International Radio Report going down hill!

For many years I was a regular listener to the International Radio Report on CKUT in Montreal. I use to listen on FM when I lived in Canada and then via the CKUT website. But in the last while I have noticed a number of problems with the show. It's showing it's age. Steve and Janice were doing a great job to bring new life to the show. But since Janice left for a few months to work in Africa, one of the shows creators has returned Sheldon Harvey. Now first off I need to say I respect Sheldon as he knows his stuff and has worked hard over the years along with many others to save Radio Canada International.
But listening to him makes him sound as if he is at a casting called for Grumpy Old Men 3. I have never heard anyone so bitter, jaded and angry. He spends most of his time going on and on and on complaining about radio and the people on radio. Maybe he should look at himself?
There was a time when I use to tune in to hear interesting talk about radio, but since he has been back it's nothing but negative comments about everyone and how bad radio is. My next problem with the show is the name. It's called International Radio Report. Hummm! Where is the international? All I seem to hear is news about local radio in Montreal. Maybe the name show be changed to Montreal Radio Report. If the show is "international" from it's title, it seems as if these days Montreal radio and or Montreal is is center of international.
And again this week not the first time in the last 10 months. Nothing but music! Hummm! Have they ever heard of recording a show or two incase they can't make it in? If anything your doing your listeners a disservice.
There is no excuse for this. As the old saying goes the show must go on.

New Years Shows

The New Years shows are now uploaded at www.pcjmedia.com .

Sorry this message is so short, but I'm staying in Hong Kong for a few days to get some R&R.

Keith

Happy Station Show now to Europe

Happy Station Show can be heard on shortwave to Europe now on 5835khz Sunday's from 1300UTC to 1355UTC. If the signal is not good in your area you can tune at the same time to the live stream at www.southhertsradio.com .

For all Happy Station Show broadcast times go to www.pcjmedia.com

Happy 2010
Keith
Taipei, Taiwan
Republic Of China

Special December 31st Happy Station Show

For the first time in Happy Station's history the show will be 120mins. From 1928 to 1977 Happy Station Show had a running time of 80mins, then in it was reduced to 54mins, then to 50mins. Since March 12th the show went back to 55mins. On December 31, 2009 as a test both the 0200UTC and 1600UTC shows to the Americas will be 120mins for the Happy Station Show's New Year Celebration. Depending on if they are a success they will be extended both to a 120mins format in the new year.

The show from 0200UTC to 0359UTC will be live from Taipei directed to the Caribbean/Latin & South America will be co-hosted by my good buddy David Monson who for many years hosted Brussels Calling on Belgium Radio International. David also worked in the past for the SABC, and Namibian Broadcasting Corp. For this show we have special reports on new years celebrations from different parts of the world.
Neil Hendrickse from Springbok Radio - Cape Town, South Africa
Carl Blare from KDX - USA
Yukiko Tsuji-Maki - Japan
Beta Wayne - Montreal, Canada
Ian McFarland/Colin Newell - British Columbia, Canada

The show at 1600UTC to 1759UTC will be live from RTHK in Hong Kong. It will open with the fireworks display that will already have started from Victoria Harbor. This show will be directed to North America/Caribbean and will also include some features and reports sent in from different places.
Peter Anthony Holder looking at the more odd news items from 2009 - Montreal, Canada
Chrissy Brand - Manchester, UK
Paulette MacQuarry host of Nash Holas on Ukrainian New Years Celebrations - Vancouver, Canada
King Daevid McKenzie - Tuson, USA
Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti with the first new Swiss Shortwave Merry Go Round presented since 1994 - Switzerland
Tom Meijer reporting from his home on the New Year Celebrations that will take place in Holland - Port Almere, Netherlands
I will also be announcing the winners of the Happy Station Show Year End Contest.

Both these specials will be broadcast on 9955khz, 31MB. You can also tune to the live internet stream from WRMI at www.wrmi.net .

