Spain Broadcasts in Doubt

Over the past week, Radio Exterior de Espana has been missing from the airwaves. Reports have been floating around that their services were being cut as part of the austerity measures being undertaken by the national government.

Mark Coady in Canada received this direct from REE a short time ago:

From Alison Hughes of REE:

Dear Mark,

Thank you so much!!! I wanted to answer earlier but it's been quite confusing here. Not only were we, here at the broadcast not informed, but apparently neither was the director of Radio Exterior. Obviously a long story and I don't know a quarter of it. It's been an awful week, angry, unhappy.... but the great news is that we are recovering our short wave service (yes, at least for the time being and next time they cut it, we expect to be able to warn everybody, give thanks, and name the new sites for listening), on the same frequencies, at the same times.
Broadcasts may be restored this weekend, but certainly (they tell us) on Monday. YIPPEE....
Your letter meant an awful lot to us. Thank you Mark, from all of us and especially me

y un abrazo muy fuerte,

Alison


So, extraordinary events in the past week it seems. It appears that the government runs their national radio station like they run their country - haphazardly and without much forethought to the future. (Sorry - cheap shot, I know!). Looks like all is not well there going forward.

Here, the following observations were noted today:

SPAIN: 9535 and 9620 from Noblejas appear to be working for north, central and south America at 0445. 11895 to Mid East also present at 0500. I can't hear anything from the European service on 12035 at 0615.

Rob VK3BVW
Mount Evelyn AUS