Bias exists in every communication, including this one and the one it’s responding to. :)
The key is understanding where or who it’s coming from and what their predetermined perspective might be. That’s why it is best to access multiple sources. Where we seem to be going wrong now is that some who don’t like where the facts lead them, just make up their own. Opinions are malleable; facts are immutable. John Figliozzi > On Apr 8, 2022, at 8:49 AM, Patrick Mackin <pwmac...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > "I'd rather see a tiny fraction of my tax dollars spent on such an initiative > than on even a small fraction of the many Billions spent on waste, fraud, and > abuse..." > > It is indeed a chicken and an egg problem. > > Most shortwave broadcasts are either government sponsored or religious in > nature. And yes, government spends on many more frivolous and even > destructive and wasteful things. Governments are also in perhaps the best > position as anyone to revive shortwave if they chose to invest (particularly > in things like DRM). > > But I don't want the airwaves dominated by US government positions. As > flawed as the for-profit corporate news model is, it is at its worst when it > is repeating government propaganda and US State Department talking points > (and it does so far too often already). > > Removing whatever thin layer of journalistic integrity that still exists and > simply letting governments directly influence the masses is a huge step in > the wrong direction. US Government spokesperson Ned Price has had some > embarrassing moments when he was challenged by reporters presenting talking > points for which there was zero evidence. Imagine if these were simply > distributed as "news." > > I say this not from a libertarian mindset of "government is bad" but from a > realistic and apolitical observation of the bad positions the US government > has taken on the vast majority of every international issue of my lifetime. > > It's not a universal critique of government; It could and even does work from > time to time. I love the apolitical English language Radio Havana Cuba > broadcasts, but I assure you the US would not be making programming about > American music and culture, or how to speak English, but instead pushing > political agendas on people that do not want them, as it does already through > many other venues around the world. > > If I wanted to be political I could point out specifics, quote numbers, death > tolls, and would have to struggle long and hard to find an international > policy where my country was on the "good" side. But whether one is coming > from a left or right perspective (I am neither), I think there are huge > criticisms of the American government's behavior on the international stage > and I would not want their voice to be the main voice people hear worldwide. > > Is the alternative the death of shortwave? Well, perhaps. But AM/FM radio > is suffering a similar, though not as devastating, pain. There are few DJs > left, and many people are turning off corporate bland programmed radio. They > don't even have the big shock jocks on air any more. But it is not the death > of the *spirit of radio*. That will live on in podcasts, streamers, and a > variety of other platforms. > > The HAM radio broadcaster of yesterday is today doing live streams on Odysee > and recording their own weekly podcast that can be downloaded, and listened > to, as I do, on an Eton shortwave radio (via its bluetooth function from my > phone). The sound quality is perfect and location or time don't matter. > Podcasting is so big that it eclipses not just radio but TV. Podcaster Joe > Rogan has an audience *four times* the size of the biggest cable TV > broadcasters. And the choices of programming are far more numerous than > shortwave ever was in its heydey. > > I love shortwave, but most of the things I love about it are proliferating in > other areas. > >> On Thu, Apr 7, 2022 at 6:57 PM craig.51...@juno.com <craig.51...@juno.com> >> wrote: >> >> I agree. Anybody else? >> BTW: there was a minor news item about a guy who bought a bunch, like 6000, >> tiny portable shortwave sets and is shipping them to Ukraine, via a back >> door to be distributed free. Not DRM, but certainly a start in the right >> direction. Since they include MW and FM they might actually get some use >> after the crisis subsides. Anybody remember the Connelrad stations in the >> 1950's and '60's? A thumbs up to the first person who can give the correct >> frequencies for the Connelrad stations! >> CRAIG >> >> >> ---------- Original Message ---------- >> From: Ed Cummings <bern...@panix.com> >> To: Discussion list for the Winter SWL Fest <swlfest@hard-core-dx.com> >> Subject: Re: [Swlfest] Why Reviving Shortwave is a Non-Starter - Radio World >> Date: Wed, 06 Apr 2022 22:22:29 -0400 >> >> Tom, thanks for sharing this article by two folks we know in our SWLfest >> community. >> >> The dearth of shortwave broadcasts to shortwave receivers seems like a >> chicken-or-egg problem to me. If there was a good selection of good content >> broadcast on shortwave around the world (like there used to be) then more >> people would get shortwave radios to hear it (like they used to do before >> the content dried up due to most governments deciding the internet was the >> shiny new way to reach their target audiences around the globe.) >> >> This is a problem that DRM has been running into. Without content, there's >> no market to consume it, and there's no market for HF/MW/FM DRM receivers, >> and no financial incentive for their manufacture. HF DRM transmitters and >> exciters are readily available from Nautel and others, and HF DRM receiver >> manufacturers have ready-to-go designs and production facilities to make >> lots of radios for anyone who comes to them with a check. >> >> If just some of the tens of millions of U.S. taxpayer Dollars being >> squandered on some USAGM contractors were instead spent on 'seed money' for >> the production of DRM broadcasts and hundreds of thousands of low-cost >> portable HF/MW/FM DRM receivers for free distribution in target audience >> areas, that might jump-start HF DRM, which has impressive potential for >> conveying digital information around the world without all-too-easy internet >> censorship. Somebody has to take the lead on this. >> >> I'd rather see a tiny fraction of my tax dollars spent on such an initiative >> than on even a small fraction of the many Billions spent on waste, fraud, >> and abuse... >> >> Does anyone agree with me on this? >> >> -Ed >> >> >> At 10:56 AM 4/6/2022, Thomas Sundstrom wrote: >> >> https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/guest-commentaries/why-reviving-shortwave-is-a-non-starter >> >> >> Tom W2XQ >> _______________________________________________ >> Swlfest mailing list >> Swlfest@hard-core-dx.com >> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest >> >> To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to >> swlfest-requ...@hard-core-dx.com?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown >> above. >> >> For more information on the Fest, visit: >> >> http://www.swlfest.com >> http://swlfest.blogspot.com >> _______________________________________________ >> Swlfest mailing list >> Swlfest@hard-core-dx.com >> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest >> >> To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to >> swlfest-requ...@hard-core-dx.com?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown >> above. >> >> For more information on the Fest, visit: >> >> http://www.swlfest.com >> http://swlfest.blogspot.com > _______________________________________________ > Swlfest mailing list > Swlfest@hard-core-dx.com > http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swlfest > > To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to > swlfest-requ...@hard-core-dx.com?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown > above. > > For more information on the Fest, visit: > > http://www.swlfest.com > http://swlfest.blogspot.com
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