Rassegna Stampa mensile a cura di Giampiero Bernardini.

Tratta dal numero n.75 di Dicembre 2017 di Radiorama, rivista online edita dall’Associazione AIR: www.air-radio.it e scaricabile (assieme ai numeri precedenti) al link: http://www.air-radio.it/index.php/radiorama/

La radio digitale si ampia – in Alto Adige si spengono i primi impianti FM

(dal sito della RAS 5-12-2017) La RAS ha ulteriormente ampliato la rete trasmissiva della radio digitale DAB+. Ora il 99,5% della popolazione dell’Alto Adige può ricevere 22 programmi radiofonici con l’eccellente qualità del DAB+. E oggi sono stati disattivati i primi 19 impianti FM. (Nella foto Fabio Covelli Peter Silbernagl Johann Silbernagl Georg Plattner eseguono il primo “cambio di frequenza”)

Il 99,5 percento della popolazione è raggiunta dalla radio digitale DAB+

La RAS ha ulteriormente ampliato la rete trasmissiva radiofonica DAB+ con la messa in esercizio di impianti trasmissivi presso le postazioni di Melago e di La Valle. Grazie ad 84 impianti digitali la RAS serve il 99,5 percento della popolazione dell’Alto Adige con 22 programmi radiofonici di eccellente qualità. In caso di acquisto di un nuovo apparecchio radiofonico o di un’autovettura si dovrebbe senz’altro optare per il DAB+.

La radio digitale consente una riduzione dei costi

Per la diffusione sul territorio provinciale di tre programmi FM la RAS esercisce 212 impianti trasmissivi. Sono invece sufficienti solo 84 impianti trasmissivi per la diffusione di 22 programmi radio digitali. Se si rapporta il numero degli impianti trasmissivi al numero dei programmi diffusi, emerge che la radio digitale DAB+ è 19 volte più efficiente! I costi d’esercizio calano quindi quasi al 5 percento per programma!

Spegnimento dei primi impianti FM

Dato che ormai grazie al DAB+ possono essere ricevuti su tutto il territorio provinciale molti programmi radiofonici di miglior qualità e che molte famiglie posseggono un apparecchio radiofonico digitale, la RAS ha disattivato (il 5 dicembre 2017 ndr) i primi 19 impianti trasmissivi dei programmi Ö1, ORF Radio Tirol, Ö3 e Radio Rumantsch presso sei postazioni ricetrasmittenti. Ciò consente anche di ridurre gli alti costi d’esercizio.

Inoltre la RAS non intende investire ulteriormente denari pubblici nell’obsoleta tecnologia FM. Per proseguire la regolare gestione delle reti trasmissive FM, la RAS dovrebbe infatti sostituire impianti trasmissivi FM, che nel frattempo hanno raggiunto anche oltre 30 anni di esercizio. Lo spegnimento degli impianti FM consente di utilizzare tali impianti come ricambi per gli impianti ancora in esercizio e di evitare pertanto l’acquisto di nuovi impianti trasmissivi FM. Alla fine del prossimo anno la RAS provvederà allo spegnimento di ulteriori 22 impianti FM.

Riepilogo dei motivi a favore dello spegnimento degli impianti FM:

Il 99,5 percento della popolazione dell’Alto Adige riceve 22 programmi radiofonici digitali. Molte famiglie sono già in possesso di un apparecchio radiofonico digitale.

In commercio è reperibile un’ampia scelta di apparecchi a prezzi convenienti (a partire da 50 Euro).

L’offerta di programmi è molto più attraente: oltre all’Ö1, ORF-Radio Tirol e Ö3 sono disponibili altri 19 programmi con migliori qualità ricettiva e sonora.

La RAS non deve più investire nella vecchia tecnologia FM. Gli impianti FM dismessi possono essere utilizzati come pezzi di ricambio per gli impianti ancora in esercizio e non devono esserne acquistati di nuovi.

Diminuiscono i costi d’esercizio. Grazie allo spegnimento si riducono i costi relativi al consumo di energia elettrica ed alla manutenzione. Grazie al DAB+ i costi di diffusione calano quasi al 5 percento per programma diffuso!

