History of International Broadcasting, Volume 2

292 Pages·1999·21.28 MB·English

by  James Wood

History of Technology Series 23
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The first volume of History of International Broadcasting (1992) traced the history James Wood CEng FIET is n
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of radio broadcasting, chiefly on the short waves, from its earliest origins to its role a consulting engineer, analyst t
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Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the BBC World Service – in industry. The author of more lu a
using propaganda and other information to assist in bringing about the collapse tphaapne r2s8 a0n dar tbicoloesk,s ,t ehceh nical m tio
of Soviet communism and the end of the cold war. It also analyses the new uses has contributed to all the e n
to which broadcasting infrastructures are being put, as well as new developments major broadcast magazines 2 a Volume 2
reflecting changes in world politics and culture. Much attention is therefore devoted to and journals in Europe, l

broadcasting to and within Asia and the Arabic-Islamic Middle East region, where some the USA and Asia. Former
of the greatest new investments are being made. Transmission Correspondent
for International Broadcasting,
The emergence of new activities, such as re-broadcasting of Western services using the he is a regular contributor to
powerful transmitters once used by the Soviets for jamming these very stations, are Radio World International
described. Equally, over the past few decades there has been an entirely new market Edition. He brings to this field
in the growth of powerful religious broadcasters on the international frequency bands. a lifetime of experience and
enthusiasm, making him a
The book is supplemented with tables, statistics and analysis of many of the world’s
uniquely qualified author for
international broadcasters, in the light of new transmission technologies. There is also this subject.
study of the major transmitter manufacturing industry and its companies, among which
there has been much movement in the way acquisitions and collaborative ventures.
The book concludes with a look at emerging technologies such as digital broadcasting
James Wood
and the long-term future of international broadcasting in the shortwave bands.
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The Institution of Engineering and Technology
www.theiet.org
978-1-84919-201-9
IET HIsTory of TEcHnology sErIEs 23
Series Editor: Dr B. Bowers
History of
International
Broadcasting
Volume 2
Other volumes in this series:
Volume 4 The history of electric wires and cables R.M. Black
Volume 6 Technical history of the beginnings of radar S.S. Swords
Volume 7 British television: the formative years R.W. Burns
Volume 9 Vintage telephones of the world P.J. Povey and R. Earl
Volume 10 The GEC research laboratories 1919–1984 R.J. Clayton and J. Algar
Volume 11 Metres to microwaves E.B. Callick
Volume 12 A history of the world semiconductor industry P.R. Morris
Volume 13 Wireless: the crucial decade 1924–34 G. Bussey
Volume 14 A scientists war – the diary of Sir Clifford Paterson 1939–45 R.J. Clayton
and J. Algar (Editors)
Volume 15 Electrical technology in mining: the dawn of a new age A.V. Jones and
R.P. Tarkenter
Volume 16 Curiosity perfectly satisfied: Faraday’s travels in Europe 1813-1815
B. Bowers and L. Symonds (Editors)
Volume 17 Michael Faraday’s ‘Chemical Notes, Hints, Suggestions and Objects of
Pursuit’ of 1822 R.D. Tweney and D. Gooding (Editors)
Volume 18 Lord Kelvin: his influence on electrical measurements and units
P. Tunbridge
Volume 19 History of international broadcasting, volume 1 J. Wood
Volume 20 The early history of radio: from Faraday to Marconi G.R.M. Garratt
Volume 21 Exhibiting electricity K.G. Beauchamp
Volume 22 Television: an international history of the formative years R.W. Burns
Volume 23 History of international broadcasting, volume 2 J. Wood
Volume 24 Life and times of Alan Dower Blumlein R.W. Burns
Volume 26 A history of telegraphy: its technology and application K.G. Beauchamp
Volume 27 Restoring Baird’s image D.F. McLean
Volume 28 John Logie Baird: television pioneer R.W. Burns
Volume 29 Sir Charles Wheatstone, 2nd edition B. Bowers
Volume 30 Radio man: the remarkable rise and fall of C.O. Stanley M. Frankland
Volume 31 Electric railways, 1880–1990 M.C. Duffy
Volume 32 Communications: an international history of the formative years R. Burns
