BBC Persian

Yep - though the real issue with FM is that of control. SW can be broadcast to a region from outside the region - whereas FM usually has to be broadcast from within the region the broadcasts are aimed at. Whilst this is fine in some areas - it can cause real issues in others. Say the government - or a commercial company - decides that it doesn't want its people to hear the BBC any more - they can terminate FM licenses or contracts and silence the BBC by removing them from FM. The same is not true of SW. At this point you are left with internet streaming - which can also be blocked... I think Russia is a case in point isn't it? The WS was pulled from lots of FM stations ISTR.

Sure FM is better quality - and in developed world regions (Europe etc.) where AM and SW are not that popular because they sound awful - FM (and DAB/DRM) is the way to go. However you always need to be aware that FM is not secure to the extent that SW is.

Similar arguments could be made about locating large chunks of your production staff overseas - though just as with FM there is a counter-argument that broadcasting to a country from presenters/producers within the same country will make the content more immediate and relevant and potentially less remote and parochial.

AFAIK, and I'm happy to be corrected on this, SW service has never been ceased in any region that could be considered unstable.

The only big controversy surrounding an SW closure I'm aware of; was with the North American beam about 8 years ago. The alternatives then were between 16Kbps real audio stream, or a local NPR station that may take some World Service programmes. No DTH satellite distribution, or digital radio platforms as there are now. The only people left with 24 hour FM were those who's local operator inserted it into the cable TV system.

When the Europe service closed last year it passed virtually without comment, other than the odd article centred around the end of 75 years of broadcasting history.


There is currently an industrial dispute in this area, so I'd rather not discuss this.

Isn't the SW coverage of Russia less comprehensive than it once was? With the relatively recent pulling of the FM rebroadcasts doesn't that cause concern?

Also - though not a transmission issue - the Thai service was ceased (following an argument that it was not a priority) and shortly after the country suddenly had some pretty major problems and very little unbiased media coverage in the Thai language... Not quite the same thing I accept.


Yep - the North America issue was a bit of a hot potato ISTR - with the Real Audio stream not widely regarded (particularly as dialup internet was far more common then).

ISTR that some PBS stations carried World Service Radio on alternative audio carriers (in the US there are more audio carriers than in the UK on TV broadcasts)



Yep - I can absolutely accept the issue in Western Europe.



Yep - quite understand.

Russian SW coverage has only got smaller in the sense that Western Russia could tune into the European SW beams. I don't know when Russian language broadcasts were last on any of them though - It will take someone with more than my 5 years in WS to remember. The South and Central Asia Russian SW networks still carry on as they always have.

The Russian FM transmitters were to provide higher quality broadcasts in 3 major cities already covered by SW broadcasts. They didn't provide any new programming or coverage, just made the existing programming more accessable. On top of the FM services closure there have also been cut backs in the programming of the Russian service which has made the range of programming narrower than it once was.

If you have not already seen it, watch the first episode of 'London Calling : Inside the BBC World Service' (it's in BBC Redux) for a good overview of the situation the Russian service are in now.

Watched the whole series on first TX. Very good it was too.

damn you for altering me to the existance of this site that eludes us commoners.

Didn't really know where to post it, but BBC Brasil, the Portuguese service, has relaunched their website with the LN branding. Looks amazing!

BBC Brasil homepage

They're also using it on their videos on YouTube: BBC Brasil YouTube channel

If the rumours of any future BBC foreign news channels are true, I'd love to see either a Spanish or Portuguese channel. The branding on them would be great.

Any news on when the other World Service websites will be relaunching?

^ isn't it a little bit to fast to have another BBC World Service channel after just a few weeks after the launching of BBC Persian?

and there's still the issue of availability, UK Foreign Office pay for the World Service channels... why is it not available in the UK or elsewhere (on TV)?

I don't think it has anything to do with a launch on a Portuguese channel, just news in different languages

I didn't mention a time-scale. I was just saying, judging by how it looks, it would be good if another channel launched in the future, regardless if it is Portuguese. Brazil is a large country, so the service would be well used.

They have a good website service, and a quality radio service. A TV service would certainly compliment those.

They have launched successful Arabic and Persian channels, what is to say they won't do more in the future? They would have to re-think how the channel is carried, and the implication with Foreign Office costing, naturally.

perhaps because they're run on tight budgets and getting the EPG slots on sky and paying the prices for such things as well as potential rights issues with other shows isn't a priority. they're available online anyhow.

Yep - and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office are hardly likely to fund this.