Portugal’s National Communications Authority (ANACOM) sees “no problem” in the temporary suspension of international shortwave transmissions by the national public broadcaster, RDP. The decision has already received the green light from Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Jorge Lacão.
According to a source at parent organisation RTP, the request for temporary suspension “was based on several factors: the dwindling number of listeners served by this distribution platform, the increased costs in recent years and the growth of investment needs.” Moreover, he continued, “the RDP Internacional transmissions can be alternatively provided via satellite, cable and Internet, with lower costs and higher quality, serving the vast majority” of listeners to RDP Internacional.
“Only at the end of the period of provisional suspension will there be an evaluation of the consequences thereof, and a final decision,” he added, noting that “many international operators have chosen in past years” to end or reduce transmissions on shortwave. Italy, Holland, England and Germany are countries that have taken steps in that direction, the source told the Lusa news agency.
However RDP’s Listener Ombudsman Mário Figueiredo said he was “totally opposed” to the temporary suspension of shortwave broadcasts. He told the newspaper Público that he was only made aware of this decision after the process had already been initiated. “I’m totally opposed, as a representative of the listeners,” he said in a statement to the public in April.
Mr Figueroa points out that the other platforms, such as satellite, cable or Internet come at a cost to the listener as opposed to shortwave. And programmes of RDP Internacional dedicated to groups such as truckers, for example, would no longer make any sense.
(Source: Público via Radio Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
According to a source at parent organisation RTP, the request for temporary suspension “was based on several factors: the dwindling number of listeners served by this distribution platform, the increased costs in recent years and the growth of investment needs.” Moreover, he continued, “the RDP Internacional transmissions can be alternatively provided via satellite, cable and Internet, with lower costs and higher quality, serving the vast majority” of listeners to RDP Internacional.
“Only at the end of the period of provisional suspension will there be an evaluation of the consequences thereof, and a final decision,” he added, noting that “many international operators have chosen in past years” to end or reduce transmissions on shortwave. Italy, Holland, England and Germany are countries that have taken steps in that direction, the source told the Lusa news agency.
However RDP’s Listener Ombudsman Mário Figueiredo said he was “totally opposed” to the temporary suspension of shortwave broadcasts. He told the newspaper Público that he was only made aware of this decision after the process had already been initiated. “I’m totally opposed, as a representative of the listeners,” he said in a statement to the public in April.
Mr Figueroa points out that the other platforms, such as satellite, cable or Internet come at a cost to the listener as opposed to shortwave. And programmes of RDP Internacional dedicated to groups such as truckers, for example, would no longer make any sense.
(Source: Público via Radio Netherlands Media Network Weblog)
No comments:
Post a Comment