Re: [Swprograms] Kim Andrew Elliott on VOA cuts

[John Figliozzi <jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Truer words were never spoken, IMHO.

Yes, there is a cost associated with maintaining a global shortwave  
service in English.  But no one here is arguing that such as service  
should be (or need be) maintained at the levels it was during the  
Cold War years (such as by using multiple frequencies and transmitter  
sites simultaneously) when shortwave was the only option for  
international broadcasting.  Outside of crisis times and crisis  
locales, single frequencies could be used to wide areas from close-in  
transmitter sites as a means of maintaining a minimal but consistent  
global presence and keeping key transmitter sites in strategic  
locations in good working order. Such a service also would serve a  
small, but arguably important (and grateful) audience traveling in  
remote areas (i.e: aid workers, expatriates, even vacationers).  Some  
transmitters and transmission sites could still be retired through  
careful planning and cooperation among "like-minded" nations that  
could be trusted not to interdict a client's transmissions.  All this  
could be done prudently at very low and reasonable cost if  
intelligently planned.

Television is desirable, but it is expensive and is very easy to  
interdict, as Dr. Elliott points out.  In the past, in the euphoria  
over "new things", the old tried and true time and time again has  
been initially discarded, only for the euphoric to learn that  
something has indeed been lost and that the tried and true still has  
usefulness, albeit in a changed role.  At the rate the IBB is closing  
down the tried and true, none of it will be left when that  
realization is inevitably reached.  Sort of like the trams  
(streetcars) of old in the U.S., which several cities are  
reintroducing now at substantial cost, after having literally ripped  
up the rails at the behest of the carmakers.

John Figliozzi

On May 3, 2006, at 7:08 AM, Mike Barraclough wrote:

> Commentary: At VOA, Less Shortwave = Less Global
>
> Sites Like the IBB Shortwave Facility At Kavala,
> Greece, Will Be Missed
>
> by Kim Andrew Elliott
>
> http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/ 
> 2006.05.10-05_rw_guest_voa.shtml
>
>
> 		
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