If you would like more information about PCJ and Happy Station check us out online at www.pcjmedia.com

Happy 2010
Keith
Taipei, Taiwan
Republic Of China

New meanings for the ACRONYM RCI or Radio Canada International

As those who listen to international radio may know Radio Canada International or RCI changed it's mandate to only reflect the interests of new immigrants coming or interested in coming to Canada. At the time it's programs are now being carried by the CBC. A few weeks ago while hanging out with David Monson formerly of Belgium Radio International we came up with some new meanings of RCI's acronym to reflect it's new mandate.

They are:

The favorites
1. Radio Canada Internal
2. Radio Canada Immigration
Now the new ones
3. Radio C**** (banned word) International
4. Radio Condom International
5. Radio Canada Idiots
6. Radio Canada Insane
7. Radio Canada Icecap
8. Radio Canada Iceberg (already hit the Titanic)
9. Radio Canada Impotent
10. Radio Canada Impossible
11. Radio Canada Impractical
12. Radio Canada Incest
13. Radio Canada Inartistic
14. Radio Canada Inactivity
15. Radio Canada Incurable
16. Radio Canada Intoxicated
17. Radio Canada Intestinal
18. Radio Canada Itch
19. Radio Canada Inflammation
20. Radio Canada Insane

I've had a number of Happy Station listeners send in some new ones as well. They will be added shortly.

Keith

Crazy weekend!

This weekend was very crazy. And I don't mean crazy wild, but crazy looney. I'm going away for 2 weeks and was recording not stop for 2 weeks of show. This week on the 24th of September we have a special birthday show for Bob Thomann who is turning 81. For those who are too young to remember Bob hosted the Swiss Merry Go Round from the mid 1950s to 1994, for 24 of those years he did the show with Bob Zanotti.
I was listing to a few of the show from the 60s and will use some clips. People asked me. I enjoy doing every show? The answer is yes, but there are some show I enjoy doing more than others. The show for Bob Thomann is just one example of one of my favorites. This is for the simple reason that I was a listener for many years and when i do these special show for people I use to listen to I get a real kick from it.
Now as I just said it was a crazy weekend. Part was recording shows back to back, but the another reason was I had my dogs with me in the studio. That's a story in itself.

Special YEAR END SHOWS!

Hi Everyone,

Starting September 10th, 2009 we are launching a New Years contest with the winners to be announced at 1230am (local HK TIME) that’s 1730UTC on January 1st, 2010.

Times reflect the November time shift. Meaning 0100UTC now will be 0200UTC after that.

Let me fill you in the loop as they say. On December 31, 2009 both editions of Happy Station will be 2 hours each.

The transmission at 0200UTC will be a special program for South America and the Caribbean and will run for 2 hours. Details are still being worked on at this moment. I will fill you in when they become available. This program will be recorded.

The transmission at 1600UTC will be LIVE from Hong Kong. My friends at RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) are giving us a studio over looking Victoria Harbor where at 1659UTC we will do the countdown to 2010. They are also letting us patch into the audio feeds for RTHK, so you will be able to hear the countdown live as it happens in Hong Kong. After the countdown, plus a small concert of the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra I will announce the winner of the contest. Prizes listed below!

This contest is open to both email and post entries. But to enter you will need to send in the time and date you hear a short message that will start to air September 11, 2009 for the broadcast at 0100UTC. This message will also be used during the 1500UTC program, and for the shows for Indonesia and New Zealand. Now the message is in code, but if you can’t understand it. That’s not important! What’s important is you report the time you heard it and the date. I will announce the the shows next week more details about how it will work. But please remember to include your postal address! And that even goes to those who send in emails.

Prizes
1st Prize: Sangean ATS909
2nd Prize: Sangean ATS606
3rd Prize: The 3 books from Jerry Berg about SW
4th Prize: 1 Year membership to Communication from the BDXC
5th Prize: 10 winners of a CD by Tom Meijer called Easy Come, Easy Go!

So good luck to everyone!

Warmest regards,
Keith Perron
Happy Station Show