[IRCA] Papua New Guinea Radio Review

[Geralyn Hollerman <lynnhollerman@xxxxxxxxx>]

For anyone interested:
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Media Release
Radio Heritage Foundation
www.radioheritage.com
May 16 2011

Papua New Guinea
Broadcasting Review
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We're currently reviewing the status of broadcasting in PNG as part
of our ongoing updates for the World Radio TV Handbook [WRTH] and our
PAL Radio Guides at www.radioheritage.com. 

Radio Eastern Highlands 3395kHz at Goroka has been reported inactive
on SW for some time. In fact, we had even removed it from the WRTH
listing.

However, we understand it was most recently off SW for 9 months,
returning briefly in January 2011 before another technical problem
has taken it off air yet again.

An NBC engineer says 'Radio Eastern Highlands faced a lot of 'off-air'
time a few years back because the IC kept getting cooked, and
recently [January 2011] the entire mini-transformer box at the
transmitter was blown to bits."

"Other TV and 3 radio stations piggyback on our tower and went off
air for a whole month. We were lucky we have a standby generator for
a bypass power supply."

"The SW transmitter magnetic contactor blew out, so no SW service,
using only FM. We've also reduced transmission hours by one,
terminating at 2100 hours [local] and this will remain so until the
SW transmitter fault is rectified."  

The problems are linked to the power authority upgrading national
power supplies, and huge voltage surges [up to 400v] are blowing out
integrated circuits. 

An engineer comments 'NBC engineers have to be very current with
PPL's [power company] upgrade and automation so that our delicate
digital equipment is not cooked up in their upgrade process."

As a general observation, MW/SW radio services of NBC may often
operate irregularly outside Port Moresby because of technical and
funding issues. 

Simply put,they can come and go from the air as they break down, get
fixed, then break down again and listeners need to constantly
monitor all PNG shortwave outlets to have a current overview of their
status.

NBC plans to replace MW/SW stations with FM only by 2015 but funding
issues are now reported to be delaying implementation. 

Commercial network FM100 by comparison, has a rapidly growing and
technically secure FM network because it is owned by Telikom, the main
infrastructure operator. 

Its FM frequencies are generally claimed to have 200km coverage which
indicates relatively high powered and well located [often on
mountains] transmitter sites.

Mobile phone use is growing rapidly in PNG with operators Telikom and
Digicel expanding nationwide coverage across the archipelago. Most
radio listeners prefer the commercial FM services such as FM100, Nau
and Yumi FM

The predominately young population prefers inbuilt FM receivers in
mobile phones for listening so the demand for MW and SW services
falls faster every year.

Religious broadcaster Wantok Radio Light have recently upgraded their
satellite systems at each FM relay station, opened two new FM
stations and are planning on some 10 more in 2011 alone to maintain
contact with the rapidly growing FM radio audiences. 

Blessed Peter ToRot Radio, a network of Catholic community radio
stations has also reactivated Radio St.Gabriel on shortwave at Vanimo
in recent weeks. 

Vanimo is some 20km from the border with Indonesia and
there is high tension in the area because of the Free West Papua
movement, reports of police and military brutality, and a local
economy still suffering from the effects of a devastating tsunami in
the area in the recent past.

We are continuing to monitor broadcasting in PNG with the help of
several sources within the country in an effort to improve the
quality of information available for listeners, travellers and others
using the WRTH listings and those of the PAL Radio Guides at
www.radioheritage.com.

Observations, comments and news about PNG broadcasting issues are
very welcome to info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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******************************************************
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Lynn.
Lafayette, LA
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