DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-089, May 22, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser, ghauser@hotmail.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. [continued from 3-088] ** MEXICO. A carrier strong enough to het adjacent NSB 9595 and Rebelde 9600 was noted May 22 around 1245 around 9598 --- would this be XEYU? An annoyance, not strong enough to pull any modulation (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. See USA [non] ** NIGERIA. SURVEY OF THE COUNTRY'S MEDIA ENVIRONMENT Overview; limits on media freedom The Nigerian news media industry is one of the largest and most vibrant in Africa. It includes the state-owned Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), a network of government-run national, regional and state radio stations; the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), which controls a similar network of government-owned television stations; a few private radio and television stations; and over 100 national and regional publications, most privately owned. As in most African countries, radio is the most important means of mass communication in the country. With radio sharing and community listening being common practices, the vast majority of Nigerians have access to radio. Furthermore, radio broadcasts from either national or regional stations reach virtually all of the national territory. By comparison, television sets tend to be centred more in the urban areas and more available to the affluent than to the poor. Similarly, newspapers tend to be more available in urban than rural areas and more prevalent among the better educated southern population than among northerners. The country's overall literacy rate is approximately 57 per cent, a factor limiting the relative influence of newspapers. The Nigerian constitution provides for freedom of the press, and most observers agree that the press has been enjoying greater freedom since 1999, the advent of the civilian government under Olusegun Obasanjo. Nevertheless, the US-based Freedom House rated Nigeria as only "partly free" in its 2002 Press Freedom Survey, in which 53 per cent of African countries were rated "not free" and 15 per cent were rated "free." Freedom House notes that criminal defamation laws "are used against journalists to inspire some self-censorship." It also alleges that Nigerian journalists are often subject to violence, especially in the north of the country. The State Department's most recent human rights report, issued in March 2002, states that the government "generally respected" press freedom, though "there were problems in some areas." The report notes that Decree 60, signed into law during the former military regime, is still on the books. It explains that Decree 60, which was widely criticized by Nigerian journalists as unconstitutional and an "instrument of censorship", created a Press Council with the power to accredit, register and suspend journalists. The council took no official action during 2001, but journalists still regard the existence of Decree 60 and the Press Council as significant limitations on freedom of the press. Difficulties with journalistic standards Issues of educational and ethical standards for journalists are often as important to the quality of news media in Africa as issues of press freedom. Media observers note that in Nigeria, as throughout Africa, journalists have long suffered from a lack of formal professional training. Many working reporters have learned their trade primarily through whatever on-the-job training is made available by their employer. The lack of training, the observers point out, often results in poor journalistic practices - such as basing a story on only one source, reporting solely on the basis of unnamed sources, or reporting only one side of controversial stories. That said, many observers will also assert that Nigeria has the most professional level of journalism to be found in Africa. Professional training is available from independent organizations, such as the Nigerian Institute for Journalism, NIJ, which offers an independent training certificate programme. Increasingly, media organizations are requiring degrees or certificates such as those offered by the NIJ as a requirement for a reporter's job. Media observers also note ethical problems that plague journalism in Nigeria. The Media Rights Agenda, an organization "promoting and protecting press freedom and freedom of _expression in Nigeria", has noted a long list of unethical practices that it claims are widespread throughout the country (Media Rights Monitor, September 2000). These include soliciting bribes to run a particular story or to suppress certain facts; ethnic or political bias in reporting; reporting on stories about which the journalist is uninformed; reporting, or failing to report, a story in deference to an authority; and unduly sensationalizing a story. Though these problems do undoubtedly affect the quality and reliability of journalism in Nigeria, it must also be noted that professional journalist organizations in Nigeria have recognized the problem, publicized it and made some efforts to overcome it. The Nigerian Union of Journalists, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, for instance, in 1998 formally adopted a Code of Ethics and called upon all of their members to observe it. Radio The FRCN operates five "national stations" (which identify as "Radio Nigeria") from the cities of Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Enugu, as well as a "network service" relayed at times by all these stations. Radio Nigeria-Lagos provides three separate channels: Channel 1 broadcasts in English on mediumwave and FM, as well as shortwave; Channel 2 broadcasts in English on mediumwave and FM; and Channel 3 broadcasts on FM only in English, Nigerian Pidgin and the major indigenous languages of Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. The Radio Nigeria national stations in Ibadan (southwest Nigeria), Enugu (eastern) and Kaduna (north) offer one or more channels in English and the indigenous languages spoken in each particular area. In addition to the national stations, each of the country's 36 states has at least one state radio station broadcasting in mediumwave or FM. State radios typically hook up to the national network for major newscasts of the day, but otherwise carry their own programming. Each of the state radio stations broadcasts in a combination of English and the vernacular languages that predominate in the state, ensuring that radio is almost universally accessible. The national radios operate solely on government funding and are not permitted to accept commercial advertising. State radios receive government funding but are allowed to accept some advertising as well (American Express Small Business Report). There were six private radio stations broadcasting in 2001, according to the US State Department Human Rights Report. The most popular of the private stations are Ray Power 1 (Lagos) and Ray Power 2 (Abuja), owned by DAAR Communications. The stations draw an especially large audience of young adults, in large part due to the stations' musical appeal as well as its relays of BBC programming. Ray Power stations also feature local news, phone-in programmes, and sports. DAAR Communications also has networking agreements with over 30 state radios throughout Nigeria, giving Ray Power a nearly nationwide reach. Available audience survey data indicate that Ray Power stations enjoy an audience of between two and four times as large as Radio Nigeria. The Voice of Nigeria (VON) is the country's external shortwave radio service. As described on the station's web site http://www.voiceofnigeria.org VON is an autonomous corporation that has been granted by statute the exclusive authority "for broadcasting externally, by radio, Nigeria's viewpoint to any part of the world". VON is required by law to broadcast "as a public interest in the interest of Nigeria" and to "ensure that its services reflect views of Nigeria as a federation and give adequate expression to the culture, characteristics, affairs and opinions of Nigeria". It broadcasts on shortwave in English, French, Swahili, Hausa, Fulfulde and Arabic from studios in Lagos and Abuja. Important international news sources for Nigerians include direct shortwave reception and FM rebroadcasts of BBC World Service and Voice of America services in English and Hausa. Television The NTA operates national and regional television stations, and at least 30 states currently operate their own television stations as well. The NTA national programming is in English only, while regional stations broadcast in a combination of English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. NTA programming includes a variety of general interest shows, including news, talk shows, sports, soap operas and business programmes. Since the early 1990s, Nigeria has allowed private television broadcasting. According to the State Department Human Rights Report, in 2001 there were nine privately owned television stations that broadcast domestic news and political commentary in the country and two private satellite television services. These include African Independent Television, AIT, which is owned by DAAR Communications, which also owns Ray Power Radio. AIT broadcasts in the Lagos area and, via satellite, to Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. Its 24-hour programming includes African news and locally- produced entertainment. The station's goal, as stated in press releases, is to present a positive image of Africa to the world and to ensure that Africa is "is represented by Africans". Other important television broadcasters include Minaj TV, which serves eastern Nigeria and operates both a cable network and a satellite broadcasting service, and Galaxy TV, which broadcasts sports and entertainment to western Nigeria in English and Yoruba. In the short history of private broadcasting in Nigeria, private television stations have had a difficult time remaining solvent, due to high costs and scarce advertising revenue. These problems have been aggravated by a law requiring that programming for terrestrial broadcasting consist of at least 60 per cent locally produced content (80 per cent for satellite broadcasting). This requirement causes hardships because locally produced programmes tend to be more expensive than much of the available foreign programming. Foreign television broadcasts are readily available to the few Nigerians able to afford satellite antennas, for the government does not restrict access to foreign satellite broadcasts. Print media The Nigerian press is made up of a wide variety of publications - some owned by the government, but most privately owned. These include regional newspapers and papers with a national readership; newspapers that strive for professional, objective journalism and others that designed to espouse the interests of particular ethnic groups; popular tabloids, dailies appealing to an educated elite, and serious weekly news magazines. According to available market data, daily readership of Nigerian newspapers is limited to 23 per cent of the population, and no single title reaches more than 18 per cent of the population. The federal government owns two main daily newspapers, the New Nigerian (which publishes separate editions in Lagos and Kaduna) and the Lagos Daily Times. Both papers are published in English, but the New Nigerian also publishes an edition in Hausa. Several states also publish daily or weekly newspapers, all in English, but they depend heavily on state subsidies to stay in production. The majority of