Was listening to RTE 1 today (2003 Dec 23) on 13640 @ 18:30 UTC and
thought I heard an announcement that RTE would start broadcasting for
2 hours, instead of 30 minutes, each day to Africa and North America
beginning after January 1. Did anyone else hear this? Can you confirm?

"M?che?l ?Drisceoil" wrote in message
om...
Was listening to RTE 1 today (2003 Dec 23) on 13640 @ 18:30 UTC and
thought I heard an announcement that RTE would start broadcasting for
2 hours, instead of 30 minutes, each day to Africa and North America
beginning after January 1. Did anyone else hear this? Can you confirm?

From http://www.radiowaves.fm/news/index.shtml

WORLDWIDE: RTÉ announce alternatives to SW
RTÉ Radio has today announced alternatives to meet the needs of key
audiences as it ceases the provision of a daily half-hour service on
shortwave throughout the world on 1 January 2004. This is the first step in
the re-alignment of its distribution platforms, both at home and abroad.
"While recognising that its core remit is the transmission of radio services
to a domestic audience, RTÉ has always maintained and funded some worldwide
distribution with the dual purpose of providing content to Irish people
abroad and of informing radio listeners throughout the world on our country
and culture," a statement from the organisation reads.
Before making the decision to cease the service, RTÉ invited short-wave
listeners to comment on the service and on alternative technologies
available to them. They received 200 responses. Two major themes emerged -
firstly, the relative paucity of alternative technologies to those regular
listeners on the African content and secondly, the relatively high level of
listeners in the US. Those listening in Africa were predominantly engaged in
missionary or voluntary work and valued the contact with home provided by
shortwave broadcasts. To meet the needs of these two important groupings,
RTÉ has reconfigured its WRN output to bring their transmissions to North
America from half an hour per day to two hours per day. Also, on a once-off
basis, RTÉ has invited their African listeners to apply for a Worldspace
Radio which will be provided free of charge to those in particularly
isolated circumstances.
The statement continues: "There is a great deal of affection for analogue
transmission amongst many shortwave listeners and those who took up the
invitation to mail us on the service pointed out the independence of such a
service and, most of all, the value of contact with home. RTÉ's output and
editorial independence will not be mediated by WRN, or in any of its
transmission platforms. RTÉ's belief is that satellite, and particularly
WorldSpace transmissions, is the best and most efficient means of reaching
those who wish to hear Ireland's Public Service Broadcaster around the
world."
RTÉ Radio's four services - RTÉ Radio 1; RTÉ 2fm; RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
and RTÉ Lyric FM - are available worldwide via the internet and are
broadcast on satellite to the UK and Ireland. RTÉ Radio 1 is also available
throughout Europe on satellite and segments of its output are also available
via satellite throughout the world.
"This decision is part of an overall examination of the availability of RTÉ
Radio services that began in autumn of 2003 and will lead to further
developments in the early part of 2004," the statement concludes.

Also:

DUBLIN: RTÉ pull medium wave service
RTÉ's 2FM 1278kHz medium wave transmitter situated at Beaumont in north
Dublin ceased transmission on Monday, 15th December. Speaking to Radiowaves
News today, an RTÉ spokesman said that research indicates that 2FM listeners
prefer the superior sound quality on FM.
"The number of people actually tuned to 1278 kHz has declined considerably
over the years," he said. "However, transmission of 2FM on medium wave will
continue for the foreseeable future from our Athlone transmitter on 612
kHz."

"Mike Terry" wrote in message ...
"M?che?l ?Drisceoil" wrote in message
om...
Was listening to RTE 1 today (2003 Dec 23) on 13640 @ 18:30 UTC and
thought I heard an announcement that RTE would start broadcasting for
2 hours, instead of 30 minutes, each day to Africa and North America
beginning after January 1. Did anyone else hear this? Can you confirm?

From http://www.radiowaves.fm/news/index.shtml

WORLDWIDE: RTÉ announce alternatives to SW
RTÉ Radio has today announced alternatives to meet the needs of key
audiences as it ceases the provision of a daily half-hour service on
shortwave throughout the world on 1 January 2004. This is the first step in
the re-alignment of its distribution platforms, both at home and abroad.
"While recognising that its core remit is the transmission of radio services
to a domestic audience, RTÉ has always maintained and funded some worldwide
distribution with the dual purpose of providing content to Irish people
abroad and of informing radio listeners throughout the world on our country
and culture," a statement from the organisation reads.
Before making the decision to cease the service, RTÉ invited short-wave
listeners to comment on the service and on alternative technologies
available to them. They received 200 responses. Two major themes emerged -
firstly, the relative paucity of alternative technologies to those regular
listeners on the African content and secondly, the relatively high level of
listeners in the US. Those listening in Africa were predominantly engaged in
missionary or voluntary work and valued the contact with home provided by
shortwave broadcasts. To meet the needs of these two important groupings,
RTÉ has reconfigured its WRN output to bring their transmissions to North
America from half an hour per day to two hours per day. Also, on a once-off
basis, RTÉ has invited their African listeners to apply for a Worldspace
Radio which will be provided free of charge to those in particularly
isolated circumstances.
The statement continues: "There is a great deal of affection for analogue
transmission amongst many shortwave listeners and those who took up the
invitation to mail us on the service pointed out the independence of such a
service and, most of all, the value of contact with home. RTÉ's output and
editorial independence will not be mediated by WRN, or in any of its
transmission platforms. RTÉ's belief is that satellite, and particularly
WorldSpace transmissions, is the best and most efficient means of reaching
those who wish to hear Ireland's Public Service Broadcaster around the
world."
RTÉ Radio's four services - RTÉ Radio 1; RTÉ 2fm; RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
and RTÉ Lyric FM - are available worldwide via the internet and are
broadcast on satellite to the UK and Ireland. RTÉ Radio 1 is also available
throughout Europe on satellite and segments of its output are also available
via satellite throughout the world.
"This decision is part of an overall examination of the availability of RTÉ
Radio services that began in autumn of 2003 and will lead to further
developments in the early part of 2004," the statement concludes.

Also:

DUBLIN: RTÉ pull medium wave service
RTÉ's 2FM 1278kHz medium wave transmitter situated at Beaumont in north
Dublin ceased transmission on Monday, 15th December. Speaking to Radiowaves
News today, an RTÉ spokesman said that research indicates that 2FM listeners
prefer the superior sound quality on FM.
"The number of people actually tuned to 1278 kHz has declined considerably
over the years," he said. "However, transmission of 2FM on medium wave will
continue for the foreseeable future from our Athlone transmitter on 612
kHz."

Yes, this is the content of the message that was being broadcast
yesterday... thank you. As I read this, it seems there will soon be an
increase of RTE's broadcast to the USA from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Cheers
Mícheál ÓDrisceoil