Friday, December 22, 2006

Christmas programming on shortwave


Why not continue the tradition of many worldwide radio listeners this Christmas Eve? It's been 75 years since the fist Carol Service was broadcast from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge-a service which for many around the globe marks the beginning of Christmas.

"As the sunsets over Cambridge, the nine lessons, read mainly by members of the College, from a Chorister to the Provost, tell the story of the loving purposes of God as revealed in the Bible. The Choir sings carols old and new and leads the congregation in traditional Christmas hymns." Programming should be checked on any of the following frequencies and UTC times, as well as being repeated on BBC Radio 3 and available on demand at the BBC website.

Christmas Eve
BBC World Service
Live from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge
1502- 1630 UTC: 5875, 5965, 5975, 6190, 6195, 7465, 9410, 9740, 9810, 11820, 11860, 11920, 12095,15105, 15400, 15420, 17830, 17885, 21470 kHz

Christmas Day
"The Christmas Broadcast dates back to 1932, when King George V spoke on the 'wireless' to the Empire from a small office at Sandringham. The time chosen was 3 p.m. - the best time forreaching most of the countries in the Empire by shortwaves from a transmitter in Britain. The first Broadcast lasted two and a half minutes, and included the King's reflections on the closer relationships made possible by such wondrous technology." His daughter Queen Elizabeth II followed suit and has made a broadcast in every year of her reign. To this day the Queen retains her annual message to the people of the British COmmonwealth. Its one of the longer lived broadcast on the BBC World Service.

Christmas Day
BBC World Service
The Queen's Christmas Message
1505 - UTC: 5875, 5965, 5975, 6190, 6195, 7465, 9410, 9740, 9810, 11820, 11860, 11920,
12095,15105, 15400, 15420, 17830, 17885, 21470 kHz
BBC World Drama: King Lear is on at 2205-2330 UTC. Any of the following frequencies should be checked for programming at 2205-2300 on: 5955, 5965, 5975, 6195, 7105, 9480, 9650, 9740, 15400, Frequencies at 2300-2330 should be checked on 3915, 5965, 5985, 6170, 9480, 11945, 11955 kHz.

(Source: Programming Spotlight-Dec. Monitoring Times/BBC Religions web pages/Shortwave Guide, Dec. Monitoring Times)