The end of Deutsche Welle as a shortwave broadcaster

Dietmar Rudolph originally posted this article on 25.10 (the original German text can be found here).  My own command of German is sufficient that I could understand the ‘meat’ of the article: that Deutsche Welle will be ceasing to exist as a shortwave broadcaster.  I was saddened to read this, as I found myself going back 40 years and remembered listening to DW at various times; I was studying German at the time and it helped me immensely in learning proper pronunciation and gave me a great opportunity to listen to and practice understanding the spoken language.  This article has struck a nerve with me, so much so that I felt compelled to attempt a translation.  It contains Dietmar’s original comments, along with the contents of the mailing from the Deutsche Welle people (in quotation marks):

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The end of Deutsche Welle as a shortwave broadcaster (the 'linear program') seems imminent, as one can infer from this mailing that the DW customer service team have sent out to DW listeners:

 

“Dear Deutsche Welle listeners,

 

“With the change from Central European summer time (MESZ) to Central European standard time (MEZ) on 30 October 2011, our German-language programming will take a new course.  We will be turning the German-language radio program into a multimedia presentation that will offer news, background and analysis of decisions, developments and trends from Germany.

 

“In accordance with its corporate policy strategy for 2010 to 2013, Deutsche Welle will go to an online multimedia presentation that will make use of all technological and content possibilities.  However, we will be ending the broadcast of a linear radio program via shortwave, satellite or live streaming during the winter of 2011. Our ‘Wirtschaft’, ‘Kultur’, ‘Studi-DW’, ‘Wissenschaft’, ‘Bücherwelt’ and ‘Nachrichten’ podcasts will still be available, as well as audio-on-demand presentations.  You will find all the latest programming information for all the DW presentations on out website.  You will rediscover many of your favorites and find a lot of other interesting material there.

 

“We would gladly like to explain to you—as interested and engaged listeners—in somewhat greater detail the basis for and extent of these changes:  Content considerations as well as business considerations have led us to this decision.  Deutsche Welle’s presentations have primarily been directed at a specific target audience as prescribed by law.  This consists mainly of people in foreign countries who have an interest in Germany and the German language.  We are supposed to convey a comprehensive picture of political, business and cultural life in today’s Germany, as well as present and elaborate on the German ‘take’ on international issues.  It is DW’s conviction that this target audience would best be served with this multimedia approach that audience members can quickly access on their own schedule.  Everyone who is responsible for programming is thus directed to continuously decide how to make use of the means at our disposal in the best possible way to reach our target audience.   As part of this ongoing assessment process, we decided on these stated changes in the case of our German-language presentations.

 

“We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to all our listeners for their years of loyalty.  We hope you will be able to make sense of the basis of our decision, and also will be able to provide inspirations for our new presentation.  Therefore, we would like to learn how we can continue to be your address for news and background from and about Germany.  Give us your feedback so that we will always be able to keep you well-informed with our multimedia presentations.  We will be happy to hear your reactions.

 

Thank you very much for your understanding and your interest.

 

Friendly greetings,

 

Your customer service team...[addresses, etc. omitted]"

 

It is interesting that this kind of reduction and slashing is even being euphemized on the DW homepage as ‘improvement’ and ‘progress’.

 

Hopefully as many people as possible will give DW appropriate feedback…!

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Also it seems German on LW & MW?

Even here at the the edge of West of Ireland (Western Mid West) I can get DLF on LW (daytime) in house and car. After dark perfect reception of some MW stations.

I have satellite. In fact a distribtution system with up to 16 outlets and 29E, 19E, 13E and 9E. feeds, also a 1.1m motorised system with about 22 positions. The motorised system feeds a CE legal "FM Transmitter", aka "iTrip" and a PC has a 2nd "FM Transmitter", with choice of MP3s of my server, 2 satellite cards, DTT radio and internet radio. But this is unusual.

For general coverage and portability there is not yet till DRM is widely available (I have never seen a DRM receiver in a shop, because there are no stations to receive here) the LW, MW and SW can't be beaten. The VHF-FM is better quality but not so universal reception and only "local" transmissions.

As a Teenager my mind was widened beyond the narrow "tribal" concerns of the locality by DW, RCI, BBC WS, RTE, R.Sweden, SRI, etc. Even Manx Radio via DX VHF. Then I lived in a part of UK on Island of Ireland.

RTE in Ireland sadly though broadcasting since 1922 never started their own SW service till the last few years they are now on WRN and only SW for special events. When we lived abroad we could only get any Irish "tit bits" via BBC World Service. Then with virtually no consultation they closed their two MW stations and all 3 MW sites, including Athlone.

It seems to me this is more about saving a little money and someone somewhere thinks Satellite and Internet is the solution.

Satellite could all "die" with one global solar event and isn't portable at all.

Internet isn't portable and is only economic with few listeners as each gets a unique stream. Even if people have Internet, many do not have large enough "cap" for all day consumption. Internet is complementary technology. Unless there is 10,000x back bone capacity and FTTC everywhere and built in true Broadcast IP, the Internet will never be an efficient replacement for Broadcast. Internet is best for unique traffic and can't cope with the consistent volume of traffic broadcast replacement.

Have poorly educated Accountants taken over all the Broadcasters?

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This is sad news, indeed.  Listening to DW's English language programming via SW when I was younger, sparked my interest in Germany.  And having won a Grundig "Yachtboy" from a DW contest that I learned about from the SW broadcast, furthered that interest.

Over the years, I have always enjoyed the progamming, both in English and Deutsch, so this news brings some saddness.

And like Michael said, this is most likely the result of some poor decisions made by short-sighted management.

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I'm sure German speaking NATO soldiers in Afghanistan will feel the loss!

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