Nigeria's newspapers are privately owned and published in Lagos. Several have a national audience. Among the most widely read, with circulation figures exceeding 200,000, are the Daily Times, The Guardian and the Daily Champion. The Kaduna New Nigerian enjoys a large regional readership in the north of the country. Outside Lagos in the southwestern part of the country, the Ibadan Nigerian Tribune enjoys a large audience in the major cities in the states of Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Kwara. The popularity of some of these newspapers reflects the fact that the papers strongly champion the interests of a particular ethnic group. The Nigerian Tribune, for example, is noted for its defence of Yoruba interests and its support of the Yoruba-dominated Alliance for Democracy party. Experienced media observers note that the paper has been critical of Hausa-led military regimes in the past and has denounced the juntas as the "Kaduna Mafia" or the "Hausa-Fulani oligarchy". The Lagos Daily Champion has long promoted Igbo sociopolitical interests. In an interview published in the March 2002 issue of Lagos Media Review magazine, Emma Agu, CEO/editor in chief of the Daily Champion, confirmed the paper's pro-Igbo ideology: "I admit that in Igbo issues, or issues that affect the East, Champion comes out strongly. We have no apologies to offer for that." The Abuja Daily Trust has a pro-North tendency. It generally favours northern leaders and tends to be critical of the Lagos press and southern leaders. The Vanguard and The Guardian (both published in Lagos) are two widely read and highly respected newspapers that claim no political, religious or cultural affiliation. Both papers demonstrate professional journalism and objective reporting on all topics of current national interest - including controversial topics such as corruption, human rights abuses and good governance. Both also feature a wide range of commentary and editorials on issues of national and international concern. The Guardian, whose columnists and contributors include university lecturers, top business executives, and national politicians, is aimed at a well-educated audience. It is a "serious" publication, likely to be read by the country's influential business leaders, politicians and policymakers. According to an Internews survey, The Guardian is read by 47 per cent of Nigeria's "decisionmakers", more than any other daily. This Day, a Lagos daily newer than The Guardian, is also well regarded and highly credible, especially in the north. It pays its journalists relatively high salaries, so that they are less susceptible to bribery, and gives them continuing professional training throughout their careers - practices it also shares with The Guardian. According to the Internews survey, This Day is the most widely read daily by decisionmakers in the northern cities of Kaduna (34 per cent) and Kano (29 per cent). As The Guardian and This Day, the weekly news magazines Tell and Newswatch are well-respected publications and influential opinion shapers within Nigeria. Readers of both papers tend to be educated professionals and businessmen. According to an UN report, Tell has a weekly circulation of approximately 100,000; Newswatch has a weekly print run of 50,000. According to Internews, Tell is read by 67 per cent of Nigeria's decisionmakers; Newswatch, by 32 per cent. Many Nigerian news publications - including the dailies The Guardian, Post Express, Vanguard, Comet and Daily Trust, as well as the weekly news magazine Newswatch - also appear in Internet versions on their own web sites. Other news publications are hosted, at least in part, by Internet portals such as AllAfrica.com and Lagos-online.com. News agency The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, is the country's only news agency. A government-owned agency, its English-language reports of domestic political and economic news appear in several local newspapers and are also e-mailed to subscribers. Internet There are about 10 Internet service providers in Nigeria and approximately 100,000 Internet users. The vast majority of these users access the Internet through the cyber cafes that have been springing up on the streets of the major cities. Costs for dial-up subscriptions at home are prohibitively expensive (equivalent to approximately 60 dollars a month) and the telecommunications infrastructure is not developed or reliable enough to support general home use in any case (BBC News). Internet access is generally not available outside the large cities, due to a lack of telephone lines, though the use of wireless Internet services is increasing. Internet users in Nigeria can access a wide range of local sites, providing the same types of information, business, social and entertainment services widely available in developed countries. According to the State Department's Human Rights Report, the government does not restrict access to the Internet. Source: Chris Greenway, BBC Monitoring research May 03 (via DXLD) ** PERU. En el Perú hay 806 estaciones de radio y 70 de televisión piratas. El Sistema Ncional de Gestión del Espectro Radioeléctrico del MTC señala que 650 emisoras ilegales operan en la frecuencia modulada (El Comercio, May 20) Interesting radio related sites: http://www.comitederadio.com/pe/ http://apap.org.pe/directoriaradio.html (via Tetsuya Hirahara, ``El Tiempo Hechicero`` DX News, May via Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Radio Gardarika will be again on SW between June 9 and 16, 2003. The schedule: 1800-2100 UT, 6235 kHz, main target area: north- west Europe (Mikhail Timofeyev, St. Petersburg, Russia, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** RWANDA. Noted Radio Rwanda, (Radiodiffusion de la Republique Rwandaise) Kigali, at 1800 UTC on 6055 kHz with news in French, which was followed by programs in the vernacular. Heard 10 minutes of local and international news in English at 1830 UTC on the same frequency of 6055 khz. Radio Rwanda comes across here with strong signals. However, there is slight interference from Radio Nigeria, Ibadan on 6050 kHz (Livinus Torty in Chad, AWR Wavescan May 25 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. This week`s Dispatches on CBC Radio 1 has a feature on Sa`udi radio; starts 15 minutes into the half hour program available on demand http://www.cbc.ca/dispatches/audio/030521_show.rm (Glenn Hauser, May 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA [non]. HISTORY --- A GIFT OF SISULU [More on Radio Freedom ...] http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=225&fArticleId=146812 May 16, 2003, By Alf Kumalo Reminiscing about Walter Sisulu brings a kaleidoscope of memories of the struggle. Firstly, I remember a voice that delivered a message to the apartheid regime that was chilling in its intent, deliberation and dignity. The ANC had set up Radio Freedom, broadcasting from Lusaka with clandestine transmitters in Johannesburg and Rustenburg. Sisulu's voice was heard over the airwaves of the illegal transmission, which broadcast sporadically. He delivered a powerful message from their hiding place at Lilliesleaf Farm in Rivonia. The oracle bothered friend and foe. We thought the political message would lead to their arrest. But it did not and the messages increased in number and intensity. Apartheid was at its harshest then, with the banning of the ANC and PAC, but also after the brutal killing of 69 people in Sharpeville in 1960. Next, I remember the scene at the Pretoria Supreme Court where Sisulu, Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders were facing treason charges in 1962. Using a self-time exposure, I managed to photograph a picture in court that would have represented the most poignant image of that proceeding. But by taking a picture inside a courtroom I would put the paper I was freelancing for in trouble. It is one of my deepest regrets that I cannot find that image - and it has never been printed. Another abiding memory is of Sisulu's release from prison in 1989. At a welcoming ceremony at the church next to his house in Orlando West, he was singing the national anthem with such vigour that he pumped his fist in the air with great emotion. Remember: Sisulu had not sung Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika with an audience for 26 years. It was a great moment. Back in the '60s, I remember coming across Sisulu's son, Max, in Francistown, Botswana, in a building known as the White House. Among the many refugees in exile with him was Hage Geingob, who was to become Namibia's prime minister after freedom in 1990. We were in Francistown chasing down a story about Arthur Goldreich and Harold Wolpe, who had been arrested with Sisulu and others at Lilliesleaf Farm, but who escaped from Marshall Square in Johannesburg, disguised as monks. These two guys were kept in prison in Francistown for their own safety after a bomb attack on an aircraft they were due to travel in. I informed the family back in Soweto that I had met their son and that he was safe. They were greatly relieved. These are just some of the memories he gave me; after a while, memories are all you have. Hamba kahle Tata Sisulu. (The Star May 16, 2003 via A. Sennitt, Holland for CRW via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN -- Coming up on Radio Sweden: Thursday: "HeartBeat" Friday: Our weekly review Saturday: Special -- "Behind the Scenes at Radio Sweden" Sunday: In "Sounds Nordic" cellphone conversation openers and Whyte Seeds Because of interference on our frequency at 15750 kHz during our broadcast to East Asia at 12:30 hrs UTC, we're now testing our other channel, 17505 kHz, in two directions at once. So listeners to this broadcast in both Southeast Asia and in Australia will find us on 17505 kHz. Reception reports are welcome: radiosweden@sr.se (SCDX/MediaScan May 22 via DXLD) Radio Sweden would like to get reception reports on their EE- transmission towards Asia (Japan-Australia) on the new 17505 kHz, between 1230-1300 UT. Test starts today and continue at least a week.You can win T-shirts by sending your reception reports to: anders.backlin@sr.se 73 (Bernt-Ivan Holmberg, Möklinta, Sweden, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** U K. ANOTHER EAR-BASHING FOR BYFORD As some of you know, the BBC WS has been publicising its availability on BBC domestic television stations. However, much of their TV promos have been completely silent, much to the annoyance of blind and partially-sighted people, who have long been campaigning for audio description of television programmes, and against commercial companies who show ads with no verbal dialogue whatsoever - often only music, so that visually-impaired people have no idea of what the ads may be about. In the case of the BBC WS, there were extremely long periods of dead air. Mark Byford, as well as being the MD of BBC WS, is supposed to be the so-called BBC Disability Champion. He was expected to be grilled on the BBC domestic programme for blind and partially people "In Touch" on Tuesday 20 May 2003. However, he was reported to be unwell, but the programme's Presenter, Peter White, hopes to carry out the grilling in next Tuesday's programme, at 1940 UT [on Radio 4]. So, Mr Byford's illness has only delayed the moment when he will have to face the music (Paul David, UK, May 21, swprograms via DXLD) ?? As a sighted person constantly bombarded with advertising trying to sell me stuff I neither want nor need, I suggest you count your blessings when you hear music or dead air (gh, DXLD) See http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/help/focusgroup.shtml -- The BBCWS is running some UK focus groups in June and is soliciting participation. Perhaps Paul David or others based in the UK might want to participate. Might get you a free meal or two (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. ELSTEIN TO HEAD TORY REVIEW OF BBC FUNDING Owen Gibson, Thursday May 22, 2003, The Guardian David Elstein, the former chief executive of Channel Five, will head a Conservative party review of the future funding of the BBC ahead of the renewal of the corporation's royal charter. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,960909,00.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. New (?) IBB transmitter sites Dear hcdxers, while checking the IBB frequency list, I discovered these transmitter sites, which obviously have been added recently: U-B = Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 981 1200 1400 VOA ENGL U-B 140 981 2000 2200 VOA ENGL U-B 140 KAB = Kabul, Afghanistan 1296 0000 0030 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 0030 0130 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 0130 0230 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 0230 0330 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 0330 0430 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 0430 0530 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 0530 0630 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 0630 0730 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 0730 0830 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 0830 0930 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 0930 1030 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 1030 1130 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 1130 1230 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 1230 1330 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 1330 1430 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 1430 1530 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 1530 1630 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 1630 1730 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 1730 1830 RFE DA KAB ND 1296 1830 1930 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 1930 2030 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 2030 2130 VOA PASH KAB ND 1296 2130 2230 VOA DARI KAB ND 1296 2230 2330 RFE PA KAB ND 1296 2330 2400 RFE DA KAB ND Does anyone know the power of the transmitters on 981 & 1296 kHz? Best wishes, (Uwe Volk, Germany, May 21, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** U S A. KVOH Spurs --- The spurious signals from KVOH are back. They seem to occur when the transmitter is first turned on. I heard the spurs, at 17480, 17628, 17921, and, 18067 kHz, on May 15 from transmitter turn on at 1648 until 1659 UT. Today May 22, the spurs were present from turn on at 1651 UT until 1812. The spurs seemed to gradually weaken after 1721 until their disappearance (Donald Wilson, a few km from the site, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Radio Station WWRB has requested via its local congressional representative (congressional inquiry) that a notice of determination be made by the Internal Revenue service to put in writing the specific legality of non profit 501 C3 tax exempt organizations holding out tax payer subsidized assets and broadcast facilities out for compensation and hire. Specifically can a 501 C tax exempt church /charity/ religious organization sell air time on tax payer subsidized broadcast facilities to clearly commercial for profit broadcasters, Radio networks, political change forces. to affect / influance legislation, political activities, selling hard core commercial goods and services to the general public. As many are aware, 501c3 exempt groups pay no state sales taxes on equipment or electricity purchases, no property taxes to local governments, no regulatory fees to various governmental agencies. exempt from various permit fees. Pastors of such groups can also exempt themselves from paying any social security taxes which can amount to up to 15,000 dollars a year in personal tax savings each year. You the reader cannot exempt yourself from paying social security taxes. Obviously the 501C3 tax exempt group is enjoying an unfair economic / unfair trade practices amounting to at least 40 to 60 percent economic advantage over a tax paying non exempt individual business or corporation. WWRB seeks this determination from the IRS in writing as this area of tax law has always been a very gray area. If the IRS returns a positive response that it legal that 501c3 tax exempt groups can hold out taxpayer subsidized assets out for compensation hire to commercial for profit broadcasters WWRB will immediately file for and use the IRS notice of determination as justification for 501c3 non profit status in order to remain competitive (Dave Frantz, WWRB, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. "The Unseen War" by Michael Massing, New York Review of Books, 29-5-03, discusses his monitoring, from Qatar, of BBC, Sky News, CNN International, MSNBC, and Al Jazeera. "CNN International bore more resemblance to the BBC than to its domestic edition --- a difference that showed just how market-driven were the tone and content of the broadcasts. For the most part, US news organizations gave Americans the war they thought Americans wanted to see." http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16293 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. THE GREAT MEDIA GULP The New York Times, May 22, 2003 By WILLIAM SAFIRE, WASHINGTON The future formation of American public opinion has fallen into the lap of an ambitious 36-year-old lawyer whose name you never heard. On June 2, after deliberations conducted behind closed doors, he will decide the fate of media large and small, print and broadcast. No other decision made in Washington will more directly affect how you will be informed, persuaded and entertained. His name is Kevin Martin. He and his wife, Catherine, now Vice President Dick Cheney's public affairs adviser, are the most puissant young "power couple" in the capital. He is one of three Republican members of the five-person Federal Communications Commission, and because he recently broke ranks with his chairman, Michael Powell (Colin's son), on a telecom controversy, this engaging North Carolinian has become the swing vote on the power play that has media moguls salivating. The F.C.C. proposal remains officially secret to avoid public comment but was forced into the open by the two commission Democrats. It would end the ban in most cities of cross-ownership of television stations and newspapers, allowing such companies as The New York Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune to gobble up ever more electronic outlets. It would permit Viacom, Disney and AOL Time Warner to control TV stations with nearly half the national audience. In the largest cities, it would allow owners of "only" two TV stations to buy a third. We've already seen what happened when the F.C.C. allowed the monopolization of local radio: today three companies own half the stations in America, delivering a homogenized product that neglects local news coverage and dictates music sales. And the F.C.C. has abdicated enforcement of the "public interest" requirement in issuing licenses. Time was, broadcasters had to regularly reapply and show public-interest programming to earn continuance; now they mail the F.C.C. a postcard every eight years that nobody reads. Ah, but aren't viewers and readers now blessed with a whole new world of hot competition through cable and the Internet? That's the shucks-we're-no-monopolists line that Rupert Murdoch will take today in testimony before the pussycats of John McCain's Senate Commerce Committee. The answer is no. Many artists, consumers, musicians and journalists know that such protestations of cable and Internet competition by the huge dominators of content and communication are malarkey. The overwhelming amount of news and entertainment comes via broadcast and print. Putting those outlets in fewer and bigger hands profits the few at the cost of the many. Does that sound un-conservative? Not to me. The concentration of power political, corporate, media, cultural should be anathema to conservatives. The diffusion of power through local control, thereby encouraging individual participation, is the essence of federalism and the greatest expression of democracy. Why do we have more channels but fewer real choices today? Because the ownership of our means of communication is shrinking. Moguls glory in amalgamation, but more individuals than they realize resent the loss of local control and community identity. We opponents of megamergers and cross-ownership are afflicted with what sociologists call "pluralistic ignorance." Libertarians pop off from what we assume to be the fringes of the left and right wings, but do not yet realize that we outnumber the exponents of the new collectivist efficiency. That's why I march uncomfortably alongside CodePink Women for Peace and the National Rifle Association, between liberal Olympia Snowe and conservative Ted Stevens under the banner of "localism, competition and diversity of views." That's why, too, we resent the conflicted refusal of most networks, stations and their putative purchasers to report fully and in prime time on their owners' power grab scheduled for June 2. Must broadcasters of news act only on behalf of the powerful broadcast lobby? Are they not obligated, in the long-forgotten "public interest," to call to the attention of viewers and readers the arrogance of a regulatory commission that will not hold extended public hearings on the most controversial decision in its history? So much of our lives should not be in the hands of one swing-vote commissioner. Let's debate this out in the open, take polls, get the president on the record and turn up the heat. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Why Commissioner Copps opposes greater media concentration. Long --- but great! http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-234736A1.doc (John Broomall, GA, Christian Community Broadcasters, May 21, WTFDA via DXLD) LOBBYISTS PAID MILLIONS IN FCC TRAVEL EXPENSES, WATCHDOG GROUP REPORTS By DAVID HO, ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Thursday, May 22, 2003 7:42AM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal Communications Commission officials have taken more than 2,500 trips in the last eight years, most of them paid for by the telecommunications and broadcasting industries the agency regulates, a watchdog group said. . . http://newsobserver.com/24hour/business/story/895139p-6236840c.html (via Jilly Dybka, TN, DXLD) Same: INCESTUOUS CORRUPTION AT THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION By DAVID HO, The Associated Press, 5/21/03 8:14 PM WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal Communications Commission officials have taken more than 2,500 trips in the last eight years, most of them paid for by the telecommunications and broadcasting industries the agency regulates, a watchdog group said. The Center for Public Integrity report, based on records from the federal Office of Government Ethics, details trips worth more than $250 taken by agency commissioners and staff between May 1995 and February 2003. The total cost of the trips was $2.8 million. Most trips were paid by industry sponsors so officials could attend conventions, conferences and trade shows. Others were paid for by universities and technical associations. The report being released Thursday said all the trips appear to be legal under government guidelines. Other agencies also