TWR Antenna Upgrade Completed

Trans World Radio (TWR) has announced the successful completion of a major antenna upgrade to North Africa as of April 9, 2009.

The upgrade greatly improves both coverage and signal strength, increasing the number of potential listeners in the region to 40 million people.

Prior to the antenna modification, TWR’s signal to many North African people groups, particularly those in the Northern Atlas mountains, was nearly indistinguishable above the interference caused by electromagnetic radiation from growing cities.

Today, the reception is loud and clear. The transmission is now beamed towards the Atlas Mountains in a concentrated beam, as opposed to the earlier, wider-angle signal toward an area with not much interest in reception. The transmitter power for 1467 kHz remains at 100,000 watts.

One North African listener says, “The signal is better than before. I know that this improvement not only helps us hear the gospel message, but also allows many more in all of North Africa to listen to these programs now.”

Trans World Radio envisions North Africa committed to Jesus Christ, and broadcasts strategic programming to North Africa in Arabic and Berber dialects such as Sous, Tamazight, Tarifit and Kabyle.

Beaming deeper into Africa

TWR - Trans World Radio - have been working on their Monte Carlo transmitter to increase the strength of their signal into Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and other parts of north Africa - with a potential of reaching 15 million new people.

Many of the people in reach of these signals have never had the Gospel in their own language before - and many cannot read. TWR currently broadcast in Arabic and four different Berber dialects.

Presently the TWR aerial system is omni directional. The increase in signal strength is being achieved by changing the aerial system to a directional beam.

The importance of this project was confirmed by a Moroccan man who had come to know Christ through a radio broadcast. For ten years, that man had no fellowship with other Christians, and it was only through radio that he had fellowship. Radio can go places missionaries often can't.

TWR has also delivered radio/CD players to Morocco and Algeria, along with a CD of TWR programming. If broadcast signals are weak, listeners can still hear the programs. In addition, several hundred pre-fixed radios are being readied for distribution throughout North Africa.

TWR know through anecdotal evidence that people are coming to know Jesus and that churches are being planted. They contact TWR in many different ways, and when they do, they are asking for more programs so that they can hear what God has for them.

Producers are focusing their radio program content towards women, youth, oral-speakers, and the general public.

The Living Secrets of HIV/AIDS

Trans World Radio is developing a new radio series about HIV/AIDS for the Dhuluo- and Luo-speaking peoples in Kenya, southern Sudan and neighbouring countries

The Living Secrets of HIV/AIDS,” or “Malingling Mag Ayaki,” will be aired twice weekly. 104 fifteen-minute segments will cover topics like dealing with HIV/AIDS on a daily basis, secrets of dealing with HIV in the family, safer ways of disclosing your HIV status, abstinence, integration of orphans into families, health care for AIDS patients at home, and encouraging people to adopt AIDS orphans.

Trans World Radio has been addressing HIV/AIDS since the early 1990s, but only in English and Swahili, which have a broader listening audience than local dialects. Sponsorship raised by TWR’s partner in The Netherlands made possible the development of the new show, in the Luo and Dhuluo languages.

Luo is spoken in Nyanza province, which is the Kenyan province most affected by HIV/AIDS. Kenya has 1.1 million AIDS orphans, and 6.1% of its adults are HIV positive, according to UNAIDS.

As a result of a rise in prostitution, 33% of 15 to 19-year-old girls near the city of Kisumu are HIV-positive, according to a recent study by the National AIDS STD Control Programme (NASCOP).

A regular listener from Zimbabwe explained why he appreciates the daily HIV/AIDS program that Trans World Radio airs in his area, called “Saving a Generation.”

“Undoubtedly HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. Most people here in Africa (south of the Sahara) are affected in one way or the other. If one is not infected, then one is definitely affected. I lost my only brother and his wife to the disease a few years ago.”

• Trans World Radio Africa

Meeting the challenges in Russia

Russia covers more area than any other country in the world.

