When the new doesn’t work – try the old – BBC Resurrects Shortwave Radio

 

It is clear that Russia is pulling out all the stops in their invasion of Ukraine. Traditional and Internet Information sources have been prime targets.

 

In response to the damage done to these information vectors, the BBC is reviving its shortwave radio service in Ukraine and Russia.

 

 

The March 3, 2022 online edition of the UK based Guardian feature an article: “BBC website ‘blocked’ in Russia as shortwave radio brought back to cover Ukraine war” (see: https://bit.ly/3sHC216, which is also a photo source.)

 

The article pointed to a third party source Globalcheck who reported that the BBC’s website was only at 17% of normal levels in Russia. Other articles can be found in the Around World Journal @ https://bit.ly/3CfvbiC, the India based Republicworld (https://bit.ly/3hFuDcm, also a photo source) and the NY Times @ https://nyti.ms/3pDfTiJ. You can also see a different take in “The History of Shortwave Radio in Fighting Propaganda” (@ https://bit.ly/3CeKgks)

The Guardian article also noted that “Shortwave radio uses frequencies that can travel long distances and are accessible on portable radios, making it the go-to method to reach listeners in conflict zones throughout history. Shortwave was used extensively in Europe to broadcast propaganda during the second world war, and usage peaked during the cold war. But as radio technology developed, along with the mass adoption of online news, shortwave fell out of favour around the world. After 76 years, the BBC World Service ended its shortwave broadcast to Europe in 2008.”

The NY Times added “Shortwave radio has been a go-to vehicle to reach listeners in conflict zones for decades, used to deliver crackling dispatches to soldiers in the Persian Gulf war, send codes to spies in North Korea and pontificate through the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. But more modern forms of radio along with the internet eventually pushed shortwave out of favor; the BBC retired its shortwave transmissions in Europe 14 years ago.”

 

If you want to learn more about shortwave radio, here are some resources:

• 1.     What is shortwave radio? Radio Fidelity - https://bit.ly/3ILH1DE
• 2.     If you want to listen to shortwave radio online – here’s how – Hamtronics - https://bit.ly/3HCuu45 which is also a photo source
• 3.     If you would like to transmit shortwave radio messages from the US, you will need a FCC License. You can find great information on amateur (ham) radio at the National Association for Amateur Radio at: https://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-licenses

 

What does it mean to PSYOPers? Sometimes you need to understand history to use it against your enemies.