In una prima fase sono spenti solo gli impianti FM di zone servite da altre postazioni, anche se più distanti e con un segnale qualitativamente inferiore.

Radio solo se anche digitali dal 2020, la modulazione di frequenza va in pensione

Uno degli emendamenti della Manovra chiude un’era multimediale. Dal 2020 tutte le radio in vendita dovranno «integrare almeno un’interfaccia che consenta all’utente di ricevere i servizi della radio digitale». L’emendamento del governo è stato depositato oggi in commissione Bilancio del Senato. Con la proposta si dà anche tempo ai rivenditori per esaurire le scorte dei vecchi apparecchi che ricevevano solo le frequenze AM-FM. Si prevedono infatti sei mesi di coesistenza tra vecchie e nuove radio prima che scatti dal 1 gennaio 2020 l’obbligo di vendita di radio in grado di ricevere entrambi i segnali. (Leggo 23 Novembre 2017)

New VHF FM Stations Are Coming to Sweden

STOCKHOLM — Sweden is in the process of allocating VHF spectrum for three new national networks, in addition to new regional and local station licenses.

The new national radio networks will cover about 80%, of the country, and regional and local licenses will, in total, cover about the same land area as Norway, according to radionytt.no.

NRJ, MTG, Bauer Media, DB Media AB, and Mad Men Media AB have all applied for the national network licenses.

The criteria for winning the concessions are simple: the highest bidder is awarded the license. The winners must show they have the financial and technical wherewithal to operate the facilities — and for the sake of competition, a company would initially only be allowed one license in each area.

There are 80 brand new frequencies for VHF FM in Sweden, which means that some smaller cities will have more commercial channels than ever before; previously some smaller cities had only two local stations, according to the same article. (By Doug Irwin www.radiomagonline.com 3-10-2017)

Rai: Firenze capitale della radio per un mese

La Radio firmata Rai si sposta per un mese a Firenze, nella rinnovata sede della Tgr, con programmi live, collegamenti, eventi con il pubblico, concerti e registrazioni.

Così, Radio1, Radio2, Radio3, Gr Parlamento, Radio Classica, Radio Kids, Radio Live, Radio Techetè e Radio Tutta Italiana avranno un palcoscenico unico dal quale proporre diversi generi di programmi radiofonici.

Si comincerà con il concerto di Radio Tutta Italiana lunedì 27 novembre con Roberta di Mario, Francesco Guasti, il Cile, Marco Masini e Paolo Vallesi e la partecipazione di Carlo Conti. Il concerto sarà trasmesso in diretta su Radio Tutta Italiana e Gr Parlamento e poi riproposto da Radio 1 la notte del 31 dicembre.

Pif e Michele Astori, il 1 dicembre, proporranno una puntata speciale de ‘I Provinciali’ (Radio2) alla presenza del pubblico, andando alla ricerca di storie, persone e situazioni paradossali lontane dai riflettori mentre i ‘Sociopatici’, condotto su Radio2 da Andrea Delogu, Gianfranco Monti e Claudio De Tommasi, faranno una nuova tappa a Firenze. Radio1 proporrà invece ‘Radio anch’io’, il popolare talk condotto da Giorgio Zanchini. Non mancheranno, poi, le iniziative di Radio3 che proporrà la storica rassegna stampa (Prima pagina) direttamente dalla sede della Tgr.

L’arbore musicale è il nome del concerto di musiche del XVI secolo organizzato da Radio Classica il 3 dicembre (in onda il 20 dicembre); mentre Radio Techetè il 16 dicembre ripercorrerà la storia della radio a Firenze in collaborazione con l’Aire, associazione radio d’epoca e l’associazione italiana dei radioamatori. Al microfono Andrea Borgnino e Tiziano Bonini.

Rai Radio Live si occuperà di diffondere le interviste realizzate nel mese di dicembre ad artisti e cantanti che si esibiranno nel capoluogo toscano mentre Rai Radio Kids, in collaborazione con ‘Porte Aperte Rai’ realizzerà per la prima volta Big Bang (iltalk principale del canale) alla presenza dei bambini di due classi elementari.