routinely accept travel and entertainment gifts. "It reveals more than ever before just how incestuous the relationship is between the FCC and the broadcasting and cable industries it is supposed to regulate," said Charles Lewis, director of the center. FCC spokesman David Fiske said the trips are meant to be educational and are reviewed internally to make sure they are ethical. Fiske said the shows and conferences help officials stay current on technology they regulate. "Commissioners and the staff feel it is important to be able to get outside the Beltway and get lots of information from a wide variety of groups with a wide variety of viewpoints," he said. The report said the top destination for FCC officials -- with 330 trips -- was Las Vegas, the site of many industry conventions, including the annual meeting of the National Association of Broadcasters. NAB was the largest industry sponsor of FCC trips, spending $191,472 to bring 206 agency officials to its events, the report said. "It is only reasonable that Washington policy-makers would want to attend NAB conventions to learn everything they can about the businesses they regulate," NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton said. The FCC is scheduled to vote June 2 on a plan to make broad changes to the rules governing ownership of newspapers and TV and radio stations. FCC Chairman Michael Powell and the two other Republicans on the commission favor loosening regulations, an outcome sought by many large media companies that say the rules are outdated. The NAB has been lobbying to keep existing media ownership rules, particularly one that prevents a single company from owning TV stations that reach more than 35 percent of U.S. households. The Center for Public Integrity takes no position on the ownership review. Other top destinations for FCC officials were New Orleans, New York and London. On some occasions officials stayed at high-priced hotels such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, said Bob Williams, senior writer at the center. Of the traveling FCC officials, Powell ranked No. 5 with 44 trips -- 30 as a commissioner and 14 as chairman. The value of those trips was about $85,000. His most expensive was a weeklong seminar in Aspen, Colo., costing $6,200 and paid for by the Aspen Institute, a think tank. The other four commissioners took far fewer trips. Powell has been on the commission since 1997, while the others joined more recently. The top trip-taker at the agency is Roy Stewart, chief of the FCC's Office of Broadcast License Policy and former chief of the FCC's media bureau, which makes recommendations to the commissioners on the media ownership rules. Stewart took 107 trips worth about $76,000. Most were sponsored by state broadcaster associations. The Center for Public Integrity has created a 65,000-record, searchable database with information on ownership of virtually every radio and TV station, cable network and phone company. ------ On the Net: Federal Communications Commission: http://www.fcc.gov Center for Public Integrity: http://www.openairwaves.org/telecom/report.aspx?aid15 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) LOCAL MEDIA POISED FOR CHANGE AFTER FCC VOTE By Chris Lewis, May 21, 2003 The media landscape in Nashville could be changing dramatically this year. The Federal Communications Commission is expected to relax rules governing ownership of newspapers and television stations in the United States at a vote early next month. . . http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section_id=10&screen=news&news_id=23092 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) COULD THE FCC PLAY A DIFFERENT TUNE? By Steven Pearlstein, Wednesday, May 21, 2003; Page E01 A hallmark of local television news in Washington is how formulaic it has become. All of the stations follow roughly the same format, emphasize the same topics, and trumpet their "live shots" and "team coverage." There's always that lead-in from the weatherman that is careful to tease but never inform, and the jocular banter with the sportscaster. What's curious about this mediocre sameness is that it occurs in an intensely competitive market among stations with different owners. And that should be instructive to the debate now raging at the Federal Communications Commission over new media-concentration rules. To hear it from consumer groups and media critics, democracy as we know it will cease to exist if television networks are allowed to own a few more local affiliates or if newspapers like this one can own a major television station in their markets. The result, they warn, will be a menacing media oligopoly free to wipe out local content, ignore independent producers and relentlessly push a pro-corporate political agenda. On the other side are free-market ideologues and self-serving media giants peddling the equally silly idea that unregulated competition and new technologies will ensure lower prices, higher quality and diversity of views. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in between. As anyone who has traveled the country can tell you, there is simply no correlation between ownership size or independence and the quality of programming or journalism. Some of the worst newspapers and television stations are local independents, while some of the best are owned by media conglomerates or hometown dailies. Nor is there any indication that all big media companies share the same political or moral values. Among the networks we have a range from Fox, with its mix of conservative news and racy programming, to public broadcasting, which reliably bangs the drum for every liberal cause. And while it is true that most Americans still get their news from newspapers and television, the Internet, satellite television and radio, and 500-channel cable now offer a credible competitive threat to media giants that might use their power to squash debate or abandon local programming that people really value. On the other hand, it's also obvious that unfettered deregulation and consolidation in radio has been a disaster to everyone but Clear Channel and Viacom, which together now account for more than a third of the listeners and the revenue. While deregulated markets have produced a more efficient industry, they have also driven variety, local flavor and news gathering from the radio dial. My own view is that no great harm will come from modestly loosening TV ownership rules in large cities (a position, by the way, that does not track that of the head of The Washington Post Co.'s television unit). At the same time, I think the ownership debate misses the real issue, which is that the FCC has abdicated its statutory responsibility to ensure that television and radio stations operate in the public interest. The reason that even the laggard stations post 30, 40, even 50 percent profit margins is not because these guys are so good -- it's because they operate in markets where competition is limited by the width of the spectrum. Rather than letting them keep their monopoly profits, the government should insist that they use them to provide "public goods" that markets have never been good at generating. For radio, that would mean pulling licenses of stations that have little local programming and use long-distance disc jockeys to play the same 50 songs. For television, it might mean requiring more comprehensive, in-depth or innovative news, quality children's programming, and regular live broadcasts of local cultural events and amateur sporting events. Die-hard deregulators will say we tried this before and it didn't work. The reason it didn't was that we didn't have regulators and legislators with the backbone and the flexibility to make it work. If hospitals and universities can come up with fair and flexible accreditation processes, so can the FCC. (c) 2003 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. CHEVRONTEXACO TO STOP SPONSORING MET'S BROADCASTS By ROBIN POGREBIN May 21, 2003 ChevronTexaco announced yesterday that it would withdraw its support from the Metropolitan Opera's Saturday afternoon live radio broadcasts after the 2003-4 season, ending the longest continuous commercial sponsorship in broadcast history. Joseph Volpe, general manager of the Met, said that he was determined to continue the broadcasts without ChevronTexaco and that he would look for a new sponsor. Started on Christmas Day in 1931 with Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel," the Met matinee broadcasts have introduced opera to millions of people around the world. Mr. Volpe said the broadcasts had been "the single most powerful audience development program in introducing opera to families" and had inspired opera stars. "Many of the singers today first discovered opera on the radio broadcasts," he said. Patricia E. Yarrington, ChevronTexaco's vice president for public and government affairs, said in a statement, "As our business has evolved, we believe it is important to focus more of our resources directly with the countries and markets where we do business." Beginning in 1940 Texaco was the sole sponsor of the broadcasts, which are now heard live from the Met stage at Lincoln Center 20 times a year on 360 stations at an annual cost of about $7 million. Broadcast December through April, the broadcasts reach an estimated 10 million listeners in 42 countries. Betty Allen, a former mezzo-soprano who is now president emerita of the Harlem School of the Arts, said she listened to the broadcasts growing up in Campbell, Ohio, a suburb of Youngstown. "My neighbors were all Sicilian and Greek, and if you went up and down the street, you would hear the opera from everybody's windows," she said. "Everybody listened. It was the thing to do on Saturdays." When the program was dropped by WCRB-FM in the Boston suburb of Waltham, the largest commercial classical music station in Massachusetts, the station manager received hate mail and threatening letters. The station does not carry the broadcasts. Milton Cross was the show's announcer for more than 40 years, until his death in 1975, when Peter Allen took over. The broadcasts are presented without commercial interruption, except for references to TexacoChevron in the commentary. During intermissions the programs occasionally offers an opera quiz, popular since the early days of the broadcast, when the quiz was called "The Opera Question Forum." Listeners send in questions each year in the hope of stumping a panel of opera experts. Chevron bought Texaco for $36 billion in 2000. While $7 million may not seem like much to a major corporation, ChevronTexaco's decision comes at a time when the company has suffered financial problems. Last year the chief executive, David J. O'Reilly, took a 45 percent pay cut due to a decline in profits and the biggest drop in company shares in at least two decades. The Met, too, has had a tough year and faces a nearly $10 million deficit, attributed to the drop in foreign tourism. "Of course I'm disappointed that they've decided not to continue," Mr. Volpe said. "However, I think it is an opportunity to develop a relationship with another company." He said that one or two major corporations, which he declined to name, had expressed interest in backing the broadcast. If he is unable to secure such sponsorship by the time ChevronTexaco's support runs out, Mr. Volpe said, the show would still go on. "One way or another, it will survive," he said. "Even if we have to appeal to the radio listeners themselves for support." The matinee broadcasts grew out of financial difficulty. During the Depression the Met faced its first budget deficits and welcomed NBC's offer of $120,000 to broadcast the season in 1931. The 2003-4 live radio broadcast season is to start on Dec. 13 with the Met's new production of "La Juive," by Halevy, and is to conclude on April 24, 2004, with the broadcast of Wagner's "Goetterdaemmerung." The relationship between ChevronTexaco and the Met will continue through the Early Notes program, which ChevronTexaco has endowed in perpetuity. That program, run by the Met and the New York City Department of Education, introduces opera to public school students. ChevronTexaco also said it would donate to the Met the $1 million worth of equipment used to broadcast performances. