RTE RADIO 1 NEWS ON SATELLITE I received this information from Aengus Lawlor, who in turn obtained it from the Irish Emigrant and some UseNet posts. It is presented here for those of you lucky enough to possess the necessary equipment (or with the right cable TV company)... See at the end for an update on the situation from RTE themselves. October 25, 1993 THE IRISH EMIGRANT Issue No.351 - Those of you in Europe who wish to listen to the RTE 6:30pm news, which is broadcast on the World Radio Network from the ASTRA 1B satellite, require some technical information which was not to hand last week. A reader who has succeeded in picking up the signal gives the following instructions: "Tune in to Channel 22, then read from your satellite equipment documentation which audio channel(s) corresponds to 7.74mhz - in our case it was audio channel 21 - and tune in to that. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: smckinty@sunicnc.France.Sun.COM (Steve McKinty - SunConnect ICNC) Newsgroups: soc.culture.celtic Subject: RTE Radio by satellite Date: 3 Jan 1994 16:51:13 GMT Keywords: radio satellite ireland rte A few weeks ago there was a suggestion that RTE radio news may be available by satellite. This message has just been posted to rec.video.satellite, it lists several RTE slots. On Astra (for European listeners) it is on one of the MTV Europe channels (11.538 Vertical) using a sound carrier at 7.74 MHz. Steve > Below is a tenative schedule. The service is testing using the Astra feed. > Later this month the schedule below should be correct > > WRN is on ASC1 Tr 23 6.2Mhz wide (SCOLA) > > There will be a more in V2N1 of Satellite Journal moving 11 Jan. > > WORLD RADIO NETWORK - PROVISIONAL NORTH AMERICAN SERVICE > (all times EST) > > 0000 KOL Israel > 0030 BBC Europe Today > 0100 -- > 0300 Radio Australia > 0400 Radio Korea > 0500 Radio Moscow International > 0530 Radio Netherlands > 0630 KOL Israel > 0700 Radio France International *> 0800 RTE Ireland ****** > 0900 Radio Korea > 1000 YLE Radio Finland > 1030 BBC World Service > 1100 Radio Australia > 1200 Blue Danube Radio, Austria (M-S) > 1200 UN Radio Bosnia (Sun) > 1230 Radio Netherlands > 1255 Transmission break *> 1530 RTE Ireland ****** > 1600 Radio Sweden > 1630 BBC Europe Today *> 1800 RTE Ireland ****** > 1900 Radio Moscow International > 2000 Radio Sweden > 2030 Vatican Radio > 2100 YLE Radio Finland > 2130 Vatican Radio > 2230 Radio Netherlands > 2330 Vatican Radio > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > + > + Gary Torrens 0006373898@mcimail.com > + P.O. Box 2065 Compuserve: 71165,2032 > + Burleson, TX. 76097 -- Steve McKinty Sun Microsystems ICNC 38240 Meylan, France email: smckinty@france.sun.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From: malamb@newstand.syr.edu (Marie A. Lamb) Newsgroups: alt.radio.networks.npr Subject: Re: NPR in Europe? Date: 13 Aug 1994 22:15:13 GMT Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, USA Lines: 220 Message-ID: <32jglh$bec@newstand.syr.edu> Marie A. Lamb (malamb@newstand.syr.edu) wrote: The other day, I mentioned that NPR can be heard in Europe on the World Radio Network. For those who would like to know more about this, here is an article from the August 1994 issue of DX Ontario, the monthly magazine of the Ontario DX Association. This is quoted by permission, but if anyone posts this elsewhere or quotes it, please give credit to DX Ontario and the Ontario DX Association. "PRESS RELEASE--WRN--Introducing the World Radio Network A New Concept in International Broadcasting" (Note--I believe this first part is quoted from WRN press material, to judge from the wording--M.L.) "WRN is a 24 hour news and information network which is unlike any other because the schedule contains segments of programming from 20 of the world's leading public and international broadcasters. "Listeners can hear the news live, in English and direct from the source. The reporting of the world events also takes on a new significance when heard through the eyes of reporters of other nations. In the end it's the listener who is able to judge what's said and thus gain a global perspective on the events. "WRN is more than just news, and the programming has extensive coverage of the arts and culture, music, sports, science, developmental issues and much more. Not only is the scope wide but many of the broadcasters have extremely high production values and programmes are carefully crafted from material recorded by reporters who are often sent far afield. "WRN is a new depature in international radio and embraces the programming of organizations who have existing shortwave services and wish to extend their audience and enter the new age of satellite and cable in good audio quality. As well as established domestic broadcasters who are making their first venture outside their borders perhaps to reach their expatriates or gain a new international following and prestige. "WRN began Network 1, the European service in English, on the Astra satellite on 1st October 1993 and an audience survey in February 1994 estimated the reach to be 490,000 listeners. Since then, coverage has increased with relays on cable in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, POland and Belgium. Local AM and FM stations rebroadcast selected programmes in many countries including: Finland, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, the UK and France. "Astra is a direct-to-home satellite primarily for TV distribution which is operated by the SES company of Luxembourg and reaches a total of 48 million European homes (18 million by direct reception and 30 million by cable). People equip their homes for Astra to see TV stations such as CNN and MTV-- it currently supports 48 TV channels, but they will also find there are over 50 radio stations including WRN. We believe few people will buy equipment for international radio (2% of Europeans own shortwave radios) but by distributing it 'on the back of TV' it will be discovered by a new audience--though there turns out to be some overlap. "WRN intends to extend the concept of the single language network, first to German then French and Spanish. These new services will use existing and new program contributors. "The WRN North American service began on 1st January 1994 and is distributed with the SCOLA international TV service based in MacClelland, Iowa. SCOLA is currently on the ASC1 staellite at 128 degrees west (channel 23), but has just started digital transmission on the Telstar 402 satellite and will discontinue ASC1 at the end of 1994. In order to retain the audience equipped for analog audio sub-carrier transmission, WRN will be starting on Galaxy 5 (WTBS) transponder 6, audio 6.80 MHz. "Due to the pattern of broadcasting in North America, listeners without satellite receivers may hear WRN in several different ways in different places. Via cable companies (as both SAP channels and on the FM band), and also on local AM and FM stations in a number of cities. During the coming months some exiciting new ventures will be announced that will mean parts of WRN's programming will be heard coast-to-coast on national radio networks. "All programming on WRN is offered free to any stations for rebroadcast, and they only have to contact WRN and sign a brief relay agreement. "To make the WRN operation possible at a modest cost to the contributing stations, a good deal of new technology had to be developed. The whole station is automated with a number of PCs that select the required program feed and mix it with announcements. Some programs that are received by WRN at the same hour have to be timeshifted with PCs fitted with audio cards. Programs arrive at WRN by several means: by satellite in several formats... by digital fibre ciucuit at 64 kilobit per second, by dial-up SDN circuit, by PC modem audio file transfer, by telephone frequency extender and by DAT tape in the case of NPR music programs. "WRN is expecting a number of other developments to occur before the end of the year, including the extension of Network 1 to Japan via the USEN cable system that reaches over 1.8 million homes, and to be available in Australia on a new subscription satellite service. "The stations currently contributing programs to WRN Network 1 are: ABC Radio Australia BBC Europe CBC Radio Canada International C-SPAN (U.S.A.) * Central Europe Today (Hungary)* Deutsche Welle (Germany)+ Israel Radio KBS Radio Korea International (South Korea) National Public Radio (U.S.A.)* ORF Blue Danube Radio (Austria) Radio France Internationale Radio Moscow International Radio Netherlands Radio Sweden Radio Telefis Eireann (Ireland) Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (Belgium) Swiss Radio International United Nations Radio Vatican Radio YLE Radio Finland (*=not distributed in North America)(+=only distributed in North America) "New broadcasters are expected to join WRN in order to broaden the range of programming. In addition, WRN broadcasts Glenn Hauser's long established DX program, 'World of Radio.' This, and the many other programs aimed at enthusiasts, helps cement the link between the technologies of shortwave and satellite. "World Radio Network was formed in 1992 to provide communications, technical and production services to broadcasters worldwide and, in addition to Network One, operates distribution services on the Astra and Eutelsat satellites for Vatican Radio, Radio Telefis Eireann and Radio Canada International. "In June 1994, the company submitted an application to the UK Radio Authority to operate an FM station in London. If