Infine, appuntamento speciale il 15 dicembre con Radio2: nella sala C della sede fiorentina della Rai dove arriverà ‘Caterpillar’ per una diretta unica in cui, tra le 18:30 e le 20, gli ascoltatori e il pubblico presente interverranno per condividere il racconto dei grandi e piccoli avvenimenti quotidiani.

“La radio da sempre è il mezzo più vicino alla gente. Per questo – commenta Roberto Sergio, direttore Rai Radio – abbiamo immaginato di portare le nostre produzioni a contatto con le persone, grazie alla disponibilità dataci dalla sede di Firenze. Un’opportunità per entrare in contatto con gli ascoltatori e festeggiare dalla Toscana la nostra amata radio”. ( controradio.it 24-11-2017)

Radio Caroline 648 AM e i rapporti di ricezione – Reception Reports Round-up

Thank you to everyone who has sent in reception reports. We have literally been inundated with them, and will try to reply to those who asked for replies over the coming weeks, but it will be a slow process.

Our best reports so far have been from keen DX’ers in Finland and Italy, although one report did come from Japan from a listener using an on-line radio receiver much closer to us! Whilst we appreciate all reports and understand the excitement of radio DXing, it is the reports from within our local target area where you are almost all reporting good and excellent reception on all types of radio which are the most important to us.

Comments such as “no fading while passing under bridges on A12” are very informative, as are “signal is good enough in my kitchen that my wife doesn’t switch it off”

One or two comments seem to be frequently occurring and we will try and respond to those here. It is good to know our listeners are knowledgeable and care enough to bring these to our attention.

Frequency accuracy. Yes, we are approximately 3Hz low, on 647.997. Although our transmitter was fully tested and setup before it was shipped to our transmitter site, for some reason when it was installed, it was running slightly low. It is adjusted to its maximum, but we appreciate the need to be more accurately on channel and reduce the nighttime flutter experienced in fringe areas. This will be attended to in due course though the OFCOM and ITU limit is for 10Hz, so we are well within the required specification.

Audio processing. Thank you for all your comments on audio processing. Reports vary from “best AM audio I’ve ever heard” to “very tiring to listen to after a few minutes”. Although we are running our permanent audio processor, we are currently using a temporary programme feed to the transmitter site. Once we have the permanent connection to our main studio we will adjust the processing carefully. The most common comment is that the bass is a bit light and the treble a bit crushed. We will address this once we have a good quality source to find the best compromise to suit the multitude of different radios in use as we can.

We’ve received many comments on audio bandwidth. Our brand new state of the art DSPx digital audio processor (kindly supplied by our friends at Broadcast Warehouse) allows us to run audio to +/- 7khz, yet still be better than 30dB down at 7.5Khz, which is well within the required limits. On a good quality radio many have said that we sound very bright. However, with some mid-band pre-emphasis to suit the filtering in the majority of radios, some of you have said we are too bright. We will keep an eye/ear on this and carefully adjust the processing during these tests transmissions to arrive at a best compromise.

We received a lot of comments over the weekend of 25/26th stating that our signal appeared weaker than the previous tests over the 11/12th although a few commented that it was stronger. We can confirm we did not make any substantial changes during this period and are curious to establish whether this is accurate or just perceived. We are investigating this.

We can also confirm that all test transmissions have come from our new land based transmitter site. The broadcasts over the weekend of 25/26th, although originating from the ship were not broadcast from the ship.

As expected, those of you in fringe areas can get a good daytime signal but find the signal is over powered at night time by other stations. We share the channel with stations in Spain and Slovenia, so there is not much we can do to improve this other than suggest you listen online or via a mobile app, or try adjusting the position of your radio to minimise the other stations.

Modern houses often contain foil-lined insulation in the cavity walls. In these circumstances you will likely find reception better by placing the radio close to a window. Modern houses also contain a lot of computer and switching-power supplies which can generate a lot of interference. Try moving a portable radio around, or rotating its direction to improve reception.

There is a lot of difference between different radios, particularly as manufacturers may not put much effort into providing good performance for AM nowadays. If you have several radios then try them all.

