ARLA/CLUSTER: All India Radio em Ondas Curtas pode ter de fechar devido aos elevados custos de manutenção

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

AIR short-wave may shut down

The external short-wave broadcasts from *All India Radio* (AIR) may cease
due to high maintenance costs

AIR External Service transmissions first began in British India on October
1, 1939 to counter Nazi radio broadcasts directed to Afghanistan, Iran and
the Arab nations. Six transmitters were tranfered to the Indian Government
in 1947. Today the External Services Division broadcasts 57 transmissions
daily, with almost 72 hours covering over 108 countries in 27 languages,
comprising English, 12 Indian and 14 foreign languages.

The Sunday Guardian newspaper reports:

The Prasar Bharati Board is contemplating shutting down the short-wave
service of the External Services Division (ESD) of All India Radio (AIR)
even as a proposal to switch to an affordable internet-based radio service
is still under consideration. A section of the board is keen on closing
down the short wave service as an exorbitant amount is being spent to
maintain the current infrastructure.

“The total budget allocated to ESD is Rs 100 crore ($15m) annually. Out of
this, approximately Rs 95 crore ($14.3m) is spent on the maintenance of
short wave transmitters, which includes the high cost of spare parts that
are not easily available. The remaining Rs 5 crore is spent on the
production of programmes in 27 languages, and to pay the salaries of the
staff who are hired on a contract basis,� said a senior official in the ESD.

“One would expect to gain a large fan base after spending so much money,
but this has not been the case with ESD."

Read the Sunday Guardian story at
http://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/4205-air-mulls-shutting-down-soft-power-short-wave-units

Thanks to *Mike Barraclough* of BDXC for spotting this item
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