody Two Shoes"
0111Z 45434 S9 DJ
0111Z 45434 S9 Chicago "Lowdown"
0114Z 45434 S9 Ad - Americana International
0115Z 45434 S9 Rainbox "
0119Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0120Z 55434 S9+10 Wings "Girls' School"
0124Z 55434 S9+10 DJ + ID
0125Z 55434 S9+10 Crazy Horse "I'll Get By"
0128Z 55434 S9+ DJ
0128Z 55434 S9+ Ted Nugent "Free-For-All"
0132Z 55434 S9+ DJ
0133Z 55434 S9+ Digital transmission
0135Z 45434 S9 Vanessa "Upside Down"
0138Z 45434 S9 DJ
0138Z 45434 S9 Mason Williams "Classical Gas"
0141Z 45434 S9 Ad - Americana International
0142Z 45434 S9 Ad - Blaupunkt
0142Z 45434 S9 Ad - KBC store
0143Z 45434 S9 ID
0143Z 45434 S9 The Nice "The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack"
0146Z 45434 S9 DJ + ID
0146Z 45434 S9 The Les Humphries Singers "The Promised Land"
0149Z 45434 S9 ID "KBC Radio International"
0149Z 45434 S9 Ad - KBC store
0150Z 45434 S9 ID "You are listening to the Giant Jukebox with Eric van Willegen"
0150Z 45434 S9 DJ
0150Z 45434 S9 Clout "Without Love"
0153Z 45434 S9 Shoutouts to listeners & saying good bye for this week.
0153Z 45434 S9 Eagles "Life In The Fast Lane"
0158Z 45434 S9 ID
0159Z 45434 S9 Digital transmission
0200Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
3044
General Radio Discussion / Greece court orders state broadcaster ERT back on air
« on: June 17, 2013, 2332 UTC »
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22945155
A Greek court has ordered that state broadcaster ERT, which was shut down by the government last week, can resume transmissions.
However, the court also upheld a plan by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to replace ERT with a smaller broadcaster.
The ruling came as Mr Samaras and his coalition partners - furious that they had not been consulted about ERT's closure - held crisis talks.
The prime minister's decision triggered mass protests across the country.
The leading party in the governing coalition, the conservative New Democracy, said last Tuesday that ERT suffered from chronic mismanagement, lack of transparency and waste.
It shut the broadcaster down with the loss of nearly 2,700 jobs. Viewers saw TV screens go black as the signal was switched off.
Greece's top administrative court - the Council of State - upheld Mr Samaras's plan to replace ERT with a new broadcaster later this year but backed the position of the other coalition partners that the signal must be restored in the interim.
The case was brought by ERT's union in an attempt to overturn Mr Samaras's surprise move.
The BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says each side will claim victory, but in the end the unity of the government has been badly weakened.
During talks, Mr Samaras had suggested a new, leaner, cheaper broadcaster would be established within weeks and he proposed hiring a small team to produce news programmes in the interim.
But this idea was rejected by his two coalition partners - Evangelos Venizelos of Pasok and Fotis Kouvelis of the Democratic Left.
"The court decision is essentially in line with what we've said: no one has the right to shut down national radio and television and turn screens black," said Mr Kouvelis after the emergency talks ended.
Mr Venizelos said they would meet again on Wednesday to discuss a cabinet reshuffle.
An official from New Democracy said the ruling affirmed the government's position that ERT had been scrapped.
The row has threatened to topple the government and force Greece into snap elections, triggering political turmoil with implications for the whole eurozone.
ERT workers celebrated outside the broadcaster's headquarters after hearing the court ruling.
"I've been here seven nights and this is the first time I've seen people smile," said reporter Eleni Hrona.
However, our correspondent says there is also the recognition that later this year many will lose their jobs as a smaller broadcaster is formed.
Meanwhile, as coalition leaders went into talks, the main opposition party Syriza held a rally in Athens' Syntagma Square to demand early elections.