Some cars can have truly awful AM reception – again manufacturers often do not put effort into obtaining good performance. The old fashioned spark plug ignition and alternator interference may not be as much a problem these days as interference generated by all the computer modules in a modern car. Generally a car with an external roof mounted antenna will be better than one which uses elements in the rear windows or a small “shark fin” type antenna.

If you are thinking of buying a new car (either new or second hand) be sure to check the radio performance on AM. You may find it only picks up very strong stations so make sure you try some weaker frequencies. In and around Suffolk and Norfolk try signals like Spectrum Radio from London on 558Khz, or Radio 4 on 720Khz. Tune them in, then start the engine. If performance is not good, ask the salesman why it is so poor! Easy for a new car – not so easy for a second-hand one.

So far we have not received any reports which have come from a listeners with an all-electric or a hybrid car. If you have access to such a vehicle we would appreciate a report both for Caroline reception and AM radio reception in general. So far very little has been publicised on how well AM is received in a vehicle with such complex electrical systems and computer control.

It’s good to hear about the variety of radios you are using – from vintage 1933 sets to the latest software defined internet connected systems. For those who posted your age in the comments it is good to know how many of you have followed us since 1964. So far the ages admitted to range from 13 to mid 80’s and it is reassuring to know we cross so many age groups.

A number of reports have asked whether we would be trialling DRM (Digitale Radio Mondiale) technology. DRM is a technique for using digital modulation on AM frequencies, giving near FM quality sound, but requires the use of new and exclusive receivers. As much as we love to try new technologies, this is unlikely

to happen. Firstly, our licence is for conventional AM service, though we could perhaps discuss with OFCOM about having an additional test licence for DRM. But more importantly our 648 transmitter is not DRM compatible. In a roundabout way the transmitter came into our possession as it can not be upgraded for DRM – were it able to support DRM it would probably not have been offered to us! Should we be offered a DRM capable transmitter we may re-evaluate the situation!

We have received a number of reports from many of our longtime listeners in Holland and Belgium and the question as to whether we would start any Dutch language programmes has been asked a number of times. The answer again, is sadly no. Our licence is specifically for a service for Suffolk and North Essex and unless those areas suddenly gain a large number of Dutch speakers to whom we can offer programming, then we will remain in the English language. From our transmitter site we appreciate that we put a good signal into the coastal areas of Holland and Belgium and trust you will enjoy our programmes, but we cannot cater specifically for you.

Thank you to those who have offered to send in mp3 recordings of reception. This is very kind but we would get swamped by the number of submissions. We are just glad that you are able to hear our signal. We have listened to our signal on a number of web connected SDR radios in various locations so have a good idea of how much interference there is and what reception is like.

Thank you all for making the effort and taking the time to provide reports and feedback. We really have read and studied every one of them. Radio Caroline Engineering Team (dal sito di Radio Caroline)

Onde medie. TWR Bonaire, presto on air con nuovi trasmettitori ad alta potenza

Il broadcasting religioso non conosce crisi. Nel generale ridimensionamento che i grandi broadcasters mondiali stanno effettuando a livello di trasmissioni di tipo tradizionale attraverso onde medie e corte, le organizzazioni religiose nord americane continuano ad investire in know how e infrastrutture per potenziare la loro presenza nelle aree geografiche di loro interesse. TWR Trans World Radio o Radio Transmundial è storicamente una delle presenze più longeve su onde medie e corte operando ininterrottamente su queste bande dal 1952.

L’emittente utilizza numerosi siti trasmittenti in tutti i continenti uno dei quali è ubicato sull’isola di Bonaire, territorio d’oltremare del Regno d’Olanda nel Mar dei Caraibi. Da questa isola, attraverso i potenti trasmettitori su onde corte i segnali di TWR arrivavano in tutto il mondo. Dismesse le onde corte attraverso questo sito TWR ha scelto di utilizzare le onde medie per servire l’area caraibica e quella settentrionale

dell’America Latina. Lapotenza finora utilizzata era di 100 KW sulla frequenza di 800 KHz, ma 3 anni fa è partito un nuovo progetto di reperimento fondi per installare un nuovo trasmettitore da 400 KW attraverso il quale servire Cuba, il Centro America, Venezuela, Colombia e una consistente parte del Brasile con un bacino di utenza potenziale di circa 50 milioni di ascoltatori, come illustrato in questa cartina.

