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09/07/2002 Entry: "BBC stops broadcasting on FM to North Carolina"
It's not enough that the BBC World Service stopped broadcasting to North America on shortwave. Now they're forcing a station that has carried them on FM (their preferred medium) for 30 years to drop them. Next thing you know, they'll be pulling their signals from the satellites or something stupid like that. I'm sorry, I just don't understand the mentality at the upper reaches of Bush House. They tell us to listen to FM, then start driving their FM affiliates away from them. I just don't get it. And unfortunately, after the end of this month, neither will the listeners of WCPE in North Carolina. (Thanks Alan Knapp via Glenn Hauser's DX Listening Digest issue 2139.)
With regard to Mr Byford asking for input about making the BBCWS better, I sent 2 emails to -your input- type sites at the BBC's news sites and the Radio 4 website for a show that dealt with the anniversary. Both emails were critical of Mr Byford, and respectfully called for his resignation as a result of his mishandling of his charge. In both cases those emails were not published. In looking over the various -your input- style comments, they were all, with one or two exceptions, complimentary to the BBC. Even the two that were critical were only mildy so. It is my opinion that BBC specifically discarded any emails that were critical of Mr Byford's mangling of the BBCWS.
Posted by Tony @ 23 March 2003 1502 UTC
Well, it appears that DW Radio is going to follow the path that the BBC has set for the Industry by cuttng shortwave to North America. Another sad day.
Posted by Randall Shreve @ 24 January 2003 1318 UTC
From our local sports radio station in Pittsburgh, PA who USED to stream over the internet... TO OUR FORMER STREAMING LISTENERS: We apologize that we are no longer streaming our radio station over the Internet. Unfortunately, streaming over the Web has recently become much more expensive. The associations for the music recording industry and others lobbied for and received changes in Federal law, rules and regulations that require stations like ours to pay each time we play a song on the Internet, and to report very cumbersome and extensive information. It has become, basically, too much for us to handle and too expensive for us to continue. If and when the environment or the law that allowed those burdensome rules and regulations changes and we can economically provide our content to you again over the Internet, rest assured we'll be back! Thanks for listening. Don't believe me???...Here's the link... http://www.970theburgh.com/jacor-common/streaming_disclaimer.html Ironic Isn't it???? VP
Posted by Vince Ponzio @ 24 January 2003 1258 UTC
From our local sports radio station in Pittsburgh, PA who USED to stream over the internet... TO OUR FORMER STREAMING LISTENERS: We apologize that we are no longer streaming our radio station over the Internet. Unfortunately, streaming over the Web has recently become much more expensive. The associations for the music recording industry and others lobbied for and received changes in Federal law, rules and regulations that require stations like ours to pay each time we play a song on the Internet, and to report very cumbersome and extensive information. It has become, basically, too much for us to handle and too expensive for us to continue. If and when the environment or the law that allowed those burdensome rules and regulations changes and we can economically provide our content to you again over the Internet, rest assured we'll be back! Thanks for listening. Ironic Isn't it???? VP
Posted by Vince Ponzio @ 24 January 2003 1257 UTC
As a British citizen who travels extensively I have found myself taking an immense amount of pride in the BBC World Service. Its availability, impartiality, calmness and level-headedness are traits which took me years to finally appreciate. It saddens me greatly that access to one of the few things Britain could truly be described as playing a leading role has been reduced. The World Service was and should be just that, a world service. I don't mind at all that my taxes pay for it. Wherever I go in the world I come across people who tell me how much they prize their access to unbiased factual reporting and strangley British entertainment. Any loss of listeners is unfortunate but when it is engineered by short-sighted managers chasing some vapourous internet presence it is almost a crime. Paradoxically it is the BBC's own, highly prized, independence which allows such things to happen.
Posted by Peter Dickinson @ 15 January 2003 0114 UTC
BBC is indentifying itself as "BBC in London." Is this a change? Is this a shift back to an older style or am I mistaken?
Posted by parks @ 03 January 2003 0311 UTC
NEED INFO. ON SILTRONIX #1011D COMMANCHE) THANKS,1 EYE JACK
Posted by HEAD MLIIER @ 02 January 2003 2128 UTC
On the 75th anniversary of the BBC World Service, Mr. Byford asks for input so to make the BBCWS better, what as listners we would like. He's kidding, right?
Posted by Randall Shreve @ 20 December 2002 1942 UTC
