Images for this post were drawn from the WRTH website.

WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK:

HARD COPY VERSUS OPTIONS

In the April issue of the widely distributed Asian DX Review, Sandipan Basu Mallick wrote an article titled "The Rising Cost of WRTH: A Challenge for DXers." In it, he expresses frustration over the high cost of importing the physical copy of the handbook into India. He highlights the surge in shipping rates, Indian customs duties, the devaluation of the Indian Rupee against the Euro, and the book's price increase of 100 % over twenty years.

These are legitimate concerns for WRTH users worldwide. However, let’s break down some of these issues:

A 100% increase over 20 years is not uncommon for any purchase. In fact, many household goods have risen by significantly more than that over two decades. Given the rising production costs and inflation, most goods would have done well to keep their retail prices at just 100% over 20 years!  
Shipping fees have also increased significantly, reflecting the rising cost of energy. The cost of shipping physical items around the globe varies by country and depends on the distances travelled. No surprises there.  
Customs duties are an impost levied on Indian consumers. These fees are not the responsibility of the WRTH company and should be considered separately when discussing the price of the handbook.  
Over the past 20 years, the Indian Rupee has significantly devalued against the Euro. Again, this is not something the WRTH company can control. Additionally, currency fluctuations can vary greatly depending on global economic conditions.

I sympathise with Sandipan’s concerns about the current costs of sending the book from Europe to India, Australia, or elsewhere in the world. Indeed, all these factors make importing a heavy physical copy of the handbook quite impractical these days.

Another solution

This raises the question: Why aren’t Indian DXers considering purchasing the WRTH e-book edition? Here are the benefits as I see them:

👉 The e-book is significantly cheaper than the hardcopy handbook. Priced at €29.90, the electronic copy costs nearly half the price of the physical edition! As Sandipan points out, this is in comparison to the €25 he paid for the hardcopy book in the early 2000s. 

👉 The e-book includes the same information as the hard copy. You won’t miss anything by choosing the e-book.  

👉 There are no freight costs associated with the e-book, which can be downloaded in just a few minutes. You don't have to wait weeks for the book to arrive by mail or courier.  

👉 As I understand it, India does not impose customs duties on electronically transmitted goods, including downloaded e-books. This is another benefit for Indian DXers.  

👉 In later years, the e-book will remain available as a reference, just as the hardcover edition is now.  

👉 Searching for content in an e-book is much easier than in a physical book.  

👉 For older folks like me, whose eyesight has declined over the years, I have often complained about the small font size used in the book. With adjustable text size and font options, that issue is no longer a problem with the e-book.  

👉 None of us can control currency fluctuations. Therefore, regardless of the product you buy in the WRTH store, that aspect of the cost will always contribute to the unpredictability of foreign exchange markets.

What about the collectors?

I know some DXers enjoy keeping their handbooks and take pride in owning collections on their bookshelves. As historical records of international and domestic broadcasting, the handbook serves as a valuable reference collection of years gone by. If that is important to you, then by all means, go for it! However, with the rising costs of hard copies, if you wish to continue collecting these books, you must accept that it comes with additional expenses. Maintaining any collection these days can be a costly hobby. Call it a “collector’s tax”!

What about the web app?

Once again, I have been requesting the web app for quite some time. I purchased it for the first time last year, and I am more than happy with this product. It contains all the data, references, and articles included in the printed edition. However, I consider the benefits of regular schedule updates throughout the year to be an important feature not available with the hardcover edition. It can only be accessed via an internet connection, but for me, that is more than sufficient. The web app is offered on a yearly basis.

Summary

It was just a few years ago that the former owners of the handbook announced the permanent closure of the business. The SWL community was devastated that the renowned WRTH had come to an end. Fortunately, new owners emerged to explore the possibility of reviving it. They deserve congratulations for their initiative.

Producing an information-rich WRTH requires significant time and energy. Gathering, sorting, and presenting all the information is a huge undertaking. It demands year-round attention and involves thousands of hours from the publishers and their worldwide contributors. Since taking over the business, the new owners have demonstrated their capability to create a great product. Moreover, they have expanded the product range using modern technologies. For them, it is not a hobby; it is their business and livelihood. They deserve to be rewarded for their commitment and hard work.

If shortwave listeners and DXers find the traditional hardcover edition too expensive, they should explore other options in the product range. While it may be “nice” to have the traditional collection of handbooks sitting on the bookshelf gathering dust, it’s time to look beyond that old format and try the cheaper, more flexible products now available.

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Rob Wagner VK3BVW