Il 13 giugno di quest’anno Lauren Libby direttore esecutivo di TWR ha annunciato che la copertura finanziaria del progetto, 3.8 milioni di dollari era stata raggiunta e che quindi si poteva passare alla fase successiva del progetto con l’installazione del nuovo trasmettitore e la sua messa in opera prevista per il 18 gennaio dell’anno prossimo. L’obbiettivo è stato raggiunto grazie anche lavoro di 220 volontari che a vario titolo hanno partecipato al progetto. Per l’evento è prevista la massima copertura e gli utenti di Facebook potranno seguirlo attraverso l’applicazione live del social network.

E’ notizia di questi giorni che il gruppo di tecnici dell’emittente Jonas Fisher, Daryl Van Dyken e Dave Pedersen (nella foto) si è recato ad Halifax in Canada, presso la Nautel, azienda che ha realizzato il nuovo trasmettitore, per un addestramento pratico sulla gestione e la manutenzione del costoso impianto. (dal blog Radioascolto Listen to the World 2-12-2017)

Radio New Zealand si prepara a lasciare le onde medie e riorganizza le sedi

Radio New Zealand Morning Report is co-hosted by Susie Ferguson in Wellington and Guyon Espiner in Auckland. Radio New Zealand has indicated there is still a long way to go in its plan to downsize its Wellington headquarters. RNZ planned to shift up to a further 50 jobs from its Wellington to Auckland office, it said in its briefing to broadcasting minister Clare Curran.

It also signalled a scaling back of the nation’s AM radio operations. RNZ owned a large amount of broadcasting technology, but said it wanted to eventually sell and decommission a lot of its infrastructure and land.

Although the state broadcaster had stated these plans in its report, a spokesmen said things could change with the incoming Labour-NZ First Government. The new government said it would give an extra $38 million to share between RNZ and NZ On Air. The budget would not be confirmed until May. RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson said about 80 staff were in Auckland, compared to about 160 people in Wellington. He wanted each office to be the same size, with both sites being big enough to run RNZ on its own if emergency hit. The Auckland expansion was also to strengthen the station’s reach in the region, Thompson said. It had a relatively small Auckland audience. “To fully reflect New Zealand in the 21st century, RNZ needs to be as strong in Auckland as it is in Wellington,” the report said.

It identified issues with RNZ’s engagement with ethnic minorities. Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities were “under represented” in RNZ’s audience, the report said. Thompson said the broadcaster needed to increase its ground staff in Auckland to connect with a more diverse audience. RNZ had been moving jobs to Auckland for some time, and Thompson said it would probably take another five years for the Auckland office to be equal in size with Wellington.

A funding increase could mean fewer jobs left Wellington, he said. Instead, he said RNZ could look to hire more people in Auckland while the Wellington office was left alone. In the longer term, the report raised RNZ’s wish to divest from broadcasting infrastructure.

“RNZ currently owns a significant property portfolio and other related equipment required to support its AM radio services,” it said. “While the AM audience is declining, the cost of maintenance and upkeep of the property, buildings and AM equipment is increasing.”

The report went on to say RNZ was sitting on potentially lucrative land, that could be used for housing. “RNZ considers it is now time to work with stakeholders to develop plans to, either partially or completely, exit AM broadcasting over time,” the report said.

Thompson said RNZ’s plan to sell of its transition sites would likely take more than a decade. It had just invested in a new AM tower in Titahi Bay, Wellington, that he said cost “millions”. Through its network of transmission towers, RNZ was also responsible for broadcasting other radio stations including Newstalk ZB and iwi radio stations.

“We think we’re an audience and content organisation, not an infrastructure organisation,” Thompson said.If RNZ was to sell or close its AM towers, he said the Government would need to make the call. The other broadcasters would also need to be consulted. (da www.stuff.co.nz 7-12-2017)

Farewell to Miki Gurdus, Israel’s National Listener

Had he been born two or three decades later, Miki Gurdus would probably have been just another middle- aged man glued to his smartphone, scrolling through endless torrents of social media ephemera. But Gurdus, who passed away in Israel this week at the age of 73, was born with a radio. And early on, he knew the device would change his life.

