body.custom-background { background-color: #8c2332; }
Italy: +39 02 266 6971 | UK: 020 3529 6775 | USA: 888-612-0039 info@nexus.org

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: IRRS Global daily Shortwave broadcasts

Blog, Coronavirus, Shortwave

October 01, 2020

Public information on COVID-19

2020 coronavirus pandemic: new global broadcasts on Shortwave, AM Medium Wave and 24/7 live streaming

IRRS 2020 coronavirus QSL card

PLEASE NOTICE: War Room Pandemic has been discontinued on all NEXUS-IBA / IRRS frequencies, effective April 20, 2020.
You may tune to our extensive coverage of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on all current world news and current affairs programs on IRRS Shortwave, Medium Wave and 24/7 streaming.

Stay Home, Stay safe: Listen to Shortwave during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

During the COVID-19 outbreak, only trust official information sources and credible media outlets. Do not share unverified information.
This is a message from UNESCO.

August 25, 2020: Latest news updates on Coronavirus are being aired 24/7 on streaming, and during our usual schedule on Shortwave to Europe, Africa and Asia / Pacific, as well as on AM/Medium Wave on 594 kHz daily from 7-11PM local time in Central Europe (19-23 CET).

April 13, 2020 (update): We are airing COVID-19 PSAs (Public Service Announcements) in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. These messages are produced by UNESCO in Paris and contribute to countering disinformation on COVID-19 and promoting healthy behaviours.

April 12, 2020 (update): It’s Easter Sunday in Milan, and we continue our efforts in providing listeners worldwide with a global coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic on Shortwave, AM/Medium Wave and 24/7 live streaming. This evening, Italian opera singer, songwriter, and record producer Andrea Bocelli performed a live Easter concert in the empty Duomo cathedral in Milan to promote a message of love, healing and hope to Italy and the world.

March 26, 2020 (update): While COVID-19 lockdown has now been extended to most countries in Europe and around the world, including Italy and Ireland where our main offices are located, we are operating all streaming, AM/Medium Wave and Shortwave channels without any interruption. Coronavirus feature programs are being aired regularly and news bulletins updated every 30 minutes. All chat, phone and support lines are available from operators operating 24/7 on rotation from remote.

March 13, 2020 (update): Italy and our hometown Milan have come to a complete lock-down, in an attempt to stop the contagion. However, our live Coronavirus updates continue on Shortwave and 24/7 via streaming. We have now opened this page to listeners comments. Please also email us at reports@nexus.org if you wish to receive our special QSL card. “We will make it!”, it’s our slogan and every Italian’s, while our courageous medical personnel fight 24/7 the virus and we stay safe, at home, to avoid it to spread and kill our loved ones. Why are other countries in Europe so late in locking down?

March 4, 2020: While most of Northern Italy has come (nearly) to a halt due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, we have extended our daily broadcasts to cover Europe, Asia and Africa with daily news and commentaries on COVID-19 in English.

You may still request our special electronic QSL by sending your Shortwave or AM / Medium Wave reception reports of our broadcasts to reports (at) nexus (dot) org (see our Coronavirus schedule below or our up-to-date frequency schedule). We usually reply within 24 hrs or less. Stay safe, stay tuned, and keep in touch!

New IRRS 2020 Coronavirus QSL card

IRRS QSL CARD

2020 coronavirus pandemic
Stay home, stay safe:
Listen to Shortwave

On the occasion of these global broadcasts NEXUS-IBA has released a new COVID-19 (Coronavirus) e-QSL card, available electronically for all reception reports.

You may send your reception report for any of our broadcasts to reports@nexus.org. We will gladly acknowledge all verified reception reports with our new electronic QSL. Please notice that we have discontinued our PO Box address in Milan, and reception reports can only be sent by email.

Before requesting our QSL card, please consult our Privacy Policy and learn how we process your personal data according to the GDPR.

War Room pandemic

“War Room Pandemic”, a program produced in the USA by Stephen (Steve) K. Bannon, political advisor, media executive, former investment banker and former White House Chief Strategist was aired on IRRS-Shortwave, AM/Medium Wave and 24/7 streaming early in 2020.

War Room Pandemic was aired to Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific from Feb. 21 until April 19, 2020 and presented the latest news and opinions on the effects of the Coronavirus around the world.

The opinions expressed in any program aired on any NEXUS-IBA media channels and frequencies do not represent the official views of NEXUS-IBA management, team or its membership.

Freedom of expression via IRRS and IPAR

NEXUS-IBA, IRRS (the Italian & Irish Radio Relay Service) and IPAR (Int’l Public Access Radio) regularly feature talk radio programs and discussions about topical issues. We make available our international media channels to bring any program and opinion across the digital divide to any country worldwide.

Since 1979 NEXUS-IBA has been supporting free media, free speech, pluralism of information and first-hand news across iron curtains, walls and firewalls that are still popular in many countries.

All programs on our stations are aired unabridged, as-is, without censorship, to any region in the world. Anyone with an important message or first-hand news & information is allowed access to our media without discrimination.

