SPOTLIGHT: WANTOK - A MELANESIAN VOICE ON THE AIR
SPOTLIGHT: WANTOK - A MELANESIAN VOICE ON THE AIR This article first appeared in the August 2026 issue of my World of Shortwave Listening column for The Spectrum Monitor magazine. Further details on this excellent publication are available at www.thespectrummonitor.com Radio Australia ceased its shortwave transmissions on 31 January 2017. However, one Radio Australia program can still be heard on shortwave via Radio New Zealand Pacific. The Wantok program is a unique service for listeners throughout Melanesia. Among the specialised language services heard across the South Pacific, Radio Australia’s Wantok Program stands out for its use of three closely related Melanesian creole languages. Produced by ABC Pacific, the program delivers regional and international news, features, and information in Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea), Pijin (the Solomon Islands), and Bislama (Vanuatu). By broadcasting in languages widely spoken and understood across Melanesia, the program hel...