:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2202--June 21, 1994 ::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2202
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: As I'm about to take three weeks of vacation, there will be no
electronic edition on July 5 (when I'll be celebrating my son Daniel's 5th
birthday anyway). There will be a short media feature on Radio Sweden that
day. A short summary can be found under TV 4, below.
NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
RADIO SWEDEN--There's a Radio Sweden shortwave frequency change, beginning
June 24th. Our broadcasts to North America at 02:30 and 03:30 hrs will be
moving to 6155 kHz from 6040.
CLASSIC FM--When Sweden's Conservative-led government announced its plans to
introduce commercial radio into this country, there was widespread criticism
that putting 10 new stations in Stockholm was a mistake, as there wasn't
enough of an advertising base to support that many stations. Critics also
charged that handing out licences to the highest bidders crippled the
stations from the start with economic burdens, and did nothing to stop them
all from playing rock and pop music.
Now one of those stations has gone bankrupt, Storstadsradion, Big City Radio,
on 107.5 MHz, which besides the usual diet of pop music focused on sports, as
its main owners were Swedish sports federations. But with a listenership of
less than 2 percent, there weren't enough advertisers to keep going. The end
came Friday evening June 17th.
The licence has been bought by Britain's national FM station Classic FM. We
interview the chairman of Classic FM, Sir Peter Michael, in today's program.
He tells us that their Swedish operation is part of larger European plans.
They're already on the air in the Netherlands, and Sir Peter spoke to us from
Helsinki, Finland, where Classic FM is setting up a network. Ultimately they
will present European-wide live concerts (presumeably via satellite).
Sir Peter also tells us that the Finnish Service of BBC World Service will be
providing news for Classic FM in Finland.
STOCKHOLM FM--Meanwhile two FM frequencies in Stockholm remain empty, 106.3
MHz where the Kinnevik media empire's Classic Radio is scheduled to start by
August, and 106.7 MHz where Ireland's Radio Hibernia has stopped sending test
tones. No word yet on when they will be starting.
TV4's SCRAP CHANNEL--TV 4 is Sweden's first terrestrial commercial TV
channel. Because it's been slowly building up its network around the country,
it's also been broadcasting on satellite, using Sweden's Tele-X direct
broadcast satellite. Broadcasts have also recently begun on Sweden's new
Sirius satellite, located at the same position as Tele-X. There have been
problems with the Tele-X transponder, and it will be closing next month.
But TV 4 has also made the surprise announcement that it plans to start a
second, satellite-only channel. We called up the President of TV 4, Bjoern
Nordstrand, and asked why they are launching what it being called a "Scrap
Channel". That interview can be heard on Radio Sweden on July 5th. The plan
is to buy more programs from the United States, and use TV 4's existing news
department. The channel would be satellite-only. TV 4 will be opening
discussions with the new government following this Fall's elections.
According to Bjoern Nordstrand, the "Scrap Channel" can be on the air within
three or four months after a government approval.
NORWAY--Over in neighboring Norway, a week-long strike at the public
broadcaster NRK ended Saturday, just in time for Norway's first match at the
soccer World Cup in the US. During the strike, NRK's television channel was
off the air, and the only news bulletins were heard on radio.
The country's private radio and television stations doubled or tripled their
audiences, and there were record sales of satellite reception equipment as
the World Cup approached.
INTELSAT 702--Those Norwegians who have been buying satellite dishes in
record numbers will also have a new satellite to watch shortly. Last Friday
an Ariane rocket put Intelsat 702 into orbit. It was the first Ariane launch
since January, when a crash destroyed Eutelsat II-F5 and Turksat 1A.
Intelsat 702 is to be positioned at 1 degree West, replacing Intelsat 512,
which carries a number of programs aimed at Norway.
The four largest cable operators in the Nordic area are establishing a joint
company to distribute TV channels on the new Intelsat and Thor. The new
company is called Nordic Satellite Distribution, and the plan is to offer a
package to satellite viewers similar to that offered over cable. The
Norwegian public service broadcaster NRK is to move to the new satellite from
its current location on Sweden's Tele-X. It will be joined by Norway's
commercial TV2 and the satellite-only TV Norge. Four more broadcasters will
be announced when Intelsat 702 goes into operation in early August. On Thor
already are CNN, Eurosport Nordic, Discovery, Children's Channel, FilmNet and
MTV.
