Do only DXERS listen to shortwave? NO!

By a PCJ Radio staff writer

"Only Dxers listen to shortwave broadcasts any more" is sadly the misconception that some decision makers have. Let me tell you as a DXer I will not miss RNW at all. Neither RCI and I shall not miss DW like I don't miss Swiss Radio International or Czeck radio. I am glad, speaking as a dxer that they have left giving me a better chance for real low powered stations like 6160 kHz CKZU in Vancouver and CKZN in St. John NFL which had a hefty splash from RNW Bonaire on 6165 kHz at the time I have a chance to hear them. There will be more low powered pirates and soon even legal amateur broadcasting on low power. They will provide a thousand thrills as opposed to a 300kW from Madagascar or Sakville. Yes RNW gave many QSLs and all these other stations but for years we had not asked for anything. 

These stations were not dx catches with their relay stations and 300 kW transmitters, neither is the BBC, IBB nor CRI. That is the way these DXers, crazy card hunters and once heard enough hobby listeners/dxers feel, but most of them are genuine die hard listeners who shed a tear or had moist eyes when RCI, RNW, SRI, and Radio Bulgaria faded away after the final broadcasts.. They are the people whose personalities were built thanks to the enrichment and nourishment they received through these fine broadcasts. They are the people who voice an opinion based on what they had gathered at social gatherings, lecture rooms in colleges and class rooms and also told their children what a free world and freedom would breathe into their lives. May not a bunch of nuts who just want a card or a pennant.

We listen to these major International broadcasters often to get a clearer and un-biassed picture as to what is happening in the world because to day the people in our regions have long stopped believing in the traditional gospel truth of some best known broadcasters. No one believes anymore whatever you hear on radio, see via satellite or read on the WWW as the complete truth. It is no more Chairman Mao, the US paper tiger, imperialist West, neo-colonialism type crude propaganda. 

It is a finer art, probably the fine art even made finer by CRI and some other stations. You have only to listen to CRI today for a complete overhaul of their strategy which has been excellent programmes down to even the accent of the announcers, cheery voices and a tremendous signal. You find China and Iran on more frequencies than the BBC and IBB. China doesn't jam English broadcasts anymore and some other languages, but excellent deliberate frequency planning, taking over traditional VOA and BBC frequencies with crushing signals while the West keeps closing down one station after the other, cutting down frequency after frequency and reducing the power of transmitters and finding less and less people listening, because they can't find them any more which has resulted in the West struggle to maintain audiences. When it was a joke to expect China to have listeners clubs, DW clubs and BBC panels flourished, today the West is closing down and CRI is booming and flourishing even in vernacular broadcasts. Listen for 20 minutes to a subtle political commentary only to hear the announcer saying "Don't go away, you are listening to the Beijing Hour". 

But then let me hasten to add that shortwave is not the only medium, it is not but it makes a huge difference yet in most parts of the world not just Africa. Sadly it maybe the only way that most people listen to Holland, definitely that was the way they did to Norway, Switzerland and Sweden. It is thrilling when the BBC and the VOA say, you can find more stories on our website by going to www..... That is the mix that is needed. A broadcaster without a voice on the air is as good as dead. In that respect we like to hand over a backhanded tribute to and salute to Radio Netherland management for closing down, lock stock and barrel. How many listen to Radio Sweden's audio stream or is there one and what about Czeck Radio? If they still listen are there more than the listeners who did at the lowest ebb on SW? It might be a smart trick to transfer the cost of broadcasting to the listener. Definitely it is best to serve exapat audiences via the web streaming but broadcasting to project to the world your country and safeguard its interest? How effective it is soon we shall know. 

When Media Network as a Thursday Night program left the air and Andy Sennit started it as a Web based feature it was suggested to maintain at least a 5 minute summery on the air so that listeners will look for the web or else only those old faithfuls might go to it.

As more and more second string stations close down and their websites get lost amongst a million on the web or their audio streams get swamped by a hundred thousand local broadcasters they will soon realize having once been one of the 25 or 15 easiest to stumble on voices on the bands, they would have lost that advantage. People then will rely more and more on the BBC and IBB to represent the West as an alternative voice to the East and the Middle East. But that position alone will not suffice. More and more lively programmes, a stronger signal and firing all Cylinders from the Web, Satellite and shortwave, will complement each other and demonstrate to those that still believe in the West that they mean what they set out to do.

Radio Netherlands gave life and a soul to the 300 years of Holland's glory around the world and today it has joined those few relics from that era as a monument to the past glory of a nation...

(Source : PCJ Media)