Support free speech and independent media

We depend on the generosity of dedicated and involved listeners like you.
Support from listeners makes everything we do possible.
Donate now!
Donate now!
You may donate via wire transfer in any currency to:
Bank account holder: NEXUS International Broadcasting Association
Account number/IBAN: IT71R0311101622000000012806
Swift/BIC: BLOPIT22
Bank: Gruppo Ubi Banca, Milan, Italy.
Donate in USD via Paypal
Donate in EUR via Paypal

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information from IRRS and NEXUS-IBA

Blog, Coronavirus, Shortwave

Important coronavirus (COVID-19) public service information and links to reliable sources

coronavirus COVID-19

These days we’re getting lots of calls, emails and are being contacted by hundreds of listeners from all around the world, especially from far away countries in Africa and Asia, as well as perplexed people from the USA.

NEXUS-IBA, IRRS and our stations are engaged in a public information marathon on the air and streaming to contribute to countering disinformation on COVID-19 and promoting healthy behaviours. We do this is the public interest by airing 24/7 information and feature programs promoting free-flow of information, also on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) from many different sources.

PLEASE NOTICE: NEXUS-IBA is not currently staffed and is not able to provide authoritative medical information or individual support on coronavirus (COVID-19), either online, by email or phone. Please contact reliable sources nearest to you, such as medical personnel or your local or national authorities.

We ask you please that you do not call us, do not use our online chat, do not send us personal email and do not use our online forms to request individual support or information on coronavirus.

NEXUS-IBA is providing public information and news on coronavirus daily on Shortwave, AM/Medium Wave to Europe, Asia/Pacific and Middle East and 24/7 to anyone connected to the Internet on our streaming radio channels.

If you wish to receive our programs on our World Radio Service on Shortwave or AM / Medium Wave, please check our online schedules. If may also check our 24/7 live streaming channels in English.

Also check details on our special coronavirus feature programs on our website.

If you have any reliable information to share, you may enter a comment at the bottom of this page.
We reserve the right to use or publish only information that may be useful to the general public.

Reliable sources of information on coronavirus (COVID-19)

For further info on coronavirus (COVID-19) please check reliable sources, such as:

As of March 8, 2020, we are working to provide the best, first-hand and most reliable information through all our Shortwave, AM / Medium Wave and online media channels.
Please expect delays in answering email and reception reports.
Thank you for your understanding and support in these very special moments.

Listeners comments & questions

The following messages are excerpts of listeners questions that are being received daily by NEXUS-IBA, following our extensive public information campaigns on COVID-19 on Shortwave, AM / Medium Wave and 24/7 streaming.

What is covid19? (Tui from Vientiane, Laos)

I heard that there are people who are suffering from Corona are now safe, and we know that there is no cure! (Musa from Tanzania)

if this COVID-19 finds you with HIV 1 could there be the possibility of mutating into another type of virus (Kanada from Uganda)

How many countries so far have locked down due to coronavirus (Kana from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

Please do send me a current update of COVID 19 if possible (Amani from Tanzania)

Découverte Monsieur j’ai l’honneur de vous informer qu’après plus d’un mois de recherche, je suis arrivé enfin de trouver un médicament contre la maladie causée par le coronavirus, et j’ai contacté les autorités Algériennes mais malheureusement mon appel n’a pas été pris en considération et n’a pas trouvé d’écoute, j’espère que votre gouvernement prend en sérieux cet appel. Je vous prie monsieur de m’appeler ce que je déclare c’est très important pour l’humanité (Besseghir from Algeria)

Re COVID-91: I want to know the recovery process now in Italy (Amira from Cairo, Egypt)

Thank you so much! what are the serious signs for CORONA virus? (Mukuka from Lusaka, Zambia)

Is COVID 19 here to stay or is just a passing phase (Robinson from Lusaka, Zambia)

How many people are affected by Coronavirus in Kenya? (Shedrack Chororo from Nairobe, Kenya)

Hi, Peter from Kenya.I’ll be interested to follow your live updates (Peter from Nairobi, Kenya)

I need a preparedness action plan, strategies and community approach information to cascade that information to enable the supporters, volunteers, and the community themselves to be safely managed. Community facilitator From Ethiopia. Thanks. (Kassim from Ethiopia)

Yes, I am someone from a new radio station in Zambia. We would like to be part of your network. What are the criteria for joining you? (Alick from Zambia)

How many people in Namibia is infected? (Allen from Windhoek, Namibia)

When will the cure be made? (Uzair from Baki, Somalia)

Shall we have hope of complete treatment in COVID-19 (Odora from Uganda)

What are pre-medicine for COVID? How I can help a person who suffers from covid19? (Kondox from Tanzania)

Hello I have COVID symptoms what should I do (Martin from Nairobi, Kenya)

My question is: how are things in Italy? Are things getting any better? (Daniel from Lusaka, Zambia)

How do COVID 19 droplets spread:- through airborne/physical contact? (Longnus, from Koani, Tanzania)

