RNZ Pacific resumes shortwave analogue service to Pacific region

Asia Pacific Report — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 23:18:03 +0000

RNZ Pacific has resumed its shortwave analogue service to the Pacific region between the hours of 5 and 9am New Zealand time from today.

Shortwave radio is radio transmission using shortwave (SW) radio frequencies.

RNZ Pacific broadcasts in digital and analogue shortwave to radio stations and individual listeners in the Pacific — the digital service is available via satellite and the analogue shortwave can be accessed by anyone with shortwave radio.

The AM service during the breakfast period was stopped in 2016.

The resumption of the analogue service will allow listeners in remote locations with a domestic shortwave radio to hear RNZ Pacific 24 hours a day, made possible with extra funding from the New Zealand government.

RNZ Pacific will run three different frequencies at various times, at 5am NZT tune in on 7425 kilohertz, at 6am NZT listen on 9700 kilohertz, and at 8am NZT change the dial to 11725.

For the full schedule of shortwave frequencies check out the RNZ Pacific website.

The DRM digital service during breakfast hours will continue on transmitter two for partner stations around the Pacific region.

RNZ Pacific’s flagship daily current affairs programme Pacific Waves is widely listened to across the region and is also broadcast by the BBC Pacific Service.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

China takes up Australia’s former radio frequencies in Pacific

Pacific Media Centre — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 06:01:25 +0000

A ni-Vanuatu family with their shortwave radio … vital for news and current affairs. Image: Vila Times

By RNZ Pacific

China has taken over many of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s former shortwave radio frequencies into the Pacific.

In response to budget cuts, the ABC last year ceased shortwave broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region ahead of a switch to FM transmission.

Many remote communities in Pacific island countries rely on shortwave radio.

Australia-based technology observer Peter Marks told Radio ABC’s Tech Head programme that since that withdrawal, the space was swiftly being filled.

“Since Radio Australia has dropped off shortwave, many of the exact frequencies we used to use have been now taken over by Chinese stations targetting the Asia-Pacific region,” he explained.

-Partners-

“Now, shortwave bounces off the upper atmosphere, so a single shortwave transmitter can be heard over thousands of kilometres. It works particularly well over the many islands throughout the Pacific region.”

Snapped up
The revelation that the frequencies have been snapped up comes at a time of heightened speculation in Australian media and commentaries about the motives behind China’s growing influence in the Pacific.

“There’s obviously a bit of interest there… the fact that China has been ramping up while we’ve been pulling back,” Marks said.

“I should say that Radio New Zealand International (now known as RNZ Pacific) does a terrific job in the Pacific. They’re up there every day and they’re managing to run it. It just seems odd that Australia wouldn’t be doing it.

The withdrawal of ABC’s shortwave presence in the Pacific is part of an ongoing Australian government review of the country’s media services in the wider region.

The Pacific Media Centre has a content sharing arrangement with RNZ Pacific.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

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Frequencies – Evening Report

RNZ Pacific resumes shortwave analogue service to Pacific region

China takes up Australia’s former radio frequencies in Pacific