[LINK] China takes over Radio Australia frequencies after ABC drops shortwave

[Stephen Loosley]

Good grief .. this idiot government won’t rest until they trash the ABC .. and cease much goodwill for our world region. Idiots


“China takes over Radio Australia frequencies after ABC drops shortwave”


A Chinese station has taken over some of the shortwave radio frequencies once used by the ABC in the Pacific region, following the broadcaster's decision to end shortwave services.

Key points:

    The ABC chose to end shortwave radio broadcasts in early 2017
    China's state-owned broadcaster now uses Radio Australia's old frequencies
    Australia's overseas broadcasting in the Asia Pacific is being reviewed

Radio Australia switched off its shortwave transmissions to remote parts of northern Australia and across the Pacific in January 2017.

The ABC insisted at the time the shortwave technology was out of date and it would save $1.9 million by cutting the service, which it said would be reinvested in expanding content and services.

The decision was met by an outcry from affected listeners, and there has been continued agitation to bring the service back.

The Australian newspaper has reported Radio Australia's former shortwave frequencies are now being used by China Radio International, the countrgavey's state-owned overseas broadcaster.

Claire Moore, Labor's spokeswoman for international development and the Pacific, said she was not surprised Chinese services snapped up Australia's old frequencies.

    "People in the Pacific were telling us that shortwave was a tried and true mechanism in their parts of the world, they relied on it and they knew about it," Ms Moore said.

Ms Moore said the Government had, "dropped the ball in the Pacific, at great cost to our national interest" by allowing the ABC to give up its shortwave broadcasts.

Asked why the Government should take responsibility for the ABC's decision, she said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade accepted the broadcaster's decision, and did not believe it was necessary to inject more resources into maintaining the service.