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) CHEVRONTEXACO TO DROP MET OPERA BROADCASTS, ENDING STORIED TRADITION By RONALD BLUM, The Associated Press, 5/21/03 2:41 AM NEW YORK (AP) -- ChevronTexaco Corp. will drop its sponsorship of the Metropolitan Opera's Saturday radio broadcasts after next season, another sign of the troubled times for classical music in the United States. The Met's Saturday afternoon broadcasts have been a staple on classical music stations since 1931. Texaco Corp., then known as The Texas Co., has been the sole sponsor since 1940, the longest continuous sponsorship in broadcasting. "The Saturday broadcasts have introduced millions of people around the world to opera," Met general manager Joseph Volpe said in a statement Tuesday. "The Metropolitan Opera has already started actively seeking new sponsors for the broadcasts, which present a wonderful and unique opportunity for a sponsor with a global outlook." The Lyric Opera of Chicago eliminated its Saturday radio broadcasts for the 2002-2003 season after United and American airlines, citing financial losses, dropped their sponsorships. Texaco, based in suburban White Plains, was acquired by Chevron Inc., based in San Ramon, Calif., in 2001. Glenn F. Tilton, Texaco's last CEO, is a managing director of the Met. "ChevronTexaco has had a tremendously rewarding relationship with the Metropolitan Opera, which is a world-class cultural treasure," Patricia E. Yarrington, ChevronTexaco's vice president for public and government affairs, said in a statement. "However, as our business has evolved, we believe it is important to focus more of our resources directly with the countries and markets where we do business, with an additional emphasis on addressing pressing development needs in those communities." ChevronTexaco said it will support the Metropolitan Opera's efforts to identify sponsors for the radio broadcasts. Met broadcasts, which start each December and run through April or May, were carried over more than 360 stations in the United States last season and were available in 42 countries, the Met said. The 2003-04 season includes 20 broadcasts, starting Dec. 13 with Halevy's "La Juive" and ending April 24 with Wagner's "Die Goetterdaemmerung." The move by ChevronTexaco is the latest in a series of setbacks to affect classical music in recent months. The Pittsburgh Symphony, facing an $800,000 shortfall this season, last week proposed a $10,000 salary cut and the loss of benefits for musicians, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Tuesday. Last week, the symphony canceled its summer 2004 European tour, saying it stood to lose as much as $400,000 on the trip. The Florida Philharmonic Orchestra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection May 14, four days after it suspended operations because it failed to come up with $500,000 to pay the musicians for the next month. The Louisville Orchestra, facing a deficit of about $800,000, has fallen behind in paying its musicians. On Monday, the Nevada Opera said it was cutting three of every four full-time employees, citing a $250,000 debt. The opera canceled its planned production of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" two months ago. The Lyric Opera of Chicago and the San Francisco Opera said last fall that they each were dropping plans to produce two operas announced for the 2003-04 season, and the San Jose Symphony filed for bankruptcy. ------ On the Net: Metropolitan Opera: http://www.metopera.org ChevronTexaco: http://www.chevrontexaco.com (via Mike Cooper, David Alpert, DXLD) Not to mention the demise of the Tulsa Philharmonic, sob (gh, Enid) MET SPONSORSHIP --- By Diane Haithman, Los Angeles Times It came as a shock to the opera community Tuesday when Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joseph Volpe announced that after the 2003-04 season, the name of Texaco would no longer be associated with the opera company's live Saturday radio broadcasts. The oil company, which merged with Chevron in 2000 and is now known as ChevronTexaco, has sponsored the operas for 63 years, the longest continuous commercial sponsorship in broadcast history. The end of the $7-million-a-year sponsorship, which ChevronTexaco has said reflects "a different direction philosophically" for the company's philanthropic endeavors, does not necessarily spell the end of the broadcasts; Volpe said the company is seeking new sponsorship. But the fact that the Texaco name will no longer be associated with the radio programs is causing opera enthusiasts to reflect on the broadcast's importance, and it raises fears for its future. About 18 months ago, Marc Scorca, president of Opera America, found himself in the heartland on a Saturday afternoon, driving between business meetings in Iowa and Omaha. Playing on the radio? The Saturday Metropolitan broadcast. "That intersection of the breadbasket of America and opera was profoundly moving," Scorca recalled. Scorca says Opera America research indicates that, next to family influence, the live broadcasts from New York City's Metropolitan Opera House are the most-often-cited reason audiences give for their interest in opera. "And it's not just audience members but also singers," Scorca adds. "(Mezzo soprano) Vivica Genaux was born in Anchorage, Alaska, but she let me know it was the broadcasts that introduced her to opera." Lisa James, acting director of development for the San Francisco Opera, called the end to the sponsorship "a terrible loss." ChevronTexaco is the San Francisco Opera's first corporate donor; broadcasts of the San Francisco Opera were carried on "The Standard Hour" from 1926 to 1955, and Chevron sponsored the opera's broadcasts from 1971 to 1982. (Standard Oil Co. later became Chevron.) James says that in recent years ChevronTexaco has provided $75,000 in annual support to the San Francisco Opera and that she has "no indication" that the company plans to change its annual support in the near future. Ian Campbell, artistic director of the San Diego Opera, says that the broadcasts have contributed not only to the growth of the opera audience but also to the establishment of opera companies. "Whether it was San Diego or Austin, Texas, or Arizona, the fact that they could hear opera led them to develop opera companies in their region. And in the last few years the broadcasts have truly become international, not only through satellite links but through the Internet as well." Campbell adds that disappointment over the end of the sponsorship should be tempered with gratitude. "ChevronTexaco made a remarkable contribution; they don't deserve to be hit over the head." Los Angeles Opera board Chairman Marc Stern is another opera buff who first heard live opera on the Saturday afternoon broadcasts. He said the same is true of most of the company's other board members. "About three or four years ago, Los Angeles Opera had a board retreat, and I went around the room and asked everybody how they first got involved with opera, why they were passionate about opera, and why they were on this board. I'd say 75 percent of the people mentioned the broadcasts," Stern says. And Stern remains confident that Metropolitan Opera will find another sponsor. "Everyone who loves opera hopes that they'll find a way to continue." (Relayed by Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) Shell purchased Texaco 8 months ago and all Texaco stations will become Shell by July 1st. My company just received new "Shell" cards to replace our "Texaco" cards for our fleet of tractor trailers. Shell is the one that pulled the sponsorship --- in fact it was one of their first decisions to save money. The money they'll save is probably less than one week`s worth of business lunches. Maybe I'll give Mobil a call this afternoon --- I think I gaveTexaco-Shell about $75,000 worth of my business last year (Jim Strader, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. LOOKS LIKE THE WRR FREQUENCY SWAP INVOLVING THE CITY OF DALLAS WON'T HAPPEN Susquehanna and Service Broadcasting proposed an innovative swap-and- cash deal that would net the city $60 million for its full Class C at 101.1 -- but the Dallas Morning News says a council committee isn't likely to recommend it (insideradio.com May 22 via DXLD) Viz.: COUNCIL PANEL RIPS CHANGE FOR WRR FREQUENCY SWAP'S CASH ISN'T WORTH CUTTING OFF LISTENERS, SOME SAY By COLLEEN McCAIN NELSON / The Dallas Morning News 05/20/2003 A proposal to move Dallas' classical radio station down [sic] the dial got a lousy reception Monday from City Council members who say the move would force some listeners to swap Stravinsky for static. A council committee balked at changing frequencies in exchange for cash, saying that shifting WRR-FM (101.1) to a new spot could cut off some loyal listeners. Members said they would forgo the $60 million that has been offered to ensure that all residents receive the city- owned station's signal. The entire council is to discuss the proposal June 4, but committee members said that Monday's rebuke of the proposed frequency swap probably was a preview of next month's meeting. "The proposal is on life support," said council member Veletta Forsythe Lill, chairwoman of the Arts, Education and Libraries Committee. Last year, Mayor Laura Miller convened a task force to solicit proposals for a frequency swap with WRR. The panel, which received three bids, deemed a proposal for a three-way swap the most lucrative for the city. The bid calls for WRR to move to the 105.7 frequency; KRNB-FM (105.7), an urban contemporary station, would move to 93.3; and classic rock "The Bone" KDBN-FM (93.3) would land at 101.1. In return, the city would receive $60 million in cash, free tower rental for 20 years and other incentives. Under the agreement, WRR would be managed by public radio station KERA-FM (90.1). John Tyler, a member of the task force, told council members that the money shouldn't be passed up. "This is one of the sweetest deals I've ever seen," he said. "I don't think the city should hesitate a second in accepting this deal." Council members were unmoved by the money, though. At issue is WRR's coverage area, they said. WRR's current signal reaches a larger population than KRNB's does, and it can be heard clearly throughout Dallas. The 105.7 signal, which is broadcast from a tower in Decatur, is strongest in the northern reaches of Dallas. After poring over coverage maps, committee members said they feared they would be shortchanging the city's southern sector. "This is an asset that belongs to all of the citizens of Dallas," Ms. Lill said. "And if there are citizens who cannot hear the station, then we have marginalized those citizens." Martin Greenberg, a member of the task force, said he has crisscrossed the city in his car, flipping between 101.1 and 105.7 on his radio dial. In every corner of Dallas, 105.7 remained clear, he said. "There was no difference in the signal," he said. But council members who live and work in the southern sector said they had