Radio NZ Launches BBC Pacific Exchange

Radio NZ International Launches BBC Pacific Exchange

http://www.rnzi.com/

WELLINGTON (RNZI/Pacific Media Watch): Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) will launch a weekday 30-minute programme exchange with the BBC Pacific service starting today.

At 2030 NZ time (0830 UTC), the BBC's Pacific service will relay a bulletin of Pacific regional news and RNZI's Pacific current affairs programme Dateline Pacific, which draws on the work of RNZI's staff and on stories filed by Pacific journalists from around the region.

In exchange, at 1pm NZ time weekdays (0100 UTC) RNZI will be broadcasting a BBC World news bulletin, followed by detailed BBC correspondents' reports on the latest global news and a round-up of the latest in international Sport.

RNZI manager Linden Clark says she is delighted with the launch.

"This will allow us to get more listeners for our flagship current affairs programme across the Pacific. It's also recognition of the relevance of the Dateline Pacific programme which is already relayed by Radio Australia around the region."

The RNZI programme will be on the BBC's Pacific network of FM relays and satellite services.

RNZI's short-wave broadcasts cover the area from Papua New Guinea in the west across to French Polynesia in the east and all the countries in between.

A new digital (DRM) short-wave service is just now being launched across the Pacific region with partner relaying radio stations in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and Niue all now equipped with digital software receivers.

More countries will be equipped so they can receive the new digital signal over the next few months.

http://www.rnzi.com/

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PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE

http://www.pmw.c2o.org/

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