After many requests from Irish development workers, business people and diplomats scattered throughout Africa, beginning on St. Patrick’s Day last week, they are now able to hear a one-hour selection of RTÉ radio programs.
The programming airs at 19:30–20:30 UTC±0:00 on 6220 kHz — 19:30 at Ryan’s Bar in Accra, Ghana, and 20:30 at O’Willies Pub in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, according to the Irish public-service broadcaster.
Transmission services are provided by WRN, the London-based international radio and TV transmission company that has been transmitting RTÉ programming since 1994.
WRN Director of Development Jeff Cohen stated, “It is a privilege to continue our long association with RTÉ and broadcast this important link with home to Irish people who are doing such valuable work in Africa.”
“RTÉ ceased its worldwide shortwave service in 2004 due to the growth of technologies such as the Internet for serving the diaspora. However, Africa obviously presents particular challenges,” stated JP Coakley, RTÉ’s head of operations.
When it ended shortwave broadcasts, RTÉ contracted with WorldSpace to deliver programming to listeners in Africa. “However, this service has effectively ceased for the moment so we are reintroducing a shortwave service to Africa,” stated Coakley. “We want Irish people there to know that RTÉ values the connection with them as much as they do.”
