Saturday, January 19, 2008

Changes at Radio Pakistan


4835 Radio Pakistan, Islamabad, at 1715-1805* UTC on Dec 17, Urdu talks with music bridges, 1800 Time annmt, three short time pips, news before close, 35232.
(Roland Schulze-D, dswci DXW Jan 9)

Here are details I've received of the changes at Radio Pakistan. All other World Services not mentioned continue as before, as I assume does English News & Commentary at 1600-1615 UT. The World Service to West Europe now starts at 0830-1100 UT followed by four mins of English as usual on the same 15100 & 17835 kHz as monitored.

All times UTC

The following External Service will be discontinued w.e.f. 5th Jan, 2008.
S.No. Service Transmitter.
1. Assami API-3 UTC 0045-0115 7445
2. Arabic API-3 1815-1900 6280
3. Tamil I & II API-3 0315-0345 & 0945-1015 both 15620
4. Turki API-3 1330-1400 5050
5. English for WeEurope API-5 & 6 0730-0830 15100 & 17835
(Urdu opens 0830 UT)
6. Nepali API-3 1245-1315 7445
7. Sinhali API-3 1015-1045 15620
8. Turkish API-3 1630-1700 6240
9. Russian API-3 1415-1445 9395

The following services will continue with some changes in the timings and the
duration. The detail is as under:

S.No. Service Existing Timing New Timing T/R Frequency
old(PST) new(PST) (kHz)
1. Hindi-I 0715-0800 0715-0800 API-3 7445
0215-0300 no change 7445
Hindi-II 1600-1645 1530-1630 API-3 7445
1030-1130 (x1100-1145) 7445
2. Bangla-I 0615-0700 0615-0700 API-3 7445
0115-0200 no change 7445
Bangla-II 1700-1745 1700-1745 API-3 7445
1200-1245 no change 7445
3. Pushto 1000-1045 1800-1900 API-3 5050
1300-1400 (x0500-0545) 5050 (x6235)
4. Dari 2015-2045 1930-2030 API-3 5050
1430-1530 (x1515-1545) 5050
5. Irani 2215-2300 2200-2300 API-3 5050
1700-1800 (x1715-1800) 5050
6. Gujrati 0900-0930 0900-0930 API-3 9350
0400-0430 no change 9350
7. Chinese 1700-1730 1700-1800 API-5&6 9380 & 11570
1200-1300 (x1200-1230) 9380 & 11570
(Noel R. Green-UK, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 12)

The press reports appear to contain nothing concrete about installing new shortwave transmitters, so the reorganization of the language services seems to be another waste of effort (or a hit into the air, as we say in Swedish). (Olle Alm-SWE, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 13)

The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has decided to retain and reinforce its external service broadcasts in Hindi, Gujarati, Bangla, Pushto, Dari, Persian and Chinese languages.

A meeting chaired by Secretary Information Syed Anwar Mahmood and attended by Director General PBC Javed Akhtar and senior officials discussed the contents of the services to be continued with improved content, quality and strong transmission signals, a press release issued said.

The contents of the program of these services will be improved in line with the international broadcast partners with more emphasis on news and current affairs along with entertainment, it added.

Simultaneously there would be readjustment of broadcast transmitters and the services would be relayed through powerful transmitters to improve the signals of the broadcasts.

A decision to revamp the external services of Radio Pakistan was taken last year. It was decided that there should be a thorough review of the external services broadcasts and wherever needed these services must be strengthened and in other cases they should be discontinued.

The decision to revamp the external services will improve the quality of broadcasts of the essential services and convey the message from Pakistan to overseas listeners.

The secretary assured that the staff which has become surplus due to revamping would be absorbed in other services of Radio Pakistan and no one would be made jobless.
(AP PAK, Jan 10; via NWDXC)
(Source: WWDXC Top News, BC-DX #843 via wb, Germany)