Volume 33 Spacecraft technology: the early years M. Williamson
Volume 34 The struggle for unity: colour television, the formative years R.W. Burns
Volume 36 Oliver Heaviside: maverick mastermind of electricity B. Mahon
History of
International
Broadcasting
Volume 2
James Wood
The Institution of Engineering and Technology in association with The Science Museum, London
Published by The Institution of Engineering and Technology, London, United Kingdom
First edition © 2000 The Institution of Electrical Engineers
Paperback edition © 2011 The Institution of Engineering and Technology
First published 2000 (0 85296 920 1)
Paperback edition 2011
This publication is copyright under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright
Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research
or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any
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asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this product is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-84919-201-9
Printed in the UK by Lightning Source UK Ltd, Milton Keynes
'Too many people expect wonders from democracy, when the
most wonderful thing is just having it.'
Walter Winchell
For Andrew, Melanie, Nigel and grandchildren. Most of all for
my wife Constance for unfailing love, compassion and making
dreams come true. Je t'aime.
Contents
List of figures xiii
Preface XV
Acknowledgements xix
Abbreviations xxii
1 International broadcasting in the HF spectrum:
past and present 1
Programme preparation costs 4
2 An analysis of SW sales 1950-1997 5
The markets 6
The SW market 1950-1990 7
The SW market in the post cold war period 1990-1993 8
The SW market in the post cold war period 1991-1996 9
3 SW Listening audiences and broadcasting output 12
More broadcasters, increasing competition 12
SW world-wide listening audiences 13
Universal language broadcasting 16
Technical drawbacks and scheduling 17
Conclusions 17
Broadcasting output from the world's international broadcasters 18
Programme output hours 20
4 Projecting foreign policy, propaganda, beliefs and
objectives 22
Propaganda 24
Propagating a faith or a belief 26
Censorship of foreign broadcasting 27
viii Contents
5 Structure of US international broadcasting 29
US national broadcasting 31
Propagating American values 31
US Government international broadcasting 34
6 The BBC World Service 37
A high-profile international broadcaster 39
Continuing development 41
British Government audit of the World Service 46
7 Deutsche Welle: the Voice of Germany 48
History of German SW broadcasting 50
Transmitter network 51
Wertachtal SW transmitter station 54
Antenna layout 55
The revival of Nauen: Europe's newest SW station 56
Redevelopment for the cold war 57
German reunification 59
8 Radio France International 61
The ALLISS concept 63
RFI's worldwide listening audience 67
TeleDiffusion de France (TDF) 68
9 Voice of America 70
Modernisation of VOA's global network 74
Morocco 78
Thailand 79
Kuwait 79
Sri Lanka 80
Sao Tome and Principe 80
Botswana 80
Philippines 81
Thailand 81
Munich, Germany 82
Belize 82
Bethany, USA 82
Delano, USA 82
Greenville, USA 82
Israel 82
The VOA BSE research programme 83
VOA programme placement 84
Satellite Interconnect System (SIS) 85
Technical monitoring 85
Contents ix
10 Radio Canada International 86
Relay agreements 88
Radio Canada International and the cold war 89
11 Swiss Radio International 92
Programme Delivery 93
Funding 95
12 Radio Nederland Wereldomroep 97
RNW radio production: direct transmissions 99
Transmission sites 100
Relay exchange and leasing agreements 101
RNW: the voice of the Netherlands 101
13 The former Soviet Union 103
Radio Moscow International: transmitter network 106
Siberia 108
Radio Moscow International: 'the Voice of Russia' 109
14 The Balkan region 113
Croatia 116
Foreign service broadcasting 117
Slovenia 118
15 RFE/RL comes out of the cold 120
Barrage broadcasting and jamming 123
The role of the CIA 123
Soviet sky-wave j amming 124
Technical monitoring 125
How the Western broadcasters performed during the cold war 125
A brief history of RFE/RL 126
The RFE/RL transmitter network 128
16 The restructuring of US Government international
broadcasting 130
17 The Arab-Islamic world 137
Broadcasting with superpower from the Arab world 138
SW broadcasting 140
An assessment of the MW transmitter markets in Arab countries 142
Broadcasting with SW superpower from the Arab-Islamic world 144
Market leaders in the supply of the broadcast infrastructure 145
Analysis of sales for SW high power 1970-1995 146