The decision of the BBC several years ago to drop shortwave broadcasts to North America still wrankles with some, among them them the US editor of the New Statesman, Andrew Stephen. Writing in a feature called The Thirteen Ways of Christmas, describing how different journalists, MPs and others spend the Festive Season, he writes:
“I would desperately rig up an aerial to listen through the static to the BBC World Service relay of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Cambridge, but the BBC’s disgraceful decision to cease short-wave transmissions to North America soon put a stop to my Christmas Eve fix.”
on Jan 3rd, 2008 at 23:03
It’s so nostalgic to remember those distant signals, with a hint of RTTY QRM and occasional static crashes. In reality now, you’d not hear it for the QRN from your PC, low-energy lightbulbs, broadband router etc etc. How lucky we can now hear the Christmas Service live via webstreaming.
on Jan 4th, 2008 at 08:45
I think it is unfortunate that the BBChas discontinued shortwave coverage to North America. I have found several public radio stations that carry the news feed but none that carry the full feed. If one does not have satellite radio, the regular WS feed is only available on the Internet. I think that the BBC would do well to provide a higher bandwidth version of the stream. 16kkbps or 20kbps just don’t cut it on a broadband connection anymore.