encountered static when they tried to tune in to 105.7 indoors. "I couldn't hear the signal at all," said council member Elba Garcia. All six of the committee's members said they have serious misgivings about the proposed swap. Council member Mary Poss said the task force had failed to provide any evidence that the city had been offered a fair price. "We have no way to know whether this is a good deal or a bad deal," she said. Mr. Greenberg said the only way to accurately gauge the station's worth is to put it up for sale, which the city has no plans to do. In turn, the committee members said that serving all Dallas is a must for a city-owned station. "I think our obligation is to make sure that we provide that same level of service citywide," council member Lois Finkelman said. "I don't believe that I am in favor of looking at a frequency shift." Sharon Philippart of KERA attended the briefing and said she's still optimistic about the swap. "We still feel this is a very compelling deal for the city of Dallas," said Ms. Philippart, KERA's vice president of communications and brand management. "I don't think this is a done deal by any stretch." Officials at KRNB and KDBN declined to comment. "We think the city of Dallas should look at this very, very seriously," Mr. Greenberg said. "From a financial point of view, we think it's a very attractive offer." Quin Mathews, who produces and hosts Art Matters on WRR, said he was glad to hear of committee members' qualms. "It's a crappy signal," Mr. Mathews said of the 105.7 frequency. "It would make WRR an unbridled catastrophe." Mr. Mathews, an independent TV producer who has been in broadcasting 30 years, said WRR has worked hard to make its signal as clean as possible for the airing of classical music. "WRR is such a treasure," he said. "And when you listen to it, it's so quiet. They're very concerned about the sound." Staff writer Al Brumley contributed to this report. CITY MIGHT CONSIDER A NEW TUNE By HENRY TATUM / The Dallas Morning News 05/21/2003 There are few things that can stoke the political fires faster than messing with the municipally owned WRR-FM (101.1). Support for the classical music format aired on the radio station has been solid and unwavering for as long as anyone can remember. Dallas is the only city in the nation that operates a commercial radio station. Through the decades, some City Council members have been bold enough to question whether that is appropriate. But the questions quickly faded when city officials couldn't find buyers who would guarantee they wouldn't change the programming. So WRR has continued to chug along, safe in the knowledge that the city's "no sale" sign would remain up. At least that had been the case until some clever station owners came up with the idea of swapping frequencies with WRR for a cool $60 million. The city could continue to play classical music. It just wouldn't be heard as well in certain sections of southern and eastern Dallas. The package deal, put together by owners of KRNB-FM (105.7) and KDBN- FM (93.3), made council members pause and consider. Faced with another budget deficit this year, elected city officials are looking everywhere for ways to cut costs and generate revenue. But on Monday, a council committee concluded it couldn't support a proposal that would shortchange certain sections of Dallas. Although the entire council won't take up the issue until early next month, City Council member Veletta Forsythe Lill said the frequency swap proposal now is on "life support." Council members were right to be troubled by the poor reception WRR would have in large sections of Dallas if the deal were done. The last thing City Hall needs now is to cut a financial deal that would make some residents feel slighted. A failure of the latest proposal probably signals that WRR will be in the hands of the municipal government for the foreseeable future. And that will bring sighs of relief from those who are concerned about City Hall's commitment to the arts. Although the May 3 bond election included $29 million for arts-related projects, it was tough to rally the entire council behind the propositions – even with a pledge of more than $130 million from the private sector for a downtown performing arts center. So, the council committee's reaction Monday is encouraging. Still, even if the council decides to say no thanks to the proposed deal, there are some nagging questions out there. With a city of more than 1 million people, why is there no interest in having a classical music format on a privately owned radio station? This is a fairly sophisticated area with an audience that is wildly loyal to WRR. Is there no one willing to tap into that market? If City Hall is going to retain WRR on the current frequency, will it finally do something to improve operations and generate more revenue? Former employees of the station often have complained about low morale and a limited budget for promotion and advertising. WRR continues to make a profit, but the revenue has slipped through the years. That has to change if the city expects to justify retaining ownership. One of the intriguing aspects of the package presented to the City Council was a plan for the KERA public broadcasting operations to take over management of WRR. Officials at KERA said they were prepared to spend $3 million to promote WRR and boost ratings. The proposition, which may have been dependent on the frequency swap, deserves serious city consideration. It is one thing to hold onto WRR. It is quite another to make sure the station achieves its full potential. Henry Tatum is an assistant editorial page editor of The Dallas Morning News (via DXLD) ** U S A. WABC, NEW YORK PLAYS MUSIC AGAIN -- FOR ONE DAY. The annual Memorial Day tribute to WABC's reign as the world's most popular top 40 station is Monday (insideradio.com May 22 via DXLD) ** U S A. CATHOLICS ASK EVANGELICAL RADIO TO CHANGE POLICY By J. Michael Parker, Express-News Religion Writer Web Posted : 05/21/2003 12:00 AM An estimated 200 irate San Antonio Catholics have asked a national evangelical Christian radio network to rescind its policy against promoting Catholic musical events, which the San Antonians see as anti-Catholic. But the president of the K-LOVE network, who acknowledges the network has Catholic listeners and monetary support, said the policy doesn't single out Catholics; it prohibits advertising from any entity that doesn't comply with the network's statement of faith. The flap started several weeks ago when organizers of an ACTS retreat at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church planned a fund-raising concert that was to include singer Jaci Velasquez. When organizers asked K- LOVE to promote it, the network said it could not promote a Catholic event. John Halloran, president of the San Antonio chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, said he and many Catholic friends were enthusiastic supporters of K-LOVE until they learned it would not promote Catholic events. "K-LOVE provides a good service, and we don't want to shoot them down," Halloran said. "But they have Catholic music on the station and they take money from Catholic supporters. You'd think they'd support anything that lifts up Jesus Christ, but they don't. It's hypocritical." While the network, carried on KXPZ-FM in San Antonio, does not track the denominational backgrounds of its listeners and donors, no one denomination makes up more than 7 percent to 8 percent of the audience, according to Dick Jenkins, president of the Sacramento, Calif.-based network. He says the network accepts monetary support from Catholics and employs Catholics. "We take advertising only from organizations that comply with our statement of faith, and Catholic teaching doesn't comply with it," Jenkins said. He said orthodox Protestant Christianity teaches that the Bible is the infallible word of God, whereas the Catholic Church considers itself and the pope infallible authorities. But papal and, by extension, church infallibility is claimed only in certain restricted circumstances. "I thought we lived in a more ecumenical age," said Father Jim Henke, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. "It's not as if the Catholic Church were trying to get into K-LOVE and teach Catholic doctrine." Jenkins said he could not get evangelical events publicized on a Catholic station or network because he wouldn't comply with a Catholic statement of faith. But Catholic Television of San Antonio development director Libby Bentley said CTSA doesn't exclude evangelicals because of doctrinal disagreement. "Our mission is to broadcast programming that enhances the Catholic and the ecumenical community," Bentley said. "We've presented evangelical events in our community calendar in the past and are more than happy to include them whenever space is available." But she said the overwhelming majority of the events the station is asked to publicize are Catholic. Deacon Pat Rodgers, spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio and host of a Catholic talk show on KLUP-AM and before that on nondenominational Christian radio station KSLR-AM, said doctrinal differences haven't been a problem at KSLR. But it's common for radio stations to set boundaries for accepting and rejecting promotional content, he said. While the archdiocese has no plans to mobilize the Catholic community against K-LOVE, Halloran said he and his friends plan to write letters to the network's major advertisers in an effort to force a policy change (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Pirate on 1610, IDing as "fun lovin' KQB" with Oldies and Pam jingles. Area code given 954 (S. Florida) so it's at least 50 miles away from my QTH (Juan Gualda, Fort Pierce FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Yes that's them, they actually ID as "KQV" and they are in S. FL, they have a website with streaming audio, though I don't recall the web address. Got a nice QSL card from them as well. I believe they operate somewhere around 50-100 watts. Here's what a local website says: "1610 (TIS) "WKQV," Parkland; recently reported as having moved to a fishing camp near Coral Springs, but quickly confirmed as dis- information. Uses a wire off of a 40-foot tower. Very professional, good studio equipment, includes Payphone Call Challenge" with give- away prizes. First noted in March, 2002 by T. Simon, airing "KQV" Oldies format, with 50s-60s jingles that apparently came from KQV in Pittsburgh, and playing stuff like the Tornadoes' "Telstar", with recorded announcement giving 954 area code (Broward County) number. Signal was quite good in Boca. With all the micros down this way, it's still a rarity to find one on the AM band." check out this site for info on FL low-powered stations: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html (Greg Myers, Clearwater, FL, ibid.) Thanks for the info, Greg. I thought I was the only one picking up this signal. Glad to hear he made it to Clearwater. Most nights, when it's on, I get an OK signal, but Saturday night, it was coming in quite well. What is the URL for the website? By the way, tried calling the number he gave, and I got an answering machine...but no mention of the station (Juan Gualda, WGYL-FM, KB0GXM, Fort Pierce, FL May 19, ibid.) ** U S A. WTTA NUDGES INTO LOCAL NEWS WITH NEW FORMAT By WALT BELCHER, Published: May 19, 2003 The below story currently at: http://tampatrib.com/baylifenews/MGA0PKTMVFD.html TAMPA - The newsroom desks arrived last week. The set is almost ready. It just lacks TV monitors. The anchor chair is in place but there's no anchor yet. Only one reporter was officially