I would like to know the real number of death by COVID-19 in Italy and the USA . In our Country, it seems the government is hiding something (Didany from Bujumbura, Burundi)

Is coronavirus still in China (Chingy from Lusaka, Zambia)

No questions at this time, I’m just doing what I suggested and staying home. One question maybe. I have food deliveries from one person. I’ve been leaving it on my porch for three days before I touch it is that sufficient (Steve from the United States)

Which countries have faced the highest death figures for COVID 19? (Andrew from Lusaka, Zambia)

Is the COVID-19 modified from the laboratory? (Oldich from Prague, Czechia)

What is the latest on COVID-19 globally? (Aaron from Kitwe, Zambia)

Thank you for the help (Jeremiah, Durban, South Africa)

How many countries have been bust infected by the covid-19 (Aloni from Uganda)

How many Corona virus cases in the US as at April 23 2020? (Ekow from Accra, Ghana)

Is there any country that discover cure or vaccine for COVID 19? (Isack from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

Hello,I’m malagasy I want to help people here about corona virus (Finiavana from Ambodirano, Madagascar)

My question is that, is there any country have discovered the vaccine for the problem? and what is going on in the world scientists (Prosper from Inyonga, Tanzania)

What is status of coronavirus in Saulte Marie (Anad from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada)

How many young people are deceased in the United States? (Carmela from Córdoba, Argentina)

With COVID 19, we are looking for an alternate way to have a graduation ceremony. We are not looking for an ongoing broadcast. We are looking into having families be able to tune in to a station and hear the commencement speeches and graduate names being called out. Can you help/advise? (Roberta from The Bronx, United States)

Just want to say let people obey what governments and ministries of health guidelines. People shouldn’t be so sturbone to the extent of abusing leaders like it is in the US. In my country Uganda we blessed with a good and wise president who cares for the nation like one caring to his family and we see victory coming and will over come the virus. Also lastly let people pray asking God to entervene and stop the virus. (Bishop Patrick, from Kampala, Uganda)

Support free speech and independent media

We depend on the generosity of dedicated and involved listeners like you.
Support from listeners makes everything we do possible.
Donate now!
Donate now!
You may donate via wire transfer in any currency to:
Bank account holder: NEXUS International Broadcasting Association
Account number/IBAN: IT71R0311101622000000012806
Swift/BIC: BLOPIT22
Bank: Gruppo Ubi Banca, Milan, Italy.
Donate in USD via Paypal
Donate in EUR via Paypal

DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale): Why not, yet?

Blog

Why don't you use DRM on Shortwave?

SW DRM capable 300kWTXDRM is the acronym of Digital Radio Mondiale, a technology intended to offer digital, almost FM quality to Shortwave, Long Wave and Medium Wave (AM) broadcasts. The first official DRM broadcast took place in 2003, in Geneva, Switzerland, at the ITU’s World Radio Conference.

Since then, some stations have modified or acquired new transmitters, run experimental broadcasts, in the hope that receiver manufacturers would have produced low-cost receivers, and listeners would have bought them. Up and until now, not low cost and mass-produced receivers, despite the many announcements made by the DRM consortium, have been made available to consumers worldwide.

Is DRM compatible with existing (analogue) radio receivers?

Unfortunately, DRM is incompatible with ordinary (analogue) Shortwave radios and requires buying new receivers, that are not currently available in mass production, or at a cost that is anywhere close to a conventional, analogue Shortwave receiver. Some DRM receivers require a PC and a special device to listen to DRM signals.

Does NEXUS-IBA have DRM broadcasting capability?

Our transmitters are DRM capable, and we already run preliminary tests with our developed DRM encoders. We are ready to broadcast using DRM at any time, but unfortunately, there are no mass-produced receivers for our listeners to buy at a reasonable price, and – most importantly – there are no listeners to justify a DRM service at present.

We have been following with great interest the development of DRM, and as soon as one of our members send us a request to start DRM broadcasts, we will do it. Currently, we advise them to wait and see until there are low-cost receivers available in mass production and a proved number of listeners using DRM radios in the desired target.

NEXUS-IBA Digital Radio Console

NEXUS-IBA is still very active on conventional Shortwave and Internet streaming because there are listeners out there, and there are regions in the world where analogue Shortwave is still popular, and still listened to. For example, according to what we hear from missionaries in Africa, the Far and Middle East and South America DRM will have a hard time to be popular in those regions for some time (if ever), due to the high cost associated in the conversion of the present Shortwave and Medium Wave receivers and transmitters to DRM capable devices.

DRM is a very promising technology, has several years delay over original plans, and – unfortunately – it is still confined as a technological experiment. Will it be successful, meaning that we will see soon lots of listeners embracing it? Ask the man in the street: unfortunately, marketing efforts to create awareness of this new potential media have not been started yet.

Some large companies are pushing DRM by convincing program producers and broadcasters to start airing in DRM ahead of time, but unless there are mass availability and penetration of receivers on the listeners side, this will remain (as it is still now) a technological experiment, and broadcasters using it to reach their listeners now, are clearly throwing their money out of the window.

