Adventist World Radio

English Language Service International Schedule.  

AWR's Global English Language Service will cease airing December 31, 2004.  On behalf of all the staff we would like to thank you for listening.  Your letters, comments and prayers have been much appreciated.  It has been a privilege to serve you.

Victor Hulbert. Director. English Language Service December 17, 2004 

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AWR’s  English  Language  Service  Moves to Regional Model By Shelley Nolan Freesland.  Communication Department. AWR Headquarters.  September 30, 2004

 Adventist World Radio’s English language service will be converted from a centralized global service to a local regionalized service beginning January, 2005.

            The production of English programs currently takes place at AWR’s Europe region office in England . Under the new plan, local studios — primarily in Africa and Asia/Pacific — will produce their own English programs in areas where there is a satisfactory level of listener interest. This change is consistent with the rest of AWR’s operations, where programs in all other languages are produced locally.

            “AWR is primarily supported by the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church , and giving has continued to increase year by year,” says AWR president Ben Schoun. “However, many organizations need to sharpen their focus from time to time in relation to their core business. This move is a result of a re-examination of AWR’s priorities. It will make us be more consistent with our mission, which is to reach people groups in their own languages. In examining our need/cost ratio, we realized that regional studios are capable of producing English programs where needed and can do it quite economically. It is our goal to add broadcasts for our areas of highest need, in languages such as Arabic and Turkish. As well, we feel that our English programs will contain more cultural flavor and meaning when created by local producers.”

            Some experts indicate that the growth of English as the global language may be slowing, while other major languages are becoming more widely used. Other global broadcasters such as the BBC and Voice of America moved to a regionalized model some years ago. This regionalization trend also takes into account the fact that English usage and pronunciation are different in various areas of the world.

            AWR’s English language service in England will be phased out by the end of 2004, and resources will be shifted to a broader base of broadcast needs. AWR’s Africa region already airs a substantial number of locally-produced English programs, and this service will be enhanced in 2005. New services will also be developed in the Asia/Pacific region. Beginning January 1, 2005, listeners will be invited to write to their local studio at the address given on the broadcast, instead of the central listener mail address in London , England .

            Schoun says, “While local studios have produced English programs in the past, AWR decided to add a global service in 1993. During this time, our staff has done an outstanding job producing some favorite programs, such as Network 7 News, Wavescan, and Bible Answers. We appreciate the dedication and leadership that our English producers have demonstrated and the excellent contributions from our international correspondents around the world.”

            “Wavescan,” the English program produced for shortwave radio hobbyists, will be shifted to a studio location in the Asia/Pacific region, where the largest DX communities are found. The international DX program will continue with the participation of AWR’s DX editor, Dr. Adrian Peterson. Contributions from large radio listener clubs in Japan , India , Bangladesh and other locations will be added to the regular content.

            The final edition of “Wavescan” produced in England will be aired at all usual times and frequencies on Sunday, December 26, 2004. The first program produced in Asia will be broadcast on Sunday, January 2, 2005. Listeners sending reception reports and requesting QSL cards will be invited to write to the new address given in Wavescan.

In the new year, “Wavescan” will be broadcast from AWR’s station KSDA on the island of Guam ; the specific schedule will be announced in advance. 

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