"oingoboingo" wrote in message
roups.com...

"pak" wrote in message
...
i just started listening to shortwave again after being away from it
for aobut 10 years. I seem to notice that the short wave bands are
totally dominated by nothing but religious subjects and shows. Am I
just listening at the wroing time or wrong bands or does anyone agree
with this observation?

Your not wrong.

Short-wave radio is the "Dollar Store" of broadcast
media. As such, only the greatest of kooks and paranoids, who would
never be carried by mainstream media and could never afford airtime
on the same are on short-wave. To be fair however this is more of a
USA phenomena. Foreign short-wave is still for the most part a good
source of news. Domestic USA short-wave however is nothing but a
vast wasteland of every conceivable religious nut, racists and misfit goof
ball which can be imagined. (they are also very amusing as most of em
believe their own BS) Think of it as the point where roller derby and
the tamborine-bangin fundie church on the corner on the other-side-of-the
tracks across town gather behind a microphone. ; )

If you ever listened to USA broadcast radio you would find out that most of
what is broadcast on shortwave as far as religious programming is also
broadcast on AM and FM stations all over the country. Your statement about
shortwave pandering to the folks that could otherwise not afford air time is
very incorrect.
As far as foreign broadcast being a good source of news, you have to
understand that their news is biased just as much as any other media in the
US. Most of the countries of the world do not like the US, they are jealous
of it and would love to see its demise, especially from those on the inside.
What you call "Domestic" USA short-wave is not domestic at all as
technically its illegal as one post put it earlier. As far as being
religious nuts, that is just your opinion. Racists, yes I've heard one or
two, but not scores. You can believe what you want to, and I can believe
what I want to. That's what makes this country so good, and your as welcome
to be completely wrong as you want to be.
Brian
Brian