Adventist World Radio (AWR) begins around-the-clock daily satellite radio service to Europe, North Africa and most areas of the Middle East this week
Adventist World Radio (AWR) begins around-the-clock daily satellite radio service to Europe, North Africa and most areas of the Middle East this week, according to Don Jacobsen, AWR president.
“Test broadcasts started on June 1, 2000,” said Jacobsen, “and the digital stereo network will be in full operation by Friday, June 9. We are delighted!”
The satellite service, provided by Merlin Communications International, has a dual purpose, says Bert Smit, AWR region director for Europe. During a 24-hour period, 11 hours are used to feed AWR programs to a leased radio facility in Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia, for rebroadcast on shortwave transmitters to the Middle East and Africa. “This will decrease the time from production to airing,” says Smit, “as well as the uncertainty of mailing programs from one country to another and international postage costs.”
“The other 13 hours on the 24-hour system are being used by local Adventist radio stations across Europe to relay their programs from station to station in their own languages, on their own country networks.”
Ten stations in Romania and nine in Italy are the first networks to join AWR’s satellite service in Europe. The station in Sarajevo, Bosnia, is among others that can rebroadcast programs. Non-Adventist stations in the Czech Republic now rebroadcast the Czech Voice of Hope program featured on the network. There are currently more than 40 local Adventist radio stations in Europe.
“This first AWR satellite system in Europe features programs in 11 languages,” Smit said, “and it is available free to stations wishing to air the programs.” The 24-hour feed will also be available worldwide as a live stream on the AWR Web site, allowing for 100 listeners simultaneously in both RealAudio and the new G2 format. The AWR Web site is found at www.awr.org.
The AWR Europe satellite network is the second international network established by AWR. The first one began in 1998 in the Americas and today supplies Spanish programming to more than 40 Adventist stations. Nearly an equal number of non-Adventist Spanish stations also down link the AWR network programs.