A Greek court has ordered that state broadcaster ERT, which was shut down by the government last week, can resume transmissions.
However, the court also upheld a plan by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to replace ERT with a smaller broadcaster.
The ruling came as Mr Samaras and his coalition partners - furious that they had not been consulted about ERT's closure - held crisis talks.
The prime minister's decision triggered mass protests across the country.
The leading party in the governing coalition, the conservative New Democracy, said last Tuesday that ERT suffered from chronic mismanagement, lack of transparency and waste.
It shut the broadcaster down with the loss of nearly 2,700 jobs. Viewers saw TV screens go black as the signal was switched off.
Greece's top administrative court - the Council of State - upheld Mr Samaras's plan to replace ERT with a new broadcaster later this year but backed the position of the other coalition partners that the signal must be restored in the interim.
The case was brought by ERT's union in an attempt to overturn Mr Samaras's surprise move.
The BBC's Mark Lowen in Athens says each side will claim victory, but in the end the unity of the government has been badly weakened.
During talks, Mr Samaras had suggested a new, leaner, cheaper broadcaster would be established within weeks and he proposed hiring a small team to produce news programmes in the interim.
But this idea was rejected by his two coalition partners - Evangelos Venizelos of Pasok and Fotis Kouvelis of the Democratic Left.
"The court decision is essentially in line with what we've said: no one has the right to shut down national radio and television and turn screens black," said Mr Kouvelis after the emergency talks ended.
Mr Venizelos said they would meet again on Wednesday to discuss a cabinet reshuffle.
An official from New Democracy said the ruling affirmed the government's position that ERT had been scrapped.
The row has threatened to topple the government and force Greece into snap elections, triggering political turmoil with implications for the whole eurozone.
ERT workers celebrated outside the broadcaster's headquarters after hearing the court ruling.
"I've been here seven nights and this is the first time I've seen people smile," said reporter Eleni Hrona.
However, our correspondent says there is also the recognition that later this year many will lose their jobs as a smaller broadcaster is formed.
Meanwhile, as coalition leaders went into talks, the main opposition party Syriza held a rally in Athens' Syntagma Square to demand early elections.
3045
MW Loggings / UNID 1690 kHz AM June 17, 2013 0210Z
« on: June 17, 2013, 0210 UTC »
Local UNID is back.
0210Z 55555 Donnie Iris "Ah! Leah!"
0213Z 44554 ABC "The Look Of Love (Part 1)"
0216Z 44454 Lou Reed "Wak On The Wild Side"
0220Z 44454 Tyrone Davis "Turn Back The Hands of Time"
0223Z 44454 Major Lance "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um"
0225Z 44454 The Flirtations "Nothing But A Heartache"
0228Z 44454 Mary Wells "You Beat Me To The Punch"
0230Z 44454 The Mamas & The Papas "California Dreamin'"
0233Z 44454 Michael Jackson "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
0239Z 44444 Herman's Hermits "Listen People"
0241Z 44444 Bobby Vee "Take Good Care Of My Baby"
0243Z 44444 Old Coca-Cola commercial
0243Z 44444 ID(?) "Real Oldies"
0243Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire
0210Z 55555 Donnie Iris "Ah! Leah!"
0213Z 44554 ABC "The Look Of Love (Part 1)"
0216Z 44454 Lou Reed "Wak On The Wild Side"
0220Z 44454 Tyrone Davis "Turn Back The Hands of Time"
0223Z 44454 Major Lance "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um"
0225Z 44454 The Flirtations "Nothing But A Heartache"
0228Z 44454 Mary Wells "You Beat Me To The Punch"
0230Z 44454 The Mamas & The Papas "California Dreamin'"
0233Z 44454 Michael Jackson "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
0239Z 44444 Herman's Hermits "Listen People"
0241Z 44444 Bobby Vee "Take Good Care Of My Baby"
0243Z 44444 Old Coca-Cola commercial
0243Z 44444 ID(?) "Real Oldies"
0243Z Off air
Yaesu FT-847 with 100' wire