on staff last week, but soon WTTA's studio in Town 'N Country will be bustling with activity when The WB affiliate launches a 10 p.m. newscast this summer. There's no firm date yet, but it could sign on by mid-July. Nearly 1,000 have applied to work at the Sinclair Broadcast Group's new TV news operation here, says Channel 38 News Manager Teresa Mallea. Mallea, a former producer and assignment editor at WTSP, Channel 10, helped start up Central Florida News, a 24-hour cable news operation in Orlando. Now she faces the daunting task of starting up a newscast in a market already crowded with local TV news. Four network-affiliate stations and Bright House cable's Bay News 9 already are vying for viewers. Is there room for one more? ``Sure there is,'' says Channel 38 General Manager Julie Nelson. ``Three-and-a-half years ago, this station was running mostly paid programming and some people were asking if Tampa needed another TV station,'' she says. ``Now we're no longer at the end of the pack. Our entertainment programming gets ratings and revenue so there's no reason why our news won't succeed.'' WTTA's 10 p.m. newscast will be different from the others in many ways - from format to content to management, Nelson and Mallea say. For example, there will be only one anchor. Nearly half of the hourlong newscast will originate from Sinclair's flagship station, WBFF-TV, near Baltimore. But it won't be identified as WBFF. The national reports, anchored weeknights by Morris Jones, will be labeled as ``News Central.'' Channel 38 will have its own News Central crew of five reporters to cover local stories. There also will be local weather and sports reports. ``But we won't be chasing ambulances and covering break-ins,'' says Mallea. ``We'll be looking at issues and developing investigative pieces.'' Some stories may run longer than the typical 2 1/2-minute reports on local newscasts as all sides of an issue are explored. By sharing the load with Sinclair's News Central mother ship, WTTA will be able to put on a newscast that looks as good as anything in the market at a lower cost, Nelson says. Sinclair's ``centralizing'' of news is getting a lot of attention in the broadcast industry. The company plans to bring its News Central format to 30 of its 61 stations over the next two years, according to Sinclair CEO David Smith. Smith has said that he is doing this because he wants the Sinclair stations to take an active role in their respective communities by tackling issues. The move also saves money. Start-up costs under the centralized format are estimated at one-half to one-third of what it would take for a local station to launch a newscast from scratch. The newscast begins with a 10-minute segment of local news followed by 10 minutes of national (from Baltimore), then five minutes of local, four minutes of weather and then 10 minutes of local and national sports. So far, only Sinclair's station in Flint, Mich., has adopted the News Central format. Tampa's WTTA would be the second. Others in the chain will roll it out this summer. If this model works, other broadcast groups might adopt centralization. Mallea says there is no shortage of talent willing to be a part of the experiment. ``We've been impressed by the quality of people who are applying here,'' Mallea says. ``Tampa is a very desirable place to live.'' Reporter Diolinda Vaz, 23, who worked at Sinclair's Baltimore station, is looking forward to the challenge. Also on staff, behind the scenes, is production manager Dan Capobianco, who worked at WTSP, Channel 10, for a decade. ``I like the philosophy here,'' Vaz said. ``We will be fast-paced but we will be doing solid pieces and not the seven-car pileup on the highway.'' (via Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, DXLD) ** U S A. BROADCAST BAND UPDATE --- GREG HARDISON MORE DIGITALIS: The following was excerpted from "Radio Currents Online", and came to me by way iof Glenn Hauser's excellent e-column, "DX Listening Digest": From: Radio Currents Online http://beradio.com/ar/radio_currents_28/index.htm#nrsc NRSC SUSPENDS IBOC STANDARD-SETTING [as in DXLD 3-086, q.v.] Hmmm...sounds like some of the objections noted by listeners of all stripes are coming home to roost. I would suspect that the issues of "coverage, reception (and) functionality" have not been adequately addressed, as opposed to being approved --- this is based on nothing except my own gut feeling. I may be wrong, but I've seen too many "committees" at work on esoteric tech-issues, not to be a bit cynical. Here in Los Angeles, KKBT-100.3 FM was the last known station to test IBOC on-air (on May 3, around 11 PM PDT) --- and, just as what was heard with KROQ-FM, the system hashed out potential signals on 100.1 and 100.5. Digital Radio, as manifested here in the good ol' USA, may be analogous to Los Angeles policing policies, or perhaps the Bill of Rights itself --- a great idea on paper, but not really implemented in the most judicious fashion. IS WE IS, OR IS WE AIN'T?: And more from the Digital world, this time involving the Idiot Bulb. Heard tell of some KOCE-DT testing on UHF Channel 48, from Mount Wilson. (This, by design will give the Orange Coast College PBS outlet an area-wide signal. The current analog/Ch. 50 transmitter is in the Puente Hills, driving a very directional antenna, which effectively kills KOCE-TV north of Interstate 10.) However, on May 2 shortly after Midnight PDT, a survey of the Ch. 48- frequency range revealed not only the Digital KOCE signal from Wilson, but also the previously-assigned |analog| signal of KHLA-LP --- also on Ch. 48, also on Mt. Wilson! This was noted on the trusty ICOM-R7100 receiver; a look at the Bulb itself only revealed video-hash (or, as my Godson used to call it, "Ant Races"). As of this morning, the situation has apparently been remedied, with KOCE-DT alone on the channel, and KHLA-LP's fare of Home Shopping Net shows consigned to oblivion. CLEAR CHANNEL SELLS OUT: Well, at least in the case of one station. KIIS-AM/1220 is to be returned to it's original owners, Cari-Lynn Broadcasting, and a call-letter change is imminent. The station is licensed to "Canyon Country", a glorified subdivision next to Santa Clarita, in northern L.A. County. Price: $900,000...not a bad deal, as such deals go. What's next, perhaps KACD/850 in Thousand Oaks?? ISN'T THAT KINKY FRIEDMAN ON CHANNEL 3?: Dial-twisters in Europe are reporting excellent e-skip conditions. The term refers to signal-skip properties involving the "e" layer of the Earth's atmosphere. What this means, is likely reception of television stations on the "low' channels (2 thru 6, at 55-88 MHz, just below the FM band), at distances of 700-1300 miles. I've personally noted L.A.-area reception of KLNE-TV in Lexington, Nebraska; as well as KOAB-TV in Bend, Oregon; XHI-TV in Culiacán, México; and a facility in southern Idaho, during such periods in the past. E-skip reception is usually enhanced by sunspots and/or thunderstorms...for example, a T-storm over central New Mexico will boost likelyhood of signals being received from KIII- TV in Corpus Christi (600-odd miles EAST of the storm cells), here in SoCal (approx. 600 miles WEST)....and vice-versa, as the effects are usually reciprocal. MORE IDIOT BULB WASTE: Who knows the story behind KWJD-LP, Channel 25 in Van Nuys? This thing seems to run with about 10 watts of power, with NO audio, and Video consisting of a single black-and-white ID card, replete with Christian (fish) logo. FCC data lists the transmitter site as being a 10-or-so story retirement home on Sherman Way. At my post about 4 miles SW, I cannot see a clear enough picture to determine the mailing address (Porter Ranch, Calif.) displayed on the never-ending ID card. Up until about two months ago, this facility did feature Audio, a CD of an unknown male-Christian singer, doing the same 5 or 6 tunes over and over again. Ah, Community Service! MORE LATER .. AS IT HAPPENS! -- GREG HARDISON (via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, Discovered an interesting website, http://www.antennaweb.org for checking HDTV transmissions and antennas. Reading the John C. Dvorak's "Inside Track" article in the May 27, 2003 issue of "PC Magazine" I see he mentions the site. 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, you can plug in your zip code and get a list of DTV stations supposedly on air in your area, distance and headings (gh) ** VENEZUELA. Venezuelan legislators approved May 17 the text of a proposed media law that opponents say could prohibit television and radio stations from criticizing the government. After a marathon debate, a congressional commission charged with drawing up the bill agreed on its final contents and passed it on to the National Assembly for final approval. The law will restrict graphic violence on television and reduce subjective censoring by radio and television channels, said Juan Barreto, a pro-government legislator who presides the assembly's media commission. Critics say ambiguities in the new legislation threaten freedom of expression instead of guaranteeing it. They claim the law could be used to restrict opinion programs and make media owners responsible for what interviewees say. President Hugo Chávez has long waged a war of words with Venezuela's private media. He accuses them of trying of trying to topple him by spreading lies and stirring up anti-government sentiment (AP via SCDX/MediaScan May22 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [and non]. Hola Queridos Amigos! Cordiales saludos desde Venezuela. El motivo del presente mensaje es para informarles que acabo de publicar mi página web, sitio que dedico al diexismo en onda corta. Mucho agradecería vuestros comentarios, críticas y/o sugerencias a fin de mejorarla. Agradezco de antemano cualquier información de interés que tengan a bien suministrarme para incluirla y así compartirla; de igual manera agradezco también la difusión que puedan brindarle. Desde ya espero con impaciencia por todos ustedes. La dirección de mi página web es: http://usuarios.lycos.es/trenard Muchas gracias nuevamente. Respetuosamente, Solidariamente, (Julio Trenard, Apartado Postal 41 Cumaná 6101, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. ZBC'S RESTRUCTURING EXERCISE --- 22 May 2003 The ZBC Board of Governors says the third and final phase of the National Broadcaster's restructuring exercise is aimed at improving its operational efficiency and effectiveness. . . http://www.zbc.co.zw/news.cfm?id=9428&pubdate=2003-05-22 (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Just received by snail-mail a QSL from SW Radio Africa for my e-mail report of their test on 4880 kHz. Full-data, except (of course) transmitter site. Power is given as 100 kW but... "Transmitter location is restricted for security reasons". Signed by Technical Manager, name illegible. Contact info: SW Radio Africa Ltd., PO Box 243, Borehamwood, Herts, WD6 4WA, UK tech@swradioafrica.com http://www.swradioafrica.com Well, the transmitter site is most probably Meyerton [South Africa] (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think the power - 100 kW - is a bit of a giveaway :-) (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) i.e. Meyerton --- but are there no 100 kW anywhere else in the region? (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1700, Mystery Spanish-speaker again had a good signal just prior to 2300 [EDT] on 5/7. Faded at ID, then CNN Headline News began. I suspect this is KBGG [Des Moines IA], although when I phoned the station a few weeks ago they denied running Spanish at this hour (Larry Godwin, Missoula