___________________________________________ Fuel Crisis Threatens Majuro Broadcasters ___________________________________________
According to reports from Majuro, capital of the Marshall Islands in the north-west Pacific, supplies of diesel and coconut oil to the private sector could be completely cut within weeks, forcing four private radio stations off the air. RNZI News reports that a state of economic emergency has been declared, to reduce fuel and power consumption, after the national power utility projects a financial deficit representing close to 20 per cent of the entire national budget. The Marshall Islands Energy Company needs US$8.5m to pay for June diesel shipments and as a down payment for the next shipment, and needs to find the funds within seven days. Steve Clark, manager of The Change 104.1 FM on Majuro says his station has already switched to propane gas in an effort to keep the new christian radio station on the air. The Change 104.1 FM is in urgent talks with New Zealand based partner UCB Pacific Partners to develop solar and wind power energy generation options. Graham Carter, chief executive of UCB Pacific Partners says 'it will take months to raise money, ship the equipment and get it all set up'. In the meantime, the four private FM radio stations on Majuro face a bleak and potentially silent future. Radio Marshalls V7AB the government radio station operating on both AM and FM may remain as the only local broadcaster on air on Majuro should this happen. The Central Pacific Network of the US Armed Forces Radio operates an additional four stations on Kwajalein, which although part of the Marshall Islands, are likely to be immune from the crisis because they're US government funded and serve military installations. For a backgrounder on issues facing Pacific broadcasters, including fast rising oil costs, read 'Pacific Radio Today' at www.radioheritage.net, the global media platform of the Radio Heritage Foundation. If you know of any other Pacific radio stations facing similar fuel hike problems, please let us know. You can contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Radio Heritage Foundation www.radioheritage.net _____________________________________________ The Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting radio heritage and popular culture across the Pacific. To be removed from this mailing list, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] with 'remove' in the subject line. _____________________________________________ ---[Start Commercial]--------------------- Order your WRTH 2008: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/redirect2.php?id=wrth2008 ---[End Commercial]----------------------- ________________________________________ Hard-Core-DX mailing list Hard-Core-DX@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx http://www.hard-core-dx.com/ _______________________________________________ THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License published by Michael Stutz at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/dsl.html