Trans World Radio is finding new ways to broadcast into Russia, after two national radio networks removed its programs from their transmission schedule at the end of 2007 - TWR had been reaching 11 time zones through those channels since 1991.

Former listeners have mourned the loss of TWR’s broadcasts, describing them as “healing, clean, living water.”

Since losing this critical means of spreading the gospel, TWR has begun airing live over the Internet and plans to increase the coverage and airtime of a transmitter in Estonia. Recent statistics demonstrate that 28.7 million Russians or about 25% of the Russian population now uses the Internet, including 695,000 residents of Moscow.

TWR also has a transmitter in Grigoriopol that covers four time zones, and six radio stations in Siberia broadcast TWR programs. The Grigoriopol transmitter broadcasts in Ukrainian and Russian for 90 minutes every day and reaches about 50-60% of the Russian population.

TWR programs in Siberia reach the homes of about a million people in six cities. TWR provides literature for listeners who respond to broadcasts and connects them with local churches. One listener responded to a broadcast teaching that the witchcraft she practiced is wrong.

Radio stations continue sending Hope

HCJB

While many are struggling to get on the ground in Myanmar and China to respond to the recent catastrophes, HCJB Global Voice has been faithfully reaching these two countries via shortwave.

The mission’s ongoing media efforts are focused on reaching those beyond the reach of traditional ministry opportunities.

Broadcasts in the Rawang language, spoken by more than 140,000 people in Myanmar, began airing from HCJB Global-Australia’s shortwave station in Kununurra in 2007. Two half-hour programs in this language air daily -- one slot in the morning and one in the afternoon.

A voice of hope is also going into China as the Australian station broadcasts 18 hours of Mandarin programming each week. An additional five hours of weekly programming airs in Fujian, and 10.5 hours of English programming reaches China. The latter broadcasts are designed to help Chinese listeners learn English as a second language while presenting a clear gospel message.

TWR

As the beleaguered nation of Myanmar continues to suffer from the mass devastation caused recently by Tropical Cyclone Nargis, international Christian broadcaster Trans World Radio (TWR) plans to produce special radio programs offering critically needed health and social care information, emotional support and spiritual care for the hurting and hopeless.

TWR's announcement to begin airing these programs to Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is especially timely given news reports indicating that the estimated death toll is upwards of 100,000 people, with another 1 million having been displaced from their homes.

A media release states that TWR's over-the-airwave assistance strategy involves offering a full year of dedicated 30-minute broadcasts that will provide biblical counseling and care five days a week.

The release says the programming will be specifically designed to help restore the lives and spirits of Myanmar's people. The need for these broadcasts is underscored by the reality that the country has no electricity or telephone connections. Consequently, solar- and battery-powered radio becomes a vital link to the outside world for storm survivors.

"We continue to pray for the Lord's intervention to comfort, heal and provide ways for scores of people in Myanmar who have lost loved ones or have lost their homes and belongings," says TWR's Andrew Sundar, ministry director for Southeast Asia.

"Currently, we are broadcasting existing shortwave programs to Myanmar in both the Burmese and Sgaw Karen languages, but the new relief-focused broadcasts will be vital when it comes to addressing the victims' ongoing needs."

"The people are desperate and broken-hearted and are going to need significant long-term help," says Sundar. "My hope and prayer is that Trans World Radio can provide a voice of lasting hope and comfort in the days ahead."

Progress on Benin transmitter

In Benin, West Africa, a Trans World Radio engineering team is making progress in readying their new transmitting facility.

They have the new transmitter and an air conditioning unit already on site and two additional containers with power generators and essential antenna parts are in transit.

The TWR team signed the license agreement for the new facility last year, and have persevered through several subsequent challenges regarding the transmitter project, including significant delays between ordering and receiving equipment.

Construction of this high-power AM station in Benin is making steady progress and programming is scheduled to commence in December, just in time for Christmas.