The ABC has released an official history of Radio Australia, Australia Calling: The ABC Radio Australia Story.
Written by long-time ABC Radio Australia journalist and presenter Dr. Phil Kafcaloudes, Australia Calling tells the story of the radio service’s evolution and change through the decades as geopolitics and the media landscape shift across the region and the world.
It charts the push and pull of the service from pressures on the ABC budget over the years and as political support for the value of international broadcasting has ebbed and flowed within Canberra.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson says, “In the ABC’s 90th year, Australia Calling is a timely reminder of the historic importance of the ABC’s International Services in the Indo-Pacific. In an increasingly challenging international context, it is an opportunity to reflect on the ABC’s role in supporting a free media, regional democracy, and collaboration with our international neighbours.”
ABC Head International Services Claire M. Gorman says, “I commissioned Phil to write this book as this is a story worth telling. In documenting ABC Radio Australia’s evolution, the book highlights the ABC’s longstanding commitment to regional storytelling, peace, and democracy.
“It helps us understand why the ABC remains a valued and trusted source of news, information, and entertainment for international audiences. The book tells an important part of the ABC’s 90-year history and Australia’s engagement with its neighbours.”
According to Dr. Kafcaloudes, “Even though I worked at ABC Radio Australia for many years, researching for this book made me realise how much the network has affected so many people.
“Not to mention having a role in world events like the first landing on the moon, post-war migration, and even the cold war. No wonder it’s always rated so highly with international audiences.”
The dialog of this video says that they expanded into the Pacific using FM. There are only 13 town only transmitters mostly in Papua New Guinea. They switched off 6 high powered high frequency (short wave) transmitters which were receivable over almost all of the South Pacific Ocean. So even those in boats can listen to the programs when away from land! Satellite reception requires a large 'C' band dish pointed accurately at the satellite, meaning it cannot be used when mobile.
By comparison Radio New Zealand Pacific has just ordered a replacement high powered high frequency transmitter because its current one is reaching the end of its economic life. They are paying $4 million Australian for the replacement. It is currently under construction.
Since 2005 they have been transmitting Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) on this service, the sound quality is better than that of your local ABC's AM in your city!
When transmitting in DRM mode the electricity consumption drops by 60 % and you can transmit 2 speech programs simultaneously. Eg Australian and a target audience language.
You tune a DRM radio by the broadcasters name eg Radio Australia rather than by having to remember a pair of 5 digit numbers. At sunrise and sunset, the receiver changes frequency under the command of the broadcaster.
Lastly, Australia is part of a tsunami and cyclone warning system, but now cannot tell anyone bar these 13 towns! DRM has an emergency warning function which will wake a radio from standby, switch to the warning channel, sound a siren, make a loud announcement, but also show a map of the emergency and a searchable text system for detailed instructions. lts warnings can be restricted to a geographic rectangle which is from 7 x 7 km to as large as you like.