Worldspace

Similar “experiments” were run in the past using analogue & digital satellite radio and WorldSpace. Worldspace was founded in 1990 and started broadcasting to Africa in 1999. It was a very promising technology, and service was intended to provide high-fidelity,  satellite radio to Africa and Asia using portable receivers. WorldSpace failed miserably in reaching an audience for different reasons, including the high cost of receivers and subscription that could only be sold to the elite, wealthy listeners in Africa, and not to the masses. Worldspace was marketed initially to listeners in Africa, and confined for years to embassies, consulates and a bunch of rich people on that continent.

300kW NEXUS-IBA DRM Transmitter

Satellite radio

We have seen something similar to DRM today happening for satellite radio in Europe. Back in the late 1990s, some government stations in Europe were fooled into believing that they could save a huge amount of money by switching off their Shortwave operation, and move them to satellite radio. Unfortunately, whoever owned a satellite receiver at home, they used to watch TV, not to listen to satellite radio. Satellite radio is not popular even today. It is not portable and mainly used only as a distribution media for radio relay stations. The advent of internet streaming – de facto – meant that satellite radio is now obsolete technology.

Sirius and XM, now SiriusXM in North America

DRM, Worldspace and Satellite Radio in Europe, Africa and Asia are not what Sirius and XM were in the USA.

Sirius and XM satellite radio, also available in homes and standard on most car radio receivers in the USA, have merged into SiriusXM and is an exciting, most effective and rather inexpensive technology to receive hundreds of channels, including some radio broadcasters from around the world.

Approximately 30 million people have subscribed to SiriusXM in North America according to 2019 data.

Is Europe too much a complicated market for digital rights to allow anything like SiriusXM to become available in the near future?

and … what about DAB?

There is a lot of criticism about switch-off of many AM (Medium Wave) and LW (Long Wave) radio stations in European countries (i.e, by RAI in Italy, Swiss Radio in Switzerland, BBC in the UK, NRK in Norway, France Bleu and France Info in France, public broadcasters in Germany, the Netherlands, in the Nordic countries, etc.). Medium and Long Waves were able to reach where FM or DAB signals do not reach, i.e. at sea, in mountain and in remote areas. In Italy, MW unused frequencies by the state broadcaster RAI were auctioned and are now used by local private broadcasters, which, for the greatest part, mimic private local FM stations, carry all sort of music, without any reliable news bulletins, traffic or weather information.

In November 2015, primer tests on the A5 motorway in NW Italy (from Turin to Aosta) confirmed the problematic reception of DAB due to the presence of tunnels and mountains. Even on motorways running across Paris, tunnels and bridges make DAB reception at least difficult if not impossible, Reception of radio broadcasting signals tunnels require the installation of radiating cables (“leaky-feeders”) along the tunnel ceiling. This approach is costly, and it is not yet clear whether it is feasible and when it can be adopted for DAB radio reception. In case of a switch off of FM radio as it is happening now in some countries, areas along mountain roads and in remote or isolated areas will be left without any broadcast radio signal reception.

DRM in India

Since 2012 the Indian government pushed the adoption of DRM on Medium Wave (AM) and to some limited extent on Shortwave to the exterior. Wide adoption in India is still challenged by the general unavailability of DRM capable receivers and their high cost (as of Oct. 2019 the expected retail cost in India has dropped by 50% and expected to be approximately 60-80 US dollars. Still much more than an ordinary FM radio receiver). The investment on the part of All India Radio (AIR) and the Indian Government in installing a large number of DRM Medium Wave transmitters in the country with the hope of mass availability of low-cost DRM receivers, is confronted by the fact that a larger number of FM transmitters may have allowed listeners to receive the same or better quality of audio at a fraction of the cost of buying a DRM receiver today (which are not available, anyway).

However, the challenge is that Medium Wave (AM) covers over 98% of the population in India using a lower number of transmitters, while only 37% of listeners can currently receive an FM radio signal. At the time of editing this post, a search on Amazon.in for DRM receivers produced no available products. The DRM consortium web site lists a minimal number of DRM capable receivers, although not generally available for purchase.

We wish DRM could have the same success in India and worldwide like SiriusXM in the USA, maybe, sometime in the future. However, DRM is very late into general acceptance by radio receiver manufacturers both on AM and Shortwave and limited by general adoption by broadcasters and listeners worldwide.

Bob Thomann (HB9GX), Swiss Merry-Go-Round shortwave radio program producer, dies at age of 90

Blog, Hello There, Shortwave

Remembering Bob Thomann, the original Swiss Merry-Go-Round SW radio program producer

Our hearts are saddened by the loss of our old friend, Bob Thomann (HB9GX), who passed away on Saturday evening, August 3, 2019, at the age of 90.

Bob Thomann was the founder of the Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round radio program, started on SBC/Swiss Radio International in the ’50s. Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti (an American radio journalist from the New York area) later produced the program together in 1970 when Zanotti joined SRI from Canada. They co-presented what became a mailbag and DX technical program, which ended up known as “The Two Bobs” until the show was cut off by SRI management in June 1994.

