RadioBanter - Back fromk the Dead

HAVING come close to extinction, Radio Australia is stronger than ever
and about to start broadcasting a breakfast show into the Asia-Pacific
region. It is believed to be the first time an international
broadcaster has offered a specific "time of day" program in other
countries.

Eight years after the Federal Government sold all its transmitters and
Radio Australia looked to be facing death, its survival is a remarkable
story. It is broadcast by more than 160 radio stations in more than 40
countries and in languages including English, Vietnamese, Khmer and
French. Station chief Jean-Gabriel Manguy has devised lateral and
innovative ways of getting the content out. Radio Australia transmits
its signal via satellite, enabling radio stations in places such as
China, Fiji, Malaysia and Indonesia to pick it up and put it to air.
Most recently the internet has provided new means of transmission.

At 9.40 Monday morning local time, announcer Phil Kafcaloudes will
broadcast his Breakfast Club program, a mix of breakfast banter, news,
sport weather and finance into homes across the Asia-Pacific region.
From his small studio in the ABC's Southbank headquarters, Kafcaloudes'
show will be heard in locations such as Phnom Penh (five hours behind
Melbourne) and Dili, which is two hours behind. Assisted by producer
Adelaine Ng, who will sometimes partner him on air, Kafcaloudes says
the idea is to mix fun and information with interviews.

"We just have to make sure everything we do has to be of interest to
the region," he says.

Midway through breakfast the program will be interrupted with Radio
Australia's version of AM, Connect Asia, a one-hour current affairs
program hosted by Sen Lam.

To Manguy, putting programs such as these to air is the next phase of
his strategy to ensure the ongoing health of his station. "Content is
king," he says, "it has to be because we are competing against the BBC
World Service, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle and others."

He is now looking to expand Radio Australia's availability in India and
Sri Lanka and soon a station in Bali will broadcast hourly Radio
Australia news bulletins. A Breakfast Club podcast is available from
radioaustralia.net.au/breakfastclub.

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