Media Network Vintage Vault 2018-2019

Update; December 2020. We found a better quality copy of this unique documentary programme. The late John Campbell mentioned the clandestine radio station, Radio Euskadi several times in the 1980's and early 1990's. But, thanks to the help of Eric Beauchemin, we eventually discovered the secrets of this rebel voice of the Basque underground.  Indeed, in the next half an hour, we’re going to dig deep in to the history surrounding a clandestine radio station, which is now a legal public broadcaster. Like Radio Netherlands, this station is celebrating its 50th anniversary. is the public broadcaster in the Basque Country of Spain. The Basque language branch started broadcasting in 1980, when the Basque Country achieved the status of an autonomous region within Spain. The Spanish-language station was officially established two years later. But, in fact, the roots date back half a century and have clandestine radio connections. Recent research in the French and Spanish parts of the Basque Country by Radio Netherla

Today is Sunday March 11 2018 as we record this, I’m Jonathan Marks, the producer and presenter of a programme called Media Network. Early on Saturday morning March 10th, I got a tip off from Rocus de Joode, a colleague who used to work in RNW frequency bureau. He told me to get in the car and drive to see what is left of the Flevoland shortwave transmitter site. There were reports a few months ago that the new owner, the Dutch Ministry of Defence, wanted to take down the towers. It was going to take a couple of months. So I packed a camera and headed for the Juttepeerlaan in Zeewolde, only to discover that everything except the transmitter building has gone. It’s as though the giant antenna masts never existed. Now I remember that group of us ham radio operators were looking rather jealously at those curtain arrays. And on February 16 and 17th 1985, when the station was doing its first test transmissions, a group of us got permission to misuse the facility for that weekend. I decided to try my hand at live b

Interested in more recordings from Richard Ginbey. Check out this unique compiled by Jerry Berg.  This is a re-issue of a compilation I made on December 6th 2016. At that time I was thinking about bringing back an audio version of the programme. But at the time, while sorting a vast collection of cassettes, I found one sent to me by Africa media correspondent Richard Ginbey in 1989. Richard was a music presenter, first in South Africa, then in New Zealand, later moving to Windhoek in Namiba. But I guess his passion was listening to his shortwave radio. And with nothing more than a cassette recorder he put together some fascinating portraits of broadcasting history as observed from a listeners’ perspective. Richard also made features which traced the history of broadcasting in Africa, making some recordings which track the path to independence for many countries. I’m pretty sure many of these bandscans from the 1980s and before have long since disappeared from official archives. So, here’s a chance to listen

With the news that Radio Australia is planning to cease all shortwave transmissions as from January 31st 2017, I searched through some old cardboard boxes and discovered a lost programme which was never uploaded. It was first broadcast in December 1999 which explains the references to Y2K. This programme features an extended conversation with Mike Bird, and ABC's Radio former acting general manager - Arthur Wyndom who I met at several radio conferences in the 1990's. Dame Edna also puts in an appearance, alongside Andy Sennitt. 

Nederhorst den Berg used to be the centre for the Netherlands Radio Control Service, the government department responsible for monitoring the airwaves. Part of their job was investigating interference complaints - the other part was monitoring the spectrum for pirates and clandestine stations (read spies). Several of the staff were listeners to Media Network, and so we accepted an invitation to have a look round. The photo shows the monitoring station at the height of its importance, in the 1950's. 

The Geneva based International Telecommunication Union used to organize huge telecom exhibitions at the PalExpo in Geneva. They were enormous technology showcases, mainly aimed at government officials. International broadcasters used to attend, mainly to lobby for satellite frequencies and spectrum space in other parts of the dial. I tried to liven it up with a musical box....  

