549kHz is Silent

From Irish Christian Broadcasters - http://www.icbradio.ie/

Yes after 5 1/2 years ICB is now silent and no longer transmitting ICB or UCB programs.


Dear Friends

This note is tinged with a mixture of emotions, as we have now turned off the 549 AM Transmitter in Monaghan having been re-broadcasting UCB Europe for the past 5 1/2 years from there on 549. Many lives have been touched by it, - under the footprint of its 'umbrella' reaching Ireland and Britain, and reaching an audience / footprint of potentially up to 30 million people.

The good news is that we are not done. We have been working now continuously to bring this together during 2005 and progressively in 2006. Plans are well advanced at this stage, we are working towards a National License and have begun a completely new project.

So while we are sorry that the audience will not now have Christian Radio available to them till a License is granted (probably early in 2007) we recognise it is all part of the process of becoming licensed as we have continuously been seeking, since September 2000. This past week ComReg Officials have instructed us to cease the retransmissions of UCB which we have now done.

All that remains for me to do at this stage is to thank the following people
* The Russian Federation and their Regulators - who allowed us to use their Frequencies of 549 AM and 846 AM - during the past 10 years for Christian Broadcasting to Britain and Ireland, and who have not objected to the transfer of these frequencies to Ireland, on ICB's initiative in 2002, for the purpose of Christian Broadcasting in Ireland
* UCB for providing us with a EU Regulated and Licensed Christian Service, which we could 're-transmit' in Ireland, while the prohibition on Christian Advertising exists and there continues to be an absence of licensed Christian Services available in Ireland.
* Members of the Dail Committees, who in November 1999 and April 2002, did all they could do to help us to regularise and get licenses to use these Russian Frequencies.
* Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, who on June 12th 2000 voted unanimously for the 1st time, following 2hrs of public debate, - requesting that the Regulatory Authorities enable the Regulation and Licensing of these frequencies, for the use of Christian Radio in Ireland.
* All of our friends out there who have stood with us on this journey so far, and we hope will continue with us on the journey to come, in getting a license for Christian Radio in Ireland.
* The Founder Members / Board of Irish Christian Broadcasters - who have courageously stayed the course for the past 5 1/2 years while we have sought to progress toward the licensing of Christian Radio Services in Ireland

We are now on the brink of such an opportunity, and we give thanks to GOD for His provision for this and the prospect of there being a service available in Ireland, which will be meaningful to the Irish People, and will allow us to move forward with these very positive Mandates - in the Great Commission, and also as bestowed upon us in the Mandates from the Elected Parliaments both North and South of the border in Ireland.

Finally, please continue with us prayerfully on this journey. We trust the end is in sight and we will complete this journey. Please pray for us to do an excellent job, and for favour when it comes to proposing a Service to the BCI later in the year, which will meet and serve the needs of the peoples of this island

Irish Christian Broadcasters

P.S. - As many listeners will now be disconnected from this service, and may not know why, please feel free to pass on this mail to them, so they will be aware that they will be without it for 12-18 months, and God Willing, we will be back in 2007 with a world class offering, which will be all they hope for.