Milano, Italy – 26 April, 1996 : Representatives of Radio Miami International and NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association met in Milano, Italy, today to sign an agreement that will favour “international public access radio” on Shortwave.

The two organizations agreed to join forces to create a system of “international public access radio” whereby small producers of cultural radio programs can have the same access to international airwaves that large governments, political and religious organizations already have. Presently, most international Shortwave radio stations are owned by governments and large religious organizations who generally do not support the concept of private or individual radio broadcasting, and do not allow such organizations to purchase airtime on their facilities.

In the United States, the concept of “public access” broadcasting has existed for quite some time. Small independent program producers may broadcast their material on different stations at little or no cost, but this has generally been limited to local cable television stations. However, the concept has never been taken to the level of a national or international radio station, and nothing on this scale has ever existed in Europe.

Representatives of the two organizations stated that this new concept should be attractive to clubs, cultural associations, free radio producers and even individuals in many countries who have a message for the world. For the first time, these types of small program producers will have access to the same wide-reaching media used by the most influential governmental and religious broadcasters around the world.

Shortwave radio has been used for six decades by mostly governments to broadcast political messages. Despite the advent of satellites, cable and Internet, Shortwave radio continues to maintain a large and faithful audience around the world as new, compact, sophisticated receivers have come onto the marketplace at prices everyone can afford. For just the cost of a small portable receiver, listeners can get first-hand information on world events, lifestyles in different countries, as well as music and entertainment from almost anyplace on earth. And unlike some of the newer technologies, there are no subscription fees, encoded programs and bulky equipment to deal with.

NEXUS-IBA is a non profit organization which operates IRRS-Shortwave, a radio station in Milan, Italy, covering all of Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa on Shortwave. Radio Miami International operates station WRMI in Miami, Florida, which reaches North and South America and the Caribbean. By means of this new joint venture, virtually anyone can afford to have a program on international airwaves at a cost of only one U.S. dollar per minute. At this cost, small cultural program producers will be entitled to the use of both stations, thus reaching a potential audience of millions of listeners.

Producers who wish to obtain more information about the new international public access radio provided jointly by NEXUS-IBA and WRMI may contact via E-mail at : IPAR@nexus.org or:

In Europe :
NEXUS-Int’l Broadcasting Association,
Fax : +39-02-706-38151
Telephone : +39-02-266-6971
E-mail : info@nexus.org

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In the Americas :
Radio Miami International,
P.O. Box 526852,
Miami, Florida 33152, USA.
Fax +1-305-267-9253
Telephone +1-305-267-1728
E-mail : 71163.1735@compuserve.com

Milano, Italy — 5 February, 1994: Short Wave Radio Switzerland (SWR) inaugurated today at 13 hrs Central European Time (12 UTC) their first relay broadcast via IRRS-Shortwave, featuring a one hour International Music Radio’s (IMR) – Voice of Basel transmission.

SWR plans to continue their transmissions during 1994 with two one- hour transmissions at 13 CET every month (repeated every second and fourth Saturday at the same time). SWR broadcasts will feature more of free radio programs reviously heard only through pirate radio stations throughout the world. Short Wave Radio Switzerland is a non profit association founded in 1993 by enthusiastic Shortwave DX-ers, whose basic aim is to encourage free radio programming on Shortwave, and help small radio programmers to air through official, high power, legal stations.

Welcoming the new member SWR-Switzerland, the president of NEXUS-IBA stated: “We are aware that not all of these programs are strictly professional programs like most of those relayed by IRRS-Shortwave, but we will try the best we can to help the most valuable producers to emerge, and, if possible, even try to get proper financing and sponsorship for them to continue. We have received clear indications also from our own listeners that an audience exists also for such productions, and we have missed the appointment until now, as every other major international broadcaster. NEXUS-IBA’s charter contains explicit indications on how to offer our services to special value and minority programmers: we want to continue to be a real international community radio, which maintains a very tight and personal relation with all European listeners, and this is a splendid opportunity for us to fulfill our aims.”

NEXUS-IBA has offered SWR Switzerland their lowest rates and a dedicated segment as an encouragement to so called underground free radio or pirate radio productions to emerge by means of a legal and powerful media. In relaying these programs, NEXUS-IBA does not directly or indirectly endorse the principle or right of free-radio producers to air via unregulated, unlicensed media (pirate radio), but, on the contrary, intends to offer IRRS-Shortwave as a legal media and an excellent arena to be heard and judged for the value of their productions. Professional consulting will also be available to free radio producers as to all NEXUS-IBA program producers to help them improving the quality of their programs.

With its seat in Milano, Italy, NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association is a strictly non-profit association founded under Italian Law that operates IRRS-Shortwave to Europe and IRRS-Globe Radio Milan on FM. NEXUS-IBA, which is designated as an independent “Community Broadcaster”, according to the Italian Broadcasting Law of 1991, makes available broadcast time at cost to members of the Association, with no commercial advertising on the air and, currently, with no corporate underwriting.

For a direct impression of the NEXUS-IBA / IRRS-Shortwave operation, you may tune in Europe to the Shortwave frequency 7,125 kHz (41 metre band) daily from 07:00 to 22:00 Central European Time (CET). In Milano, Italy, NEXUS-IBA is on the air on 88.85 MHz FM with programming in the English language.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association,
phone: +39-02-266 69 71
fax: +39-02-706 38 151
email: info@nexus.org

or:

SWR-Switzerland,
PO Box 35,
CH-6027 Romerswil, Switzerland.