This was a news edition of the programme. Astra 1C is safely launched from French Guiana. The American Forces Antarctica is rare catch a on 6012. There is no need for it any more so it may not come back on the air. NSB Radio Tampa is still on shortwave in Japan with business information. We investigate the mystery about Radio Niege in France. Australian Forces are broadcasting to Somalia. They have switched from using transmitters in the Cox Penninsula and switched to military USB transmitters. Arthur Cushen reports hearing WFLA on 25 Mhz. This is a studio to transmitter link. VOA Sao Tome is testing on mediumwave. And we did an interview with Radio Havana Cuba's DX editor and chief engineer Arnie Coro about changes coming to the Cuban international broadcaster.  

Just found a cassette of Argentinian and Chilean radio stations taken off the air in 1981/1982. It was sent in by a Media Network listener while we were covering the Falkands crisis and I asked if anyone had recordings of the Argentine stations. This cassette starts with the official sign-on of RAE, Buenos Aires, and includes a longer extract of the clandestine station nicknamed by the Brits as "Argentine Annie". In the 1980's few stations operated 24 hours a day and one of the delights of long distance listening on shortwave was hearing stations in Latin America start and end the broadcast day. They were usually over the top, hyped to the extreme to match the 10 thousand watts of power they were using the transmit. The recording ends with the sign-on of LRA-36, Rado Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza in Antarctica as heard in 1982. The radio station broadcasts on 15476 kHz on shortwave and 97.6 MHz for FM.. Radio National Archangel Gabriel is the southernmost international radio station and the fi

Very sad to learn that my colleague and friend, Lou Josephs, has passed away much too soon. He died after a short illness at 6:13 am Sunday July 10th 2016 at a house on Merritt Island, Florida close to his beloved Cape Canaveral. He was 65. My condolences to his life-long partner Susan Koonin who was by his side. There will be funeral in Washington DC on Wednesday July 13th. Jim Cutler and Vasily Strelnikov sent their thoughts and best wishes when they knew he was ill. I delved into this Media Network archive to pick some of the contributions which stick in my memory - but it is a fraction of what Lou contributed behind the scenes.  Lou was one of the first Media Network listeners in the 1980's to step forward and help us develop the programme into a serious media magazine on Radio Netherlands. He made hundreds of contributions to the programme over a period of 15 years, including this great portrait of commercial international broadcaster WNYW, New York. That documentary is one of the most popular editions

We visit the 1992 FIRATO, one of the last public audio/video fairs to be held in Amsterdam. 131,000 turned up to see widescreen televisions. The analogue MAC system is running into trouble. Sony demonstrates a MiniDisc but fakes the demo. Grundig will expand its range of Satellit receivers. Bob Grove says there will be a slight delay to the SW-100 communications receiver. This is a 100% US product. There also working on a spectrum display unit. Julius Hermans has some tuning tips. Steve Whitt has a guide for ICF2001 owners. BASICCODE is to be discontinued alongside (Hobby)Scoop.  Lou Josephs explains how stations are using databases for customer marketing. (Not bad for 1992). NAB Superradio is the most expensive piece of garbage we’ve ever seen. David Hill dropped by our studios to explain the future of Radio Australia. Victor Goonetilleke reports that SLBC is testing to North America. We discuss why Iran might be interested in building a relay station in Sri Lanka.

This edition of the programme from 1992 has news that Kuwait has started up 2 250kW transmitters, BBC World Service television to Asia has been spotted in the clear. Then we reexamine the war of words across the Straits of Taiwan. We look at stations like Radio Democracy. We also examine the rise and fall of the Christian Science Monitor World Service in Boston. Includes clips from the World Monitor channel. BBC is expanding its Pay TV service to Africa. CNN has also appeared on Astra. Lou Josephs reports that several MW frequencies are being blocked with English transmissions from Havana. Voice of Europe has also been testing. Mike Bird wraps up with propagation. 

Sections of this programme were recorded on a train heading for Harwich-Hook of Holland. We start with the news from BBC's Peter Udell that they are starting to feed radio as well as TV signals on the satellite. Spain will build a relay station in Costa Rica. Philips and Dixons have launched a Get into SW campaign at 60 stores. Sony reworks Tony Hancock's Radio sketch. Andy Sennitt has been to see the Cable-Sat exhibition in Brighton but was disappointed. The UK is also planning to extend its marine broadcasting offences act from 3 to 12 miles offshore. Britain has published a Green Paper on Broadcasting. Roger Tidy reports on the views of the community radio lobby. Carl Josephs reports on the data signals being sent over 200 kHz longwave to switch domestic electricity meters between a high and low tariff. 