successful, the station will be called London International Radio and will carry London programming from 1900 to 0700 (presumably that's in UTC/GMT time--M.L.) and at other times programs for tourists and about leisure activities in the capital." DX Ontario then prints: "NEWS JUST IN FROM THE WORLD RADIO NETWORK!" "Network seeks to be on cable and FM" "From August 1, London based WRN is extending satellite distribution of its service of news and programs from leading world broadcasters. WRN will be available on Galaxy 5, a satellite widely received by backyard dish owners and cable companies. The uplink will be by LMC Satcom of Douglasville, GA, on an audio subcarrier of transponder 6 which accomodates a very popular TV channel.... "WRN is actively seeking outlets in North America and programming is freely available to any local AM or FM radio stations and the network can be relayed by cable companies or on TV SAP channels. There are no charges and WRN only asks potential rebroadcasters to supply their details to the Director of Development in London. Some news and programs may be excerpted by other radio stations. "Since the beginning of the year WRN has been available on a limited scale in North America via transmissions on the aging ASC1 satellite, but these will cease at the end of 1994 when the SCOLA TV service moves to digital broadcast on AT & T's Telstar 401. WRN received many requests from dish owners and radio stations who relay programs, requesting the continuance of the service on an analog radio subcarrier. Galaxy 5 was selected for its very wide reach through its being used by some of America's most popular broadcasters. WRN will remain available via SCOLA who provide access to U.S. educational institutions and specialized cable operators. "TECHNICAL DETAILS-- Galaxy 5 (125 degrees west) Transponder 6, 3820 MHz, vertical, audio subcarrier 6.8 MHz; ASC1 (128 degrees west) Transponder 23, 4160 MHz, horizontal, audio subcarrier 6.2 MHz "For more information please contact: Director of Development World Radio Network 408 Strand London WC2R 0NE England Tel: 011 44 71 304 4343 Fax: 011 44 71 304 4347 Internet: wrn@cityscape.co.uk CompuServe: 100041,3344 "WRN PROGRAM SCHEDULE (Eastern Time) (THIS SCHEDULE FOR NORTH AMERICA) 0000-0030 Radio Canada Int'l 0030-0100 BBC Europe Today 0100-0200 Deutsche Welle (Germany) 0200-0230 Radio Canada Int'l 0230-0300 Swiss Radio Int'l 0300-0400 ABC Radio Australia 0400-0500 KBS Radio Korea Int'l 0500-0530 Radio Moscow Int'l 0530-0630 Radio Netherlands 0630-0700 Israel Radio 0700-0800 ABC Radio Australia 0800-0900 RTE Ireland 0900-1000 Radio France Int'le 1000-1030 YLE Radio Finland 1030-1100 R. Vlaanderen Int'l (Belgium) 1100-1200 ABC Radio Australia 1200-1230 Blue Danube Radio (Austria--Mon-Fri only) World of Radio (Sat) U.N. Radio (Sun) 1230-1330 Radio Netherlands 1330-1400 RTE Ireland 1400-1500 ABC Radio Australia 1500-1530 Israel Radio 1530-1600 R. Vlaanderen Int'l 1600-1630 Radio Sweden 1630-1700 BBC Europe Today 1700-1900 RTE Ireland 1900-1930 Polish Radio 1930-2000 RTE Ireland 2000-2030 Radio Sweden 2030-2100 Israel Radio 2100-2230 YLE Radio Finland 2230-2300 Blue Danube Radio (Mon-Fri) World of Radio (Sat) U.N. Radio (Sun) 2300-2330 YLE Radio Finland 2330-2400 Vatican Radio" Hope this will help answer any questions some of you might have about WRN. As a previous posting says, more information is also available from NPR. Thanks to the Ontario DX Association. Marie Lamb malamb@mailbox.syr.edu ========================================================================== From: Dermot O Sullivan To: pmurphy@orangutan.cv.nrao.edu Date: Tue, 6 Sep 94 16:19 BST Pat You might be interested in availability of RTE radio services internationally in case any of your correspondents enquire. In Europe. Radio 1 is available on the ASTRA satellite on Channel 22, used by MTV for television. We use one of the audio channels, subcarrier 7.56 MHz. When radio 1 closes down at 00.50 (until 06.30) we transmit 2FM (pop music). In the US, we contribute 3.5 hours to the WRN (World Radio News) service every day on an audio sub-carrier of the Turner WTBS tv channel on the Galaxy 5 satellite. WRN is also carried on some cable systems, Rogers Cable in Vancouver (400,000 homes), oand on smaller systems in Nebraska, Texas, Massachusetts and Minesota. C-Span has asked permission for (and been given it) to carry WRN on its C-Span Audio Networks which cover North America by satellite. WEVD 1050 AM in New York which covers a large area of the East Coast carried our News in its daily Irish programme as an experiment for two months during the Summer. It was so successful they signed a long term contract starting in October to carry RTE News. It's a bit fragmented, but we are getting there. Regards Dermot O'Sullivan RTE