MT, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Dear Glenn and Jari, Indeed, 6315 on my receiver (SONY ICF SW-7600GR) appears to be an image from Tunisia on 7225, which is a powerhouse here in Belgium. Thanks Jari for reminding the formula; I will try to be more attentive in the future before posting. By the way, are there any other 'formulas' for spurious signals to be aware of? 73s (Robertas (now based in Belgium) Pogorelis, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It is vital to keep transmitter-produced SPURS and receiver-produced IMAGES distinct! One propagates and others can hear; the other does not. The above is a receiver image. Depending on the receiver IF(s) and the quality of the unit, other formulae may apply, but 2 x IF (usually amounting to 910 kHz displacement) is by far the most common. Extreme overload at the receiver can result in images just about anywhere, including harmonics (integral multiples of the real frequency). When receiver-generated, the fundamental will always be audible in addition to the harmonics. Harmonics 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, and 6x are observable under excellent propagation conditions and/or in the case of badly misaligned or non- filtered transmitters. When the MUF is above 30 MHz, it would pay to monitor the 29-31 MHz region, for instance, for 6th harmonics of 5 MHz band stations, 5th harmonics of 6 MHz band stations, 4th harmonics of 7 MHz band stations, 3rd harmonics of 9 MHz band stations, 2nd harmonics of 15 MHz band stations! Happy calculating. When transmitter-generated, the fundamental will not necessarily be audible, or if it is, may well not be stronger than the harmonic. And they will be subject to distinctly different propagation characteristics as the frequencies are separated by a least a factor of 2. Transmitted mixing products are also commonly encountered. Formula 2A minus B, which is the same as one frequency `leapfrogging` the other, i.e., the spur at the same kHz separation to one side or the other (usually both if not blocked by something else). E.g. two transmitters at the same site (and antennas not sufficiently isolated from each other) such as on 5960 and 6175 at Sackville, which are 215 kHz apart, would produce mixtures 215 kHz above and below the two frequencies, i.e. 6390 and 5745 kHz. These usually occur when the two intentional frequencies are on the same band, but in extreme cases can be in different bands, e.g. 7 and 6 MHz showing up on 5 and 8 MHz. Yet another formula is simply A minus B or, less frequently, A plus B. These can easily be on two widely separated bands (but the transmitters geographically too close), requiring a lot of research to find the two frequencies known to be in use which produce such a difference product. The bottom line is: receiver-produced images are of little interest, except to be aware of them and avoid reporting them as if they were true receptions. Transmitted mixing products and harmonics, on the other hand, are of great interest, since they represent great DX challenges others can hear, and technical faults of stations. Here`s more from Jari, with a few bracketed remarks from me (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Robertas. Don't worry. It is difficult to figure out some of these "images", "mirrors", "spurs", "frogs", "mixes" - whatever they're called. Sometimes you need a careful scanning through nearby broadcast bands to find a parallel and then start calculating :). As my native language is not English and I have no higher degree in electronics, there might be some wording or other mistakes below, but I try to explain some "odd-frequencies" that might occur. Receiver generated: - Receiver image is usually noted on a frequency 2 times IF below original frequency. Just as in your case 2 x 455 = 910. 7225-910=6315. - Two or more very strong stations within one broadcast band may mix and result as a station with one or more simultaneous audios on some nearby frequency. [cross-modulation] - If internal/external preselector/amplifier is used, there are chances you can hear strange stations on strange frequencies if those devices are not properly tuned. - Nearby strong LW/MW/SW transmitter may cause some strange mixes. - In some cases a receiver may produce a "harmonic", usually 2 times the original frequency. For example a strong station on 6140 might be heard on 12280. Transmitter generated: - Harmonics are usually multiples of original frequency. For example a station on 7500 can be heard on 15000 or 22500 etc. In some transmitter designs the harmonic may also be on "non-multiple" frequency. For example, station transmits on 3200. It uses crystal of 1600 filtering out the original 1600 and uses first harmonic 3200 amplified. If there is something wrong in the higher filtering, there may occur a harmonic also on 4800 etc. [sesqui-harmonic] - Sub-harmonic can be heard on a frequency half of the original. For example the clandestine VO Iraqi People on 4785 is believed to be a sub-harmonic of 9570. [from Sa`udi Arabia, semi-harmonic] - Spurs from transmitter can be heard certain kHz up and/or down of the original frequency (and also on their multiples in some cases). Sometimes spurs are distorted but sometimes audio is as good as on original frequency. For example R Ghana on 3366 at times has several spurs some 80 kHz and multiples up and down of original frequency . And Jordan was heard in the past 170 kHz up and down from original 7155. [and see USA - KVOH in this issue; 9270 could be that too] - Two or more co-sited transmitters may result a mix of their frequencies. For example Hrvatski Radio is/was heard with good signal on 5040. This was SW 6165 minus MW 1125. Imaginary example; two transmitters at the same site operate on 6100 and on 6150. They are 50 kHz apart. Mixes might be heard on 6200 and/or 6050. If more than two transmitters are involved, it may take some time to figure out the maths :). - There is also a rare mix, called "Luxembourg effect". I recall it was noted mainly on the lower frequencies (LW). Simply; a strong signal on its way meets another signal and modulates it. As a result the program of the first station can be heard mixed with the original on the second station's frequency. These two transmitters may be located far away from each other. I believe there are also other methods how these mixes are born, but these came to my mind now. Best 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, to Robertas, via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 9270: Hi Glenn. Your comment "Take your pick; or both??" The answer is both. But I can't figure out the frequencies that produce VOG on 9270. I recall it is audible at 2100-2300 and disappears when 9420 signs off. But 9420 is on all evening before 2100, so it seems it is not a transmitter fault. These are VOA Kavala transmitters (right ?) and maybe there is another transmitter active on some frequency at 2100-2300 (or further) causing this mixture (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As discussed above, since 9270 and 9420 are 150 kHz apart, the first place to look would be 9420 plus 150 = 9570, but no known VOG transmissions there, nor IBB Kavala as in the IBB frequency schedule http://sds.his.com:4000/fmds_z/schedules/cur_freqsked.txt which is supposedly updated every day at 0440. But that is hardly the last word about what IBB is actually doing -- See CUBA non. In reality, all that is updated is the date header! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 15095: Recently I have caught a station from 1030 to 1100 (may continue after 1100), with jamming; sounds like a clandestine and the word Moro or Molo was mentioned several times in the prrogram mainly hosted by a woman. Who have any info about this station? Thank you. Remember, I am Xi, (Xi Nietzsche, China, May 22, dxing.info via DXLD) Only station normally using 15095 is FEBC Philippines, and somehow that appears in HFCC A-03: 15095 0900 1100 49S,54W BOC 100 245 1234567 300303 261003 D IND IE PHL FEC FEC 15095 1100 1145 49 BOC 100 263 1234567 300303 261003 D BE PHL FEC FEC 15095 1145 1530 49 BOC 100 293 1234567 300303 261003 D BE BMS PHL FEC BOC is Bocaue, the main FEBC transmitter site. ``IND IE`` is in the language column, I suppose meaning Indian, but not English? FEBC could well be speaking of the Moro Liberation Front, plaguing its southern Islamic islands (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SHORTWAVE AS MUSIC ++++++++++++++++++ The latest on shortwave as artform involves a performance by Slovenian artist Igor Stromajer in Finland: "The main feature of the happening are remixed recordings of outer space sound, captured on short-wave receivers, to be played through loudspeakers in nine installations through the city. 'The content of the sound is sad, it's a mixed form of crying,' Stromajer said, adding that local radio amateurs had helped him record it." http://tlc.discovery.com/news/afp/20030519/aliens.html The shortwave sounds might evoke images of outer space, but they are probably not from space. One unlikely exception is that the sounds are the occasionally heard emissions from Jupiter, but these do not make a particularly celestial noise. 73 (Kim Elliott, DC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RECEIVER NEWS +++++++++++++ MOTOROLA'S NEW TWO-WAY IM DEVICE The following MSNBC story on a new device by Motorola which capitalizes on the popularity of internet IM (instant messaging)... http://www.msnbc.com/news/915831.asp?0ql=c8p The IMfree uses the 900 MHz cordless frequency band in the U.S. (Harry Sarkas, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSLing, BELLABARBA ++++++++++++++++++ Hi Glenn! The Faiallo Manifesto is online: http://www.faiallo.org/manif.html 73 and thanks for excellent work, (Enrico Oliva, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FIVE SPACECRAFT JOIN TO SOLVE AN AURORAL PUZZLE AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION NEWS RELEASE Posted: May 20, 2003 Five spacecraft have made a remarkable set of observations, leading to a breakthrough in understanding the origin of a peculiar and puzzling type of aurora. Seen as bright spots in Earth's atmosphere and called "dayside proton auroral spots," they are now known to occur when fractures appear in the Earth's magnetic field, allowing particles emitted from the Sun to pass through and collide with molecules in our atmosphere. . . http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0305/20auroral/ (via Jilly Dybka, DXLD) GEOMAGNETIC INDICES Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno@yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary April 22 2003 through May 19 2003 Tabulated from email status daily Date Flux A K SA Forecast GM Forecast Etc. 4/22 126 18 3 minor no storms 7 23 x x x x x x 24 133 16 3 moderate minor 8 25 128 21 5 minor minor 8 26 144 26 3 minor minor 9 27 144 12 3 moderate minor 6 28 154 15 5 minor minor 7 29 152 16 2 minor no storms 6 4/30 155 20 5 minor minor 9 5/ 1 154 37 6 moderate minor 10 2 149 34 3 moderate minor 7 3 144 22 2 minor minor 7 4 148 12 1 no storms minor 5 5 142 6 2 no storms minor 4 6 129 11 3 no storms minor 8 7 122 23 5 minor minor 7 8 110 35 5 moderate minor 10 9 101 33 3 minor minor 8 10 97 28 5 minor minor 10 11 93 31 3 moderate minor 6 12 92 27 3 moderate minor 7 13 94 21 3 no storms minor 8 14 96 28 5 minor minor 8 15 96 30 3 minor minor 9 16 99 22 2 no storms no storms 7 17 103 9 2 no storms no storms 6 18 102 10 1 no storms no storms 7 5/19 109 9 3 no storms no storms 9 ********************************************************************** (IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ###