Musk calls for closure of USAGM services

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Some US agencies tell workers not to reply to Musk's 'What did you do last week' email - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/so...s-what-did-you-do-last-week-email-2025-02-23/

Trump administration eliminating 1,600 USAID jobs in the US - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-eliminating-2000-usaid-positions-us-notice-says-2025-02-23/

These are all extensions of the current situation with USGAM and USAID.

 

[Miss Tuned]

Some US agencies tell workers not to reply to Musk's 'What did you do last week' email - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/so...s-what-did-you-do-last-week-email-2025-02-23/

Trump administration eliminating 1,600 USAID jobs in the US - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-eliminating-2000-usaid-positions-us-notice-says-2025-02-23/

These are all extensions of the current situation with USGAM and USAID.

You post a LOT of general news that has very little to do with radio. You know that we all have access to Reuters, CNN, Washington Post, BBC, etc etc on our computers? We aren't restricted to viewing RadioDiscussions, and if we want to read the news, we know where to find the news.

 

[Miss Tuned]

I agree with you completely.

It is, unfortunately, everywhere on every medium like this...the first party actually seem to believe that they will type a few snarling, offensive lines and the second party with the opposing viewpoint will suddenly in response snap around to the first party's point of view, and all will be well. Read these messages with that in mind, and you will just shake your head.

It also divides friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even strangers talking. No one wants to simply and politely discuss something; opposing points of view seem to need to be a battle to the death.

It renders message boards like this to nothing more than rough roads with giant potholes. There is so much chaff you can't seem to find the wheat anymore. I came here from another board that is especially bad, and although this one is better, its not all that much better. I'm mostly retired and don't need the benefits (industry inside information, tech support, pros and cons on equipment brands and models, etc.) that these sorts of mediums used to provide anymore, so not coming around much isn't a big deal to me.

I work in university fundraising nowadays, but still have an interest in radio, so I like to come here to talk radio. The UK radio industry isn't very interesting any more (two big companies plus the BBC run just about everything, there's no local radio, there's nothing to discuss beyond "such-and-such celebrity DJ is moving from Heart to Magic") but the U.S. radio industry still has interesting and relevant discussions, especially around formats, so I come here. I mostly listen to American radio as I generally prefer the programming, even with the recent decline there are still plenty of stations with interesting, unique programming and good music formats.

American politics seems to seep into everything. It's a bit different here because it's a mainly American board, but sometimes you'll be reading something about, say, computing on Reddit and the name of Musk will come up, and then someone will start talking about Trump, and then it's not a discussion about computing any more, it's another 600 posts of people yelling over each other about American politics, half of whom aren't even in the U.S. but are somehow steeped in this stuff. I can see on this board, where politics intersects with the radio business, such as FCC changes why it'd get discussed, but don't know why we need place #498372 on the internet where people can screech at each other about Trump.

I don't even really think about politics, beyond the extent to which it impacts my workplace, or my emigration plans (Canada). I'm aware that I'm in a privileged position to be able to do that, but I think there's a lot more to life than who is occupying temporary administrative positions, I've reached an age where top leaders with lofty words and iron-clad vows and seedy proclivities have come and gone, and life is still roughly as it was. The news in general is an endless parade of horrors that I can't do anything about, so why mess up my mental health by having it blasted at me every day?

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

You post a LOT of general news that has very little to do with radio. You know that we all have access to Reuters, CNN, Washington Post, BBC, etc etc on our computers? We aren't restricted to viewing RadioDiscussions, and if we want to read the news, we know where to find the news.

True and also the the way some of the updates are going from the way AP was banned from the White House to all the other stuff happening at CPB defunding threats and FCC "investigations" of Audacy, CBS, NBC, PBS and NPR keeps adding up to 1st Amendment issues to abuse of power issues.

 

[fybush]

True and also the the way some of the updates are going from the way AP was banned from the White House to all the other stuff happening at CPB defunding threats and FCC "investigations" of Audacy, CBS, NBC, PBS and NPR keeps adding up to 1st Amendment issues to abuse of power issues.

I think you're missing the point, which is a good one.

If you have something new to add to a conversation in your own words, you're more than welcome to chime in.

If all you're doing is just sharing links to news sites that all of us can access on our own, that really adds nothing to the conversation. Please stop doing it so much. Thanks.

 

[RF101]

Radio Martí is not just for Cuba anymore. Much of the topics covered on the station, especially TV Martí , now deal with the oppressive regimes in Nicaragua and Venezuela. Once the US government stepped up to the plate for funding anti-Castro broadcasts, community-donations dried up for stations like La Voz del CID which used to be 24x7 on several frequencies.

WRMI carries some additional South Florida-generated Cuban content but right now the only major shortwave opposition voice is "Radio República" . It has a website. Radio Republica | radiorepublica

"International radio station run by the Cuban Democratic Directorate transmitting uncensored news and information to the Cuban people."
The shortwave schedule is:
5800  WRMI 03:00-04:00Z Fri-Sun
9490  Issoudun (FR) 01:00-02:00Z Daily.

I understand Cuba is trying to slowly eliminate shortwave radios, something "CubaJam" has failed to completely block.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Radio Martí is not just for Cuba anymore. Much of the topics covered on the station, especially TV Martí , now deal with the oppressive regimes in Nicaragua and Venezuela. Once the US government stepped up to the plate for funding anti-Castro broadcasts, community-donations dried up for stations like La Voz del CID which used to be 24x7 on several frequencies.

I don't remember La Voz del CID operating on more than one frequency at a time. They did have different frequencies for day and night. Can't recall the day frequency (somewhere adjacent to the 31 meter band) but 6305 kHz was easily heard in Texas at night.

Interestingly I never heard any sign of jamming on the CID broadcasts, which it turned out were coming from a transmitter in Guatemala.

 

[davideduardo]

Radio Martí is not just for Cuba anymore. Much of the topics covered on the station, especially TV Martí , now deal with the oppressive regimes in Nicaragua and Venezuela. Once the US government stepped up to the plate for funding anti-Castro broadcasts, community-donations dried up for stations like La Voz del CID which used to be 24x7 on several frequencies.

But if nobody in Cuba has a short wave radio any more, even fewer in Nicaragua do. Venezuela was almost 50 years late in introducing FM, and short wave was active there until relatively recently. But few have SW radios any longer, and with the current state of the economy, nobody would buy them... and a quarter of the population has fled the country.

WRMI carries some additional South Florida-generated Cuban content but right now the only major shortwave opposition voice is "Radio República" . It has a website. Radio Republica | radiorepublica

"International radio station run by the Cuban Democratic Directorate transmitting uncensored news and information to the Cuban people."
The shortwave schedule is:
5800  WRMI 03:00-04:00Z Fri-Sun
9490  Issoudun (FR) 01:00-02:00Z Daily.

I understand Cuba is trying to slowly eliminate shortwave radios, something "CubaJam" has failed to completely block.

And SW radios have not been widely available to consumers for decades. The population is shrinking, losing about 300,000 a year in the last four years. And it is old... a quarter of all Cubans are "seniors". There is little interest in anti-government radio broadcasts since the people who are migrating are leaving due to poverty, not politics; they all grew up under the current form of government.

 

[Mediafrog+]

But if nobody in Cuba has a short wave radio any more, even fewer in Nicaragua do.

Domestic shortwave in Nicaragua died out in the 1980s, IIRC.

The government broadcaster (Somoza regime) actually launched a 100kw shortwave transmitter in mid-1972. Signal really boomed out on 11875 kHz. Transmitter was apparently destroyed six months later in the huge Christmastime earthquake.

Venezuela was almost 50 years late in introducing FM, and short wave was active there until relatively recently.

Shortwave died in Venezuela in the 1990s. Had been quite vibrant 20 to 30 years earlier. Radio Rumbos and Ecos del Torbes were a couple of the last holdouts.

The population is shrinking, losing about 300,000 a year in the last four years. And it is old... a quarter of all Cubans are "seniors". There is little interest in anti-government radio broadcasts since the people who are migrating are leaving due to poverty, not politics; they all grew up under the current form of government.

I wonder if an increasing issue is that those remaining in Cuba and Venezuela are more likely to consist of the "true believers" in the current governments, and less likely to be influenced by external opposition broadcasts?

 

[davideduardo]

The government broadcaster (Somoza regime) actually launched a 100kw shortwave transmitter in mid-1972. Signal really boomed out on 11875 kHz. Transmitter was apparently destroyed six months later in the huge Christmastime earthquake.

About 20 years before, I visited the YNX / Novedades newspaper facilities. They even drove me out to the AM transmitter site next to Lake Nicaragua, with a nice new 10 kw transmitter and a 3 kw home built auxiliary. Very nice people, and Nicaragua was a pleasant place to visit back then.

Shortwave died in Venezuela in the 1990s. Had been quite vibrant 20 to 30 years earlier. Radio Rumbos and Ecos del Torbes were a couple of the last holdouts.

Most listening was in the Oriente region and deep "interior" zones. Venezuela had some very good AM operators. Around 1977 I was offered the manager position at Venevisión's national radio network; fortunately I did not accept what was a really amazing offer.

I wonder if an increasing issue is that those remaining in Cuba and Venezuela are more likely to consist of the "true believers" in the current governments, and less likely to be influenced by external opposition broadcasts?

It appears that those who are leaving are not fleeing the government but fleeing the economy. They grew up being educated in the socialist/communist system, so that is all that they know today. Anyone who really remembers a free Cuba is likely to be well over 80 now.

 

[bigdonho]

David, At one time radio Marti was considering installing a tropical band transmitter at the Marathon site. What do you know about the use of the tropical band in South/Central America? Or is that just considered to be shortwave, as well.

 

[Mediafrog+]

David, At one time radio Marti was considering installing a tropical band transmitter at the Marathon site. What do you know about the use of the tropical band in South/Central America? Or is that just considered to be shortwave, as well.

The “tropical bands” are considered shortwave.