Bob Thomann in Schwarzenburg

Bob Thoman (the other one of the Two Bobs) standing at the side of a vintage transmitter at Schwarzenburg

Although Bob Thomann never visited our station, in the late 80s’ he was Bob Zanotti’s technical expert and one of our silent and very “helpful hands” at IRRS-Shortwave and NEXUS-IBA. That was at the time (1988) when we set up our first Shortwave station and antennas in the outskirts of Milan, Italy. NEXUS-IBA’s first two Siemens transmitters were previously used by Radio Bern (Bernradio) aeronautical station located in Schwarzenburg, and very well known by the two Bobs.

You can read more about Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti, the now-defunct Schwarzenburg station, and hear samples of the Two Bobs broadcasts on our blog.

Bob Thomann was a good friend of ours and a strong supporter of Shortwave broadcasting. We have lost a great supporter of International broadcasting, a wonderful person, and a dear friend. Rest in peace, Bob. We will miss you.

NEXUS-IBA and Milano Ventures Ltd. partnership

Blog, Globally distributed cloud hosting, Members and Partners News, Shortwave

NEXUS-IBA selects Milano Ventures as partner

NEXUS-IBA selects Milano Ventures Ltd as global service partner

Global Media Content Delivery and International Broadcasting

Milano Ventures merges the competences and shares the values of NEXUS-IBA in offering strategic consultancy and opportunities to International Broadcasters, either secular and Christian, to reach any country in the world via (World) International Shortwave Radio, IP Streaming and Satellite.

NEXUS-IBA and Milano Ventures use the most advanced public & private cloud technologies, including CDN for fast & reliable streaming and broadcasting & media services for International organisations.

Get on the air on shortwave, satellite or streaming

Be like the BBC (*), VOA, CNN, Radio France Internationale, The Deutsche Welle  (*), Al Jazeera or your favourite international broadcaster and cover the world with a single broadcast, at less than the cost of one market on FM or terrestrial TV at home.

(*) The BBC World Service and Deutsche Welle are among the many world international broadcasters hosted on our station in Milan, Italy. As a NEXUS-IBA member, they broadcasted live headline news and information to the English speaking community in Milan.

Africa and Asia satellite coverage

Africa and Asia satellite coverage

NEXUS-IBA and Milano Ventures help you reaching any world corner, using one of the most powerful stations in the world, with more than 40 Million Watts (up to 43 MW ERP) on Shortwave radio, or via satellite radio & TV and Internet streaming.

How to Replace Satellite Radio Networks with IP

You can now save money using IP streaming to convey your audio or video stream from your production studio to our stations. You can save money, broadcast live and use your live stream connected to our CDN to make your content available to listeners in the Americas, Europe, Asia/Pacific and Africa.

NEXUS-IBA and Milano Ventures use WorldDirector CDN technology to transport digital audio or video signals and deliver content to millions of users worldwide.

Secular and Christian media

Milano Ventures and NEXUS-IBA do not discriminate against race, sex, language, or political or religious beliefs. We promote pluralism of information, human rights, free speech, political and religious pluralism, diversity, with particular attention to minorities, and above all ethnic, cultural, political, and religious minorities. We promote first hand information, apply no censorship to content providers, and make all efforts using the best available technologies to overcome those who blocks access to free flow of information on radio and TV using jamming or slowing down or denying cross-border Internet traffic.

Secular and religious broadcasting

On IPAR (International Public Access Radio) we promote news and feature programs in English and any other language that deals with sensitive issues such as freedom of speech. We can also target regions where freedom of speech is at stake, where governments block the Internet and censor communication and media.

Over EGR (European Gospel Radio) we promote Christian and religious programs aimed at worldwide evangelism, hosting any preacher, Minister, Church, missionary, confessional, non-denominational religious organisation or anyone who has something to say or to preach to the world.

Over our mainstream streaming channels or via client’s dedicated streaming audio (radio) and streaming video (TV) channels we offer a 24/7 presence accessible anywhere in the world. We use our WorldDirector CDN cloud-based services, not necessarily controlled by any of the major cloud providers or Governments, running on an independent Content Delivery Network (CDN) with Point of Access servers spread across the entire world. Working with an independent hybrid cloud vendor like Milano Ventures also allows greater independence over the control of corporations controlling Internet access and public clouds.

We think that our offer is a unique opportunity to any broadcaster or program producer to reach any country in the world, without barriers, using Shortwave radio, Satellite, TV, AM or Medium Wave radio and Internet streaming, in any possible combination.

The power of International media: Know your audience

International broadcasting is a lot like advertising: everybody agrees that it works, but it is difficult to quantify. The world’s largest broadcasting organisations have been deeply involved in audience research costing vast sums of money.

Even the largest International broadcasters on cannot accurately estimate the size of their audience to any program they air, to the same or even a comparable level of accuracy than any FM or TV station can do for any particular market.

How many listeners do we reach daily?

Since 1979, NEXUS-IBA founders have been working with worldwide Radio & TV Ministries, the BBC, the United Nations, UNESCO, and other major International broadcasters and media, and with those involved in Audience and International Media Research.