The next scheduled Ariane launch is for July 8, with the American Panamsat-2
and Japan's BS-3N. (AP)
EUROPEAN MEDIA NEWS:
SPORTS--The NBA basketball championships from the United States have been
carried on the Intelsat-K satellite, on 11.500 GHz, with English on audio
7.38 MHz. During the day that transponder has been showing a screen from
Wimbledon, so it's possible the tennis championships are being carried there
as well. Otherwise, satellite transponders are full of feeds from the World
Cup soccer matches in the United States.
SWITZERLAND--Swiss Radio International has begun its 24 hour English service
on the Astra satellite, on Teleclub's transponder 9, audio 7.56 MHz. The half
hour on the air is news, while features are carried during the half hours
that begin on the half hour.
MPTV--The Parliamentary Channel, Wire-TV, and the Learning Channel have moved
to 11.095 GHz on Intelsat 602 and are sharing a digital transponder using the
MPEG-2 standard. However, the Parliamentary Channel remained until June 15 on
11.475 GHz, but without any sound. (James Robinson)
FRANCE--The TF1 news channel, is to be launched on cable on June 24. It will
also be the first customer of the France Telecom satellite digital service to
cable networks. The service will begin at the end of 1994 on the Telecom 1C
satellite, which will be replaced by Telecom 2C in 1995. Two other cable
channels, Serie Club and the channel carrying parliamentary debates, have
also expressed their interest in this technology.
The compression system, Thompson Broadband System, allows encryption in the
European Eurocrypt standard (otherwise used for D-MAC and D2-MAC), and allows
each satellite transponder to carry four TV channels.
Until this system is introduced, the TF1 news channel will be broadcast in
analog on Telecom 2B on 12.543 GHz. (AFP via BBC Monitoring)
EUTELSAT--A new Asian channel called GSTV has been testing on Eutelsat II-F3
on 11.163 GHz, with programming in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, and other South
Asian languages. It is to begin regular broadcasts on July 1, and will switch
to videocrypt scrambling at the end of August. The sound is on 6.65 MHz.
(James Robinson)
BRITAIN--On August 1 Britain's Radio 1 will be leaving medium wave for good.
(James Robinson)
DIGITAL TV--Meeting in Lillehammer, Norway, European nations on June 16
launched a USD 300 million research project into digital television.
Technology ministers and senior officials from 22 countries in the so-called
Eureka group approved the Advanced Digital Television Technologies (ADTT)
project, which will build on the 6 year High Defination Television project.
(Reuters)
NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA NEWS:
WRN--We've had word that the North American service of the World Rado
Network, which carries Radio Sweden, is moving from the SCOLA transponder in
August or September. WRN's new home will be among PBS's digital signals on
the new Telstar 401 satellite. But home listeners will be pleased to hear
that an analog signal will remain, on the very popular Galaxy 5 satellite.
CNN--Beginning January 1, 1995, Turner Broadcasting will be carrying CNN
International to North America, for those viewers who want more international
news than offered on the regular CNN and Headline News. ("In Orbit")
USA--WRMI, Radio Miami International, was scheduled to begin regular
operations on June 14 at 01:00 hrs, on 9955 kHz. The tentative schedule is
01:00-04:00 hrs Tuesday to Sunday. The English language "Viva Miami!" program
will be on at 01:00-01:30 hrs, followed by "Viva Miami!" in Spanish at 01:30-
02:00 hrs and La Voz de la Fundacion at 02:00-04:00 hrs. (Jeff White, WRMI)
MIDDLE EASTERN MEDIA NEWS:
TURKEY--Turksat 1B is ready for launch in July from French Guiana. According
to Turkey's Transport Minister, the launch window is between July 27 and 29.
Turksat 1A wa lost in the Ariane crash in January.
The new satellite will carry 22 television channels, and will hopefully
gather up the Turkish channels, which currently can be found on 4 Eutelsats.
(Reuters)
ASIAN MEDIA NEWS:
BBC/JAPAN--BBC World Service Television has announced the launch of its new
24 hour service to Japan on July 1st, which will be carried on the JCSat 2
satellite at 154 degrees East, on 12.673 GHz. During prime time, programs
will be translated into Japanese. There's an interesting article on the new
service, and satellite broadcasting in Japan by Simon Spanswick, in the July
issue of "BBC Worldwide" magazine.
STAR-TV--Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch has admitted that his Star-TV's decison
to drop BBC World Service Television from Star's northern beam was influenced
by the Chinese authorities. In an interview in "Esquire" magazine, Murdoch
says: "(Critics) say it's a cowardly way, but we said that in order to get in
there and get accepted, we'll cut the BBC out."
Murdoch says that he expects to replace the BBC with his own Sky News
service, but that would not be possible for at least a couple of years.
