The ABC has claimed that shortwave radio transmissions are outdated. They can travel thousands of kilometers and be picked up using low-cost transmitters powered by batteries or solar energy. Michael Mason, ABC Director of Radio, said.
The shortwave has been a great tool for audiences over many decades. However, the technology is nearly 100 years old and only serves a small audience. The ABC will use modern technology to serve this audience.
There is a problem in that remote parts of the Pacific, especially in Melanesian countries such as Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, have limited access to the internet, and where it is available is very expensive.
The future looks promising with the introduction of low Earth orbit satellites that provide global high-speed internet service. The receiving technology, however, is still expensive, and receivers are not available in rural or remote areas.
Shortwave radio evades censorship.
The ABC announced that it would replace shortwave international services with digital ones, including a webstream, FM transmitters in the country, the Australia Plus app for expats, and partner websites, apps, and websites such as TuneIn Radio and vTurner.
No mention was made of Updates to Shortwave Technologies or Digital Radio Monde, which are being used by Radio New Zealand. Or the use of shortwave digital data transmission, which cannot be censored.
It has become more common for disgruntled political leaders to shut down FM frequency, such as what happened in Fiji 2009 when then self-appointed prime minister Frank Bainimarama ordered the shutdown.
Mark Scott, then the managing director of ABC, highlighted a text sent by a Fijian to ABC that read : “We’re trying to listen online, but we are having trouble. Please continue broadcasting. “You are all that we have”.
Frank Bainimarama, Fiji’s former FM service provider, shut down the service in 2009. Tim Wimborne/Reuters
Shortwave radio played an important role in delivering information to communities during civil unrest, as was the case in East Timor before independence.
It was the Burmese leaders themselves who requested shortwave broadcasts. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese leader for democracy and freedom of speech, asked that Australia provide shortwave broadcasts in 2009. Murray Green, the ABC director of international at the time, stated that the decision reflected ABC’s commitment to serve people living in Asia and the Pacific without press freedom. The price of shortwaves in Burma’s Sittwe Market had already increased before the announcement.
Keep people safe in a disaster.
Shortwave is not just about providing information to countries that are censored. Shortwave is a reliable information source, especially during natural disasters.
Shortwave radios provide vital tsunami warnings to island nations. After the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami, it was an effective way to communicate. It was also crucial for the response to Cyclone Pam in 2015, which devastated Vanuatu.
The aftermath of Cyclone Pam, 2015 in Vanuatu. Reuters
The shortwave radio transmissions can reach over mountains and seas and have a greater range. They also don’t get damaged by storms as FM radio towers do. In a press release, the Pacific Freedom Forum, an NGO that monitors and advocates for media freedom, ethics, and transparency in the region, stated:
There was no consideration given to the connection between this service and disaster communication or the fact that FM can be unreliable during bad weather conditions and is only available in urban locations.
Shortwave radio is seen as an important part of protecting communities. After Cyclone Pam, ABC’s Facebook correspondent and technology reporter Peter Marks said on air:
We were prepared for the worst. Death, injury, hunger. When we arrived at Dillons Bay, the village chief told me that they had been sheltering in two buildings because they knew the cyclone would be approaching. The majority of houses were destroyed, but no one was injured. I asked him what he did to see if the hurricane would be coming. He replied, “ABC Radio”.
New Zealand and the UK take on China.
ABC has been cutting its budget for international services in recent years.
While many cuts were made to broadcasters, ABC quietly shut down Vietnamese, Khmer, and Burmese language services on December 2, 2016. While other cuts to the broadcaster have been widely reported, ABC has cut shortwave and quietly closed its Vietnamese, Khmer, and Burmese language services on December 2, 2016.
Shortwave can save lives. Matt Kieffer, CC BY-SA
RNZ International, New Zealand, is continuing to transmit shortwave across the Pacific, a boon for Pacific nations. BBC has announced a major increase in its international broadcasts. This includes producing shortwave radio programs for North Korea. The BBC is worried about the growth of state-backed broadcasters like China’s CCTV and Qatar’s Al Jazeera.
China has a particular interest in the Pacific. The Lowy Institute, based in Australia, has tracked the extent of China’s assistance program for the Pacific since 2006. It is estimated that China funded more than 200 projects totaling $US1.4 billion. Meanwhile, the state-owned Xinhua News Agency covers the Asia Pacific.