The late Dave Rosenthal was a regular contributor to the Media Network programme in the 90's. He was fascinated by the sun and propagation - as well as being a US airforce pilot. What a great friend he was. In this programme he reviews a new specialist book about the subject. Then we go through the new Radio Netherlands summer transmission schedule in English (remember this is pre-Internet!). Victor Goonetilleke has been hearing Kashmir on 6300 kHz. And there's a report on the Kosuth radio network from Hungary about some strange observations. 

This programme from 1992 starts with the news that Radio Netherlands board of governors has approved relays of its programmes via transmitters in the Former Soviet Union. Broadcasts to Asia should have improved reception quality. BBC World Service had fire-alarm at Bush House. BBC will also hire airtime in Russia. DW likewise. We review the Sony ICFSW15. Nick Meanwell is the new presentation manager at Radio Netherlands, ex BRMB. Jeff White is on the line to report Radio Recovery, to serve those affected by Hurricane Andrew. 

Radio Netherlands starts feeding radio stations in Latin America and the Caribbean with a satellite signal. We profile the first commercial radio station in Bulgaria which has just started up; Radio Aura. A listener in Gwent brings up the start of TV Marti. We test the Lowe HF150 communications receiver in some depth. Radio Australia is talking about a television service.  

This was the first of two programmes I made for Dutch Horizons, a great show on Radio Netherlands English service. I helped to set up an exchange between NHK Radio Japan and Radio Netherlands. Jazz is extremely popular in Japan. So Hans Mantel and I went with the best of Dutch jazz talent to challenge the Japanese to an improv concert. Did it once in Tokyo, then a few days later in Nagasaki. Glad I kept the tapes. Mantel is a brilliant radio performer as well as being a great musician. He is a fountain of anecdotes, even though his is always under construction.

Part two of the two par jazz show I recorded with Hans Mantel in Nagasaki Japan. I recall it was a very strange time to be in Japan with the aftermath of 9/11 so fresh in peoples' minds.

This was a sad week - presenter Pete Myers had passed away the week before. This programme included a great tribute from Victor Goonetilleke. We made a full tribute to Pete in a programme called A Talent to Amuse which is also archived on this site. But the programme also included news about media changes in Iraq. And a clandestine station, Voice of the Tamil Tiger is a new AM broadcasting station being heard in Sri Lanka. We also look at the possible link with London based IBC.  Radio Napa in Cyprus is linking with several local stations around Europe for a Christmas special. Peter Walsh in Australia on the future of radio. Andy Sennitt is working on the Real Radio Ezine and came on permanent staff at Radio Netherlands. Media Network's Christmas Quiz wants you to tell us what you like. My son, Christopher who was 9 years old at the time did the intros this time.  Fun times.... Picture shows Pete Myers with Dheera Sujan and Maggie Ayre.

I personally think the old Media Network was at its best when it mixed documentary features with informed reports from the network of media enthusiasts around the globe. We built all kinds of conversations about our shared passion for international broadcasting and searching for signals between "DC and daylight." This was a typical show from December 1997, which this time featured a new station in Buenos Aires. Stay tuned to this podcast channel, because news is coming about the return of Media Network in 2016. I am personally intrigued to find out what happened since we reported all this. You heard it here first.

This programme from April 1988 was a based on my personal trip to Indonesia. I took a shortwave radio and a Walkman Pro on my holidays, making tapes of the local broadcasts off-air to compile this travelogue. I'm glad these recordings have survived because you couldn't hear most of it on shortwave. I recall the Voice of Indonesia kept re-using tape, with the result that the print-through from previous broadcasts was clearly audible. Interested in a copy of DXing Indonesia? Leave a message in the comments section.