NEXUS-IBA International media content delivery around the world

Global media content delivery via NEXUS-IBA

Only the largest organisations like the BBC or the Voice of America can afford the cost of conducting some audience research on Shortwave. Some empirical data exists on the number of Shortwave receivers in each country, that lead to a potential audience of more than ten million in Europe and about the same in North Africa and the Middle East. These are regions that we can cover with a Grade-A signal using a 50 to 150 kW service on Shortwave. Other regions in Asia/Pacific or the Americas can be best covered using up to 300 kW. Most of the time we know that people are listening, because we monitor our signal quality continuously in several countries, and because listeners write to our members, our program producers and us.

International Audience Research

Graham Mytton, former Head of Audience Research of the BBC, stated:

People will go through the trouble of listening to shortwave, even when reception is difficult, if it provides something that they otherwise cannot get.

According to our experience – if your program has an impact, and is not available on local TV or FM & AM radio – then people will tune into your program to listen to it. Someone calls it word-of-mouth propagation, and for this reason and our long-standing experience we are well known among Shortwave listeners worldwide for our high-quality radio relay services, at non-profit cost.

Marketing and how to promote your program

Most of our broadcasters and program producers do fantastic work to advertise their broadcasts among their churches or community members overseas. Once they know that we provide an excellent signal in the target area, then they tune and may call other people to listen to, in a snow-balling effect. This is something you have to consider doing when you start airing, i.e., using your existing contacts to spread the news about time, frequency and area that we cover. We can provide help to people tuning in, and we usually forward letters or email addressed at the station that mentions your program, but we cannot often go as far as keeping you connected with the audience of your program. You should consider this as part of your mission as a Shortwave Broadcaster!

Global Media Outreach: How can you reach the whole world

For all the talk of satellite radio and TV, Shortwave radio remains the most cost-effective electronic mass medium that can span enormous distances instantly and penetrate every home in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific. Also, Shortwave radio is portable and is a companion wherever one goes. It is indeed the world’s most mobile electronic mass medium. Modern Shortwave receivers are ultra-compact, inexpensive, and very easy to use.

On Satellite, we can distribute your radio and TV signal via satellites around the world. Wherever the Internet is available, beyond the digital divide, we also complement our services with simultaneous audio (radio) streaming.

Build your own station

Milano Ventures and NEXUS will create your audio channels or your streaming radio station from scratch, including a visual player to be hosted on your website. Your streaming radio station can be based on your content, music, news, live events. We can also help to locate and integrating news, information and additional material to create a loyal audience. Typical applications include in-store radio, Church or Christian radio, group or interest-based radio, news radio services, music, political, foreign or vernacular language service.Build your own radio or TV station

Marketing, SEO and lead generation

Milano Ventures and NEXUS also help your organisation to create a modern communication strategy, i.e., creating real opportunities to make an impact with innovative services, such as marketing automation, fundraising, lead generation, on-demand marketing, online presence, and social media management. NEXUS-IBA and Milano Ventures help secular and Christian organisations to increase fund-raising opportunities and to fund their mission and outreaching Ministries.

marketing, SEO and lead generation fro your company or organisation

Continuous innovation and research in new technologies

With the help of Milano Ventures, the NEXUS association strengthens its position as Innovator and Technology Mediator or facilitator. We enable NEXUS-IBA’s members worldwide, as well as end-users, to make full use of innovation and the recent developments of technology in media, including broadcasting, social media and the Internet.

Innovation in new technologies

Our volunteers

People volunteering for NEXUS-IBA are professionals, teachers, university professors and researchers, journalists, students and engineers, most of them devoting their spare time and resources as a public service to the global community. On June 15, 1995, NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association was officially approved for association with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations, and for more than 20 years has been actively working in promoting the work and activities of both UN and UNESCO. Researchers at NEXUS-IBA created the first load-balanced cloud and Content Delivery Network (CDN) called WorldDirector, later used by Milano Ventures and their clients in Europe and the USA.

our volunteers

Innovation in the Cloud

Most of Internet and cloud-related services and applications are delivered to end users, fast and reliably over the WorldDirector platform, including streaming audio and video services on behalf of our stations and members.

Innovaton in the cloud and internet

About the NEXUS term

The NEXUS term was chosen because this Latin word says it all: a link or point of connection, using international media, radio, TV and cloud services to link content providers with their audiences. But NEXUS also stands for more than just a physical connection using a variety of technologies. It also means World communication and promoting freedom of speech around the world. When an individual or an organisation becomes part of NEXUS-IBA, they are part of a dynamic, highly professional and creative team devoted to utilising the latest technologies to deliver their content at the lowest possible cost.

NEXUS-IBA team: the cultural radio link

Milano Ventures (Dublin, Ireland) is proud to be selected NEXUS-IBA’s partner to service their membership and commercial clients, service and and maintain their cloud and broadcasting infrastructure across all continents.