Domestic shortwave broadcasting in Latin America is pretty much dead, except for a few stragglers.

 

[KeithE4]

The “tropical bands” are considered shortwave.

Nor are they "tropical." WWCR has been on 60 and 90 meters for years, and other US stations have been there in the past. There are also a lot of Chinese and Korean stations on 60.

 

[davideduardo]

David, At one time radio Marti was considering installing a tropical band transmitter at the Marathon site. What do you know about the use of the tropical band in South/Central America? Or is that just considered to be shortwave, as well.

The Tropical Bands (3 MHZ and 5 MHZ) were extensively used in Latin America for local reception that was good day and night in all of the smaller nations and much of the larger ones. Generally used between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, these were thus "in the Tropics" and the band was known by that name.

When I arrived in Ecuador, there were about 40 or so stations on those two bands. They started disappearing in the later 60's; I had one and cancelled the license (it came with Quito move-in 590 kHz).

Many of those stations made money sending messages to remote places, like "Attention to the Sánchez Arroyo family in the Rumiñahui precinct of the province of Chimborazo. Don Alfredo was operated on today in Quito and the doctors say he did well and is recovering now". Or "Attention on the El Povenir hacienda in Amaguaña. The owner arrives today on the noon Yellow Blue and Red bus line. Bring a donkey to town for him with food. "

As other communications methods improved, the main income for these stations dried up. They did, still, sell Saints Day greetings, often making a lot of money off those.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Nor are they "tropical." WWCR has been on 60 and 90 meters for years, and other US stations have been there in the past. There are also a lot of Chinese and Korean stations on 60.

WWCR is no longer on 90 meters (3215 kHz) as the operation has recently shut down one of its four transmitters. Chatter is that revenue is down at the station.

WWCR actually broadcast in the 120 meter band (2390 kHz) for a few months some years back.

The now defunct WWRB used 3195 and 3215 at various times, another 90 meter example.

WBCQ is on 3265 when they can get the transmitter working.

WWCR, WTWW, WBCQ and WRMI use some 60 meter frequencies.

The Tropical Bands (3 MHZ and 5 MHZ) were extensively used in Latin America for local reception that was good day and night in all of the smaller nations and much of the larger ones. Generally used between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, these were thus "in the Tropics" and the band was known by that name.

We should point out that Latin American domestic stations operated on most of the international broadcast bands during the heyday of shortwave in that region, not just 90 and 60 meters. The 120 meter band (2300-2495 kHz) had a number of stations as well.

 

[keys2]

You post a LOT of general news that has very little to do with radio. You know that we all have access to Reuters, CNN, Washington Post, BBC, etc etc on our computers? We aren't restricted to viewing RadioDiscussions, and if we want to read the news, we know where to find the news.

I couldn’t agree more, MissTuned. The increasing political commentary and snide remarks on this forum are disappointing. It seems some people can’t help themselves. As I posted back on this thread's first page, I miss Cyberdad’s oversight of this forum. DXing and Reception is supposed to be a fun hobby where we can get a break from the political vitriol that creeps into nearly every aspect of our lives these days. There are other forums on RadioDiscussions where this may be more appropriate, but not here. Please.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Possible timeline for USAGM cuts/closures? The Trump administration sets the stage for large-scale federal worker layoffs in a new memo

Looks like we could see closures midway through the A-25 shortwave broadcast semester. Note that significant cuts also came in the middle of the A-24 season, including the shutdown of the São Tomé and Northern Marianas transmitter facilities.

 

[boombox4]

The bigger question is whether a significant number of people own shortwave radios today. It appears that number is minuscule to nonexistent, depending on what part of the world you’re considering.

There is no actual raw data supporting the number of SW radios in the Third and Fourth Worlds, unfortunately, just as we don't accurately know the number of MW/FM radios in those areas. I am not aware of any polling data surveying all African households, for example. We know that many in Africa seem to have them, as Chinese companies sell them worldwide, just as they sell other electronic devices worldwide.

Here in the US it is frequently said that 'no one has AM-FM standalone radios anymore', when there is some data (from surveys) that shows that about 55% of US households have a radio in the home.

My guess is that -- in the same way -- the number of SW and other standalone radios in the Third World regions of Africa and Asia are greater than some suspect, but perhaps there are not as many listeners as the VOA puts forth. Cell and internet service in Africa is sketchy in most countries, and the poverty rate is incredibly high, especially in north-central and central Africa, particularly in the rural areas where over half of Africa lives, so those who use radio for information probably don't fill the e-waste bin with them the way Americans do.

 

[boombox4]

Radio Martí is not just for Cuba anymore. Much of the topics covered on the station, especially TV Martí , now deal with the oppressive regimes in Nicaragua and Venezuela. Once the US government stepped up to the plate for funding anti-Castro broadcasts, community-donations dried up for stations like La Voz del CID which used to be 24x7 on several frequencies.

That might explain the 225 degree azimuth beam that Marti has, which is aimed at Mexico and Central America. The 180 degree beam would probably hit Venezuela.