02-03-2022, 08:53 PM
This morning I heard an item on either Radio 4 or Times Radio about Kyiv citizens looking out traditional radios given the likelihood of mobile phone and internet systems being disabled. (I have been surprised that the Russians haven’t yet knocked out these systems though they have had a go at the TV tower with limited success.)
Tonight I heard that the BBC are gearing up two shortwave transmitters to broadcast to Ukraine.
I have always thought that, though inevitable in the face of modern communications technology, the demise of analogue shortwave broadcasting was a great loss, especially in a crisis such as this.
To control information the Russian authorities have shut down the more liberal radio stations – with punishment of up to 15 years in jail for braodcasting what they consider fake news – and are blocking many websites. Beyond that, with an internet trail there is a risk to anyone in a totalitarian society who may be discovered accessing the ‘wrong’ sites.
The beauty of good old analogue radio is that listening can be a completely clandestine activity and batteries will last way longer than those of a mobile phone.
P.S. I see that RT (formerly Russia Today) has disappeared from Freeview. I had been having an occasional look purely out of curiosity. It rather took me back to the days of Radio Moscow and wretched Radio Tirana on 7.065kHz blocking a good chunk of the then meagre 40m band allocation.
Tonight I heard that the BBC are gearing up two shortwave transmitters to broadcast to Ukraine.
I have always thought that, though inevitable in the face of modern communications technology, the demise of analogue shortwave broadcasting was a great loss, especially in a crisis such as this.
To control information the Russian authorities have shut down the more liberal radio stations – with punishment of up to 15 years in jail for braodcasting what they consider fake news – and are blocking many websites. Beyond that, with an internet trail there is a risk to anyone in a totalitarian society who may be discovered accessing the ‘wrong’ sites.
The beauty of good old analogue radio is that listening can be a completely clandestine activity and batteries will last way longer than those of a mobile phone.
P.S. I see that RT (formerly Russia Today) has disappeared from Freeview. I had been having an occasional look purely out of curiosity. It rather took me back to the days of Radio Moscow and wretched Radio Tirana on 7.065kHz blocking a good chunk of the then meagre 40m band allocation.
Nick