From Dublin, Ireland, Milano Ventures Ltd. offers content media delivery services worldwide both to NEXUS-IBA’s members and commercial clients. Services offered by Milano Ventures include: international broadcasting, disaster recovery, professional e-mail, software and application development, domain registration, web marketing & SEO, high reliability WorldDirector cloud hosting and related consulting services.

NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association (NEXUS-IBA, Milan, Italy) is a non-profit association founded in 1990. NEXUS-IBA provides its membership all necessary means for the effective dissemination of content on radio, TV, the Internet and any media in general. NEXUS-IBA reaches every country in the world. Radio and TV broadcasters, as well as small program producers from all-over the world make use of NEXUS-IBA’s Internet media streaming & distribution, radio, TV and satellite broadcasting services to reach audiences worldwide.

Milano Ventures, Dublin, Ireland

Contact us

Europe’s Cultural Radio link

Blog, Shortwave, Streaming

NEXUS-IBA IRRS cultural radio link

The Cultural Radio Link to Europe

 

IRRS-Shortwave

In 1987, a small group of idealistic and highly dedicated people with broadcasting experience of their own had the idea of starting a Shortwave radio station to act as a link between independent cultural program makers and the European Audience. The Shortwave medium had been recognised for years as the most effective means of reaching the largest number of Europeans by radio and for the high quality of its audience. “The Italian Radio Relay Service” (also known as “IRRS” or “I-double-R-S“) went on-the-air in November 1988 and was an immediate success.

The founders of NEXUS-IBA used their funds to finance the necessary equipment and initially used the facility in their spare time on Saturdays and Sundays to broadcast their programming consisting of music, discussion programs, topical presentations, vintage radio shows, and plays. IRRS-Shortwave quickly became a unique part of the European shortwave scene and attracted a lot of publicity and interest. The experiment was so successful that enquiries poured in from other program producers who were also anxious to use Shortwave, but could not afford the high rates for airtime charged by the established commercial relay stations.

Soon afterwards, IRRS-Shortwave began airing the current affairs and cultural programs of leading international, intergovernmental agencies (I.e. United Nations, UNESCO and other UN agencies) and special program services produced by other broadcasters. Thousands of listeners praised their content as being of quality and nature not available elsewhere. The much older NEXUS’ FM station (1979-1999) was created as the relay of the BBC World Service in Milan and a major source of multilingual programs in Italy’s most important industrial and commercial centre.

NEXUS-IBA Keywords

And so, the NEXUS/IRRS idea grew. Founded in 1990, with its seat in Milan, NEXUS-INternational Broadcasting Association (NEXUS-IBA) is a non-profit association founded under Italian Law. Proof of NEXUS-IBA’ established position in international broadcasting is the fact that it earned a coveted separate listing in the prestigious “World Radio and TV Handbook” and “Passport to Worldband Radio“, the leading “Who’s Who’s” in international broadcasting. In the religious broadcasting field, some internationally known and respected radio ministries have also become NEXUS members. NEXUS-IBA created special Christian radio segments on its programming, branded as “European Gospel Radio” or EGR, becoming one of the leading outlets of multilingual spiritual programming in Europe. NEXUS-IBA is, however, strictly non-denominational and open to anyone with a message to tell the world.

According to the Italian Broadcasting Act of 1990, the Association is designated as a “non-profit community broadcaster operating in the public interest”. NEXUS-IBA makes broadcast time and consulting available to members of the Association. Membership fees are very modest and entitle members to the lowest airtime rates billed directly by preferred commercial service providers. The small volunteer NEXUS-IBA administrative staff is highly dedicated and receives no remuneration beyond legitimate expenses. All members contributions above rents, electrical, and maintenance costs go back into the Association to guarantee the lowest possible airtime rates.

NEXUS-IBA is based in Italy but is truly international in its scope and philosophy. Current programming is in English, French, Spanish, German and in the Oromo language to East Africa. Programs may be in any language and deal with any subject. The NEXUS-IBA Executive Council exercises no censorship or control and intervenes only in cases where there might be a clear conflict with or violation of Italian or European Law.

IRRS-SHORTWAVE: THE TECHNICAL SIDE

Program producerUntil 2001, NEXUS-IBA operated on Shortwave from Milan, Italy, with two SIEMENS transmitters of extremely high quality and reliability. Although capable of standard AM (double side-band) transmission, NEXUS-IBA chose to operate with the much more effective and efficient “A3A” modulation, i.e. Single Side-Band, reduced carrier mode, as recommended by the International Telecommunication Union. In this way, our signal has the same communication power as a conventional AM transmitter of 30 kW, while remaining completely compatible with non-SSB receivers. Careful frequency management and the use of digital audio processing techniques assured a signal strength and subsequent high station profile all over Western Europe, the Mediterranean area and over the iron curtain into Eastern Europe.

Today NEXUS-IBA operates with high power Shortwave transmitters located in Europe, with transmitter powers of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kW. Using high gain curtain HF antennas, we can reach every corner of the world with a maximum ERP (Effective Radiated Power) of approx. 87 million Watts.