CHINA--China's Apstar-1 satellite has arrived at the launch site in Xichang
in Western China. It's being tested prior to launch in mid-July. The
satellite will be placed at 131 degrees East, and will relay a number of
international broadcasters in competition with the Asiasat-1 satellite, home
of Rupert Murdoch's Star-TV. (Reuters)
SINGAPORE--Singapore has applied to the ITU for six orbital slots. Singapore
hopes to launch its first satellite by 1999. (Reuters)
HOBBY NEWS:
NORDX 94--The Nordic DX Championships, NorDX 94, will be arranged by the
Dansk DX Lytter Klub and the Danish Shortwave Clubs International. All DXers
anywhere in the world may participate, but only residents of the Nordic
countries will be eligible to win the usual prizes and championship titles.
There will be a special prize category for non-Nordic DXers, however.
The contest will be held between September 9 and 11, but those who wishing to
take part must enroll by August 10, 1994. The competition fee is DKK 65 (or
13 IRCs) for Nordic residents, DKK 80 (or 16 IRCs) for European residents, or
DKK 100 (or 20 IRCs) for entrants from outside Europe. Send your application
and competition fee to:
Danish Shortwave Clubs International
Tavleager 31
DK-2670 Greve, Denmark
(Fax +45-42 90 29 00, to Kaj Bredahl-Joergensen)
PUBLICATIONS--Joergen Klingenfuss has published the 14th edition of his
"Guide to Fax Radio Stations". This includes information about new hardware
and software for reception of satellite WEFAX. The book also contains new or
drastically modified schedules for many FAX stations, as well as 353 sample
charts and pictures. 313 frequencies are listed, from LF to UHF, while the
callsign list covers 112 callsigns. A new index lists 108 stations in 40
countries complete with address and all frequencies. There are also schedules
of 62 WEFAX and meteo satellites, and information about radio amateur FAX.
The "Guide to Fax Radio Stations" is available for DEM 50 (plus DEM 10 for
overseas airmail) from: Klingenfuss Publications, Hagenloher Str. 14, D-72070
Tuebingen, Germany (fax +49-7071-660849)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sweden Calling DXers/MediaScan is the world's oldest radio program about
international broadcasting. Radio Sweden has presented this round-up of radio
news, features, and interviews on Tuesdays since 1948. It's currently
broadcast on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
Radio Sweden broadcasts in English:
Europe and Africa:
16:15 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
17:30 hrs on 1179, 6065, 9655, and 15390 kHz
20:30 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz
21:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz, and
22:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
Middle East and Africa:
17:30 hrs on 6065, 9655, and 15390 kHz
20:30 hrs on 6065 and 9655 kHz
Asia and the Pacific:
11:30 hrs on 13775, 15120, and 15240 kHz
23:30 hrs on 11910 kHz and
01:30 hrs on 9695 and 11695 kHz
North America:
12:30 and 13:30 hrs on 15240 and 17870 kHz
02:30 and 03:30 hrs on 6155 and 9850 kHz
South America:
00:30 hrs on 6065 and 9810 kHz
The broadcasts at 16:15, 17:30, 21:30, and 22:30 hrs (and weekends at 20:30)
are also relayed to Europe by satellite:
Astra 1B (19.2 degrees East) transponder 26 (Sky Movies Gold/TV Asia/Adult
Channel) at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier at 7.74 MHz,
Tele-X (5 degrees East) (TV4 transponder) at 12.207 GHz, audio subcarrier
7.38 MHz.
Radio Sweden is also relayed to Europe via the World Radio Network on MTV's
transponder 22 on Astra, audio 7.38 MHz, daily at 20:00 hrs UTC.
Radio Sweden can also be heard on WRN's North American service on ASC-1, on
SCOLA's transponder 23, audio 6.20 MHz, daily at 00:00 and 20:00 hrs.
Contributions can be sent to DX Editor George Wood by fax to +468-667-6283,
from MCI Mail or CompuServe to the CompuServe mailbox 70247,3516, from
Internet to 70247.3516@compuserve.com, or to SM0IIN at the packet radio BBS
SM0ETV.
Reports can also be sent to:
Radio Sweden
S-105 10 Stockholm
Sweden
Contributions should be NEWS about electronic media--from shortwave to
satellites--and not loggings of information already available from sources
such as the "World Radio TV Handbook". Clubs and DX publications may reprint
material as long as MediaScan/Sweden Calling DXers and the original
contributor are acknowledged, with the exception of items from BBC
Monitoring, which are copyright.
We welcome comments and suggestions about the electronic edition, Sweden
Calling DXers, and our programs in general.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to this week's contributors Good Listening!