His first transistor was a small plastic gizmo, so poorly made that it would frequently electrocute the young Gurdus as he tried to listen to short-wave transmissions from around the world. But the boy didn’t care: Growing up in the Israel of the 1950s, and feeling perpetually under siege in a small nation surrounded by enemies, Gudrus looked to his radio for the promise of a larger world outside. He listened to it non-stop, until it overheated one day and went up in flames.

Most boys move on from their youthful obsessions, but Gurdus never did. And as soon as he completed his army service, he applied for a job with the Israel Broadcast Authority. His expertise, he said, was listening to news from everywhere. He was hired, and his boss, amused, labeled him kashavenu, Hebrew for “our listener.”

And listen Gurdus did. Commanding six languages—Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Russian, and Polish— as well as numerous shortwave radios and as many as 11 television sets, he tuned in not only to broadcasts from far and wide but, often, to private conversations, military wire exchanges, and other dispatches not meant for public consumption. In late June of 1976, for example, he interrupted a radio broadcast to announce that he had just picked up a conversation between Palestinian terrorists and an air traffic controller in Libya announcing that they had just hijacked an Air France flight and intended to land it in Benghazi en route to Entebbe, Uganda. It wouldn’t be his last scoop: In 1990, when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, Israeli military intelligence got the news from Gurdus, who had intercepted the transmissions of the Iraqi army.

While most of his efforts went toward breaking news, Gurdus often proved instrumental in helping to save the lives of Israeli citizens and foreign dignitaries alike. After the Yom Kippur War, for example, Egyptian TV started broadcasting images of Israeli fighter pilots shot down and held as prisoners. Gurdus took note and alerted the army, which, in turn, sent photographers to take snapshots of Gurdus’s screens and learn which of the men missing in action were still alive. A year later, in 1974, Gurdus intercepted a mayday call from Cyprus’s president, Makarios III, believed to be dead after an assassination attempt that launched a coup d’etat. “He was calling for help,” Gurdus recalled in a later interview. “I heard him.” Gurdus reported the news to IDF intelligence, which in turn alerted Britain, helping to save Makarios’s life.

With each passing decade, Gurdus’s fame grew. A reporter interviewing him in 2003 described his office as “half Aladdin’s cave and half control tower, a labyrinth of television screens, radios, remote controls, electric wires, speakers, model airplanes and photos of Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush stuck on the walls.” And in the center of it all was Gurdus, tartan slippers on his feet and dark shades covering his eye, to protect his vision from the glare of a dozen screens. Even as Israel’s media landscape flourished and more and more commercial radio and television channels debuted, giving rise to new generations of reporters, anchors, and celebrities, Gurdus remained a national treasure, a name you knew even if you weren’t sure exactly what “our listener” did.

And then came the Internet.

Gurdus, in his typical tough manner, minimized it, calling it just another arrow in his quiver. “The Internet is just another tool for me,” he said in a recent interview, “and not a major one at that, because you can’t compete with what’s broadcast on all these satellites. Besides, neither the Internet nor anything else can make me stop working, or make me irrelevant. I’ll continue to report the news, to listen, and to try and deliver scoops. I’ll be there for as long as I’m breathing.” Work on he did, but technology proved to be a more formidable foe than he had imagined. Our listener wasn’t quite as essential now that anyone anywhere could listen in on anything at anytime. His expertise, his erudition, his skills as a reporter were no longer valued in a world where all is sound and fury. He remained revered, but no one skipped a beat at the mention of his name anymore, anticipating some bit of breaking news unobtainable elsewhere. He became just another voice in the shouty chorus.

Earlier this week, Gurdus passed away in his home in Yehud. Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Rivlin both eulogized him, the latter calling him “our mythological listener, the man who brought into our nation faraway voices even before the Internet.” His loss is substantial, and not just for Israelis. We may have an endless stream of information permanently at our disposal, but what we so sorely lack is what Gurdus had elevated into an art: the ability to sit by the radio or the television set or the computer, patiently and diligently, and just listen. (By Liel Leibovitz, www.tabletmag.com 1-12-2017)