From concept to transmission, NEXUS-IBA is on a solid basis and would be happy to welcome your organisation as one of our affiliate broadcasters.

WHO NEEDS NEXUS-IBA?

Anyone who wants to talk to Europeans by radio in the most cost-effective manner.

Do you remember the pictures that went around the world during the Gulf War, showing people glued to their shortwave radios to get the latest news from the outside world? During that crisis, sales of Shortwave receivers skyrocketed leaving dealers with empty shelves. Shortwave once again demonstrated its importance and effectiveness. For all the talk of satellite radio and TV, Shortwave radio remains the most cost-effective electronic mass medium that can span enormous distances instantly and penetrate every home in Europe. Also, Shortwave radio is portable and is a companion wherever one goes. It is truly the world’s most mobile electronic mass medium. Modern Shortwave receivers are ultra-compact and very easy to use.

NEXUS-IBA offers direct access to millions of listeners in the world, across the digital divide, in areas where often there is no access to the Internet, no electricity, and no local radio or TV station.

Do you remember when a telephone call between the U.S. and Europe cost $5.00 a minute? Today that same call costs a fraction of that amount. Thanks to cost-saving modern technology and, above all, automation, the miracle of international broadcasting has also become affordable for everyone. As specified in its legal charter, NEXUS-IBA makes this non-profit service available on Shortwave, AM radio (Medium Waves) and with free radio streaming over the Internet.

The non-profit NEXUS system has cut overhead to the bone, but not at the cost of quality service. The small, dedicated NEXUS staff is non-salaried. This fact, along with computerisation coupled with state-of-the-art transmission equipment ensure NEXUS members reliable, top-quality, worldwide coverage.

WHO WILL I REACH?

satellite to Europe

Technically-speaking, your message will reach every household and individual with a shortwave radio. Dedicated broadcasts, using high gain antennas that can be beamed to any country, can provide almost local quality reception in any region in Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe or in the Americas. And there are millions of more travellers who carry shortwave with them to keep in touch with the world and for companionship along the way.

Perhaps more important is the quality of the shortwave audience. Shortwave listeners are well known for their above average education, open-mindedness, and interest in international, intellectual, and cultural affairs. Besides that, you will be in excellent company on NEXUS-IBA and European Gospel Radio, which have already been used for years as relays by international broadcasters and official international agencies of the highest standing.

NEXUS-IBA OFFERS MORE THAN JUST AIRTIME

fast cloud services

Our non-profit organisation has expertise in Shortwave International broadcasting going back more than 40 years. We offer “total counselling” free of charge. We want to help you make your broadcasting mission a success.

Whatever your programming, NEXUS-IBA will help you reach the right audience at the right time. If desired, this free counselling includes editorial as well as technical assistance, custom tailored to your individual needs. We offer extremely flexible scheduling, ranging from regular daily and weekly service to sporadic, ad hoc broadcasting of individual programs to any world target. We are prepared for short-notice service, and for program material fed by satellite, FTP uploads, live streaming or even old-style telephone feeds.

NO ONE IS TOO BIG NOR TOO SMALL TO BE PART OF NEXUS-IBA

Smaller programmers will appreciate the value for money of the NEXUS system made possible by its non-profit basis. Larger program institutions should be aware that, even if they operate their facilities on Shortwave, NEXUS-IBA reaches a very loyal and high-quality fragment of the Shortwave market that may not make a habit of listening to other stations.

Our listeners have repeatedly expressed appreciation for the unique variety and quality of NEXUS-IBA programs, reflecting the wide range of NEXUS-IBA members. Perhaps you have “minority” program material that is not suited to your regular operations, or for which no time is available on your regular outlets. The chances are that this material will find a grateful audience via NEXUS-IBA.

Furthermore, NEXUS-IBA has no political and no religious affiliation. It has a very liberal editorial policy and does not edit or censor material unless in crass violation of official legal guidelines. With NEXUS-IBA you get your message on-the-air the way you want it heard. You are not at the mercy of a production middleman.

We could go on. But we think it would be more productive to talk with you directly about your particular needs. Whether you are involved in cultural, political, tourist, current affairs, or religious programming, NEXUS-IBA was created to serve your needs.

Please contact us for detailed information at no cost or obligation. You are just a ‘phone call or email away from your direct link to the World Shortwave market. And don’t forget our live streaming radio services, serving the international community from our streaming servers in Europe, Asia and the USA.

With its seat in Milano, Italy, NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association is a strictly non-profit association founded under Italian Law that operates IRRS-Shortwave, European Gospel Radio and IRRS-Medium Wave to Europe. NEXUS-IBA makes available broadcast time, with no commercial advertising on the air and, currently, with no corporate underwriting and no government sponsorship.

For more information please contact:

NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association, Milan, Italy.
Italy: +39 02 2666971
UK: +44 20 3529-6775
USA: (201) 540-0996
Toll-Free: 888-612-0039

or email: info@nexus.org

Support free speech and independent media

We depend on the generosity of dedicated and involved listeners like you.
Support from listeners makes everything we do possible.
Donate now!
Donate now!
Contact us