R. Australia Highlights CCXXI (w/c Jan. 20)
John A. Figliozzi
Here are some weekend listening suggestions for Radio Australia. Days
and times are UTC with times and frequencies reflecting best reported
for shortwave reception in North America. (Frequencies reported by
European listeners are set out at the end of this bulletin.) + denotes
that a program was first broadcast previous to the listed time; *
denotes a program produced by RA (all others are produced at Radio
National or at other ABC domestic networks as noted); % denotes that the
listed program is available on-demand from the RA internet site. T
indicates that a printed transcript of the program is available at the
RA or RN Internet site.
+Sat. 0030 on 21740 - FEEDBACK* - Roger Broadbent reads your letters,
plays some music, presents Kate Burridge on words and shares with you
what will be upcoming at RA. (First broadcast Fri. at 2105; also Sat.
0630, Sun. 0330.)
Sat. 0110 on 17580 - OZ SOUNDS* - Australian music and performers are
showcased. (Also Sun. 0430, 1030.)
Sat. 0130 on 17580 - ARTS TALK - The world of arts and cultural ideas,
both in Australia and internationally. This week, "The Post-Modern
Animal". In his book of that title, English academic Steve Barker
analyses some of the more adventurous forms of work by British and
American artists, who create ironic and often disturbing images of
animals, as a way of deconstructing the strangeness of human identity.
(Also at 0630, Tue. 2330.) T
+Sat. 0205 on 15515 - OCKHAM'S RAZOR - Sharp talk about science. This
week, "Exotic Honeybees in the Australian Bush". Sue Taylor from
Melbourne talks about the environmental damage that honeybees cause to
the Australian bush. (First broadcast Fri.1905, also Sat. 2305, Sun.
0410, 0830.) T
+Sat. 0230 on 21740 - EARTHBEAT - Environmental issues in Australia.
This week, "Saving Our Native Bush". How much native bush is enough? How
should we set targets for our native vegetation? Why are NSW Mallee
farmers conserving their bush in order to clear it? And why is the Grey
Crowned Babbler dropping out of the landscape? (Also at 1730.) T
Sat. 0330 on 15515 - RURAL REPORTER - ABC's Rural journalists from
around the country introduce you to the stories and people in rural and
regional Australia. The topics of this week's stories were not available
at the time this bulletin was prepared. Go to
<http://abc.net.au/rural/reporter/> for updated information. (Also Sun.
0730; Wed. 2330; Thu. 2130.) %
Sat. 0105-0700 & Sun. 0205-0700 on 17580 - GRANDSTAND - Live weekend
sports coverage. Sunday beginning at 0330, there will be full coverage
of the cricket one day international between Australia and Zimbabwe in
Melbourne. (Other GRANDSTAND frequencies: 21725, 17750, 12080 & 9660
kHz.)
Sat. 0430 on 15515 - JAZZ NOTES* - Australian jazz. (Also at 1030; Sun.
1105)
+Sat. 0705 on 15515 - PACIFIC REVIEW* - The weekend edition of PACIFIC
BEAT, Rob Hoskin highlights the past week's major reports on events in
the Pacific Region. (Previously broadcast Fri. 1805, 2105; Also Sat.
1705, Sun. 0510.) %
Sat. 1205 on 9580 - THE SPIRIT OF THINGS - Exploring contemporary values
and beliefs as expressed through ritual, art, music, and sacred texts.
This week: "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living". Philosophy has
climbed down from its Ivory Tower and is increasingly ready to take up
residence in your life. This week we look at how philosophy shapes our
everyday life. Mary Midgley, who has written "Utopias, Dolphins and
Computers" approaches philosophy like plumbing - something that needs to
get unclogged and yet is an essential element in civilization. And Alain
de Botton is a young man with an unlikely best-seller on his hands -
"The Consolations of Philosophy". (Sole broadcast.) T
+Sat. 1305 on 9580 - THE SCIENCE SHOW - One of the longest running
series on Australian radio. This week: "Origins of Life on Earth". The
second part of Professor Paul Davies' investigation. Davies, author of
The Fifth Miracle, looks at the possibility of life on other planets. If
earth was seeded by bacteria from Mars during the bombardment period
billions of years ago, is it possible that Mars has been seeded from
Earth? (First broadcast 0905; Also Tue. 0110, 0310.)
Sat. 2105 on 21740 (joined in progress)- AUSTRALIA ALL OVER - Australian
songs, poems and stories from all over the country. Ian McNamara (aka
"Macca") hosts ABC Radio's highest rated program and celebrates the best
of traditional Australian values and culture with callers from inside
and outside Australia. (Begins at 1905 and heard best in eastern North
America until 2100 via the Internet; continues to 2300.)
+Sun. 0030 on 21740 - WRITERS ON WRITING - An in-depth study of the
craft of writing from the inside. (First broadcast Fri. 1830; Also Sat.
0530, Sun. 2100.) % T
Sun. 0105 on 17580 - THE EUROPEANS - Broad historical and cultural
perspectives on European societies. This week, "Transparent Messenger -
Plasy monastery, Czech Republic". Featuring a portrait of the old
Cistercian monastery of Plasy in the Czech Republic - which artists
visit from all corners of the world to partake of its unique atmosphere,
developing works in the context of the acoustically sensitive chapel,
the heavily-built cellars used once for ice storage, and the old
clocktower where the workings of its old time-piece with its pendulum
constructed from massive river stones continues to be wound daily. The
Australian performance artist, Jo Truman, reveals the myriad ways that
this inspiring environment affects the development of particular
projects in the Center for Metamedia based here. (Sole broadcast.) T
Sun. 0210 on 9580 - FINE MUSIC AUSTRALIA* - Australian classical music
performances. (Also at 1130.)
Sun. 0230 on 15515 - INNOVATIONS* - A showcase of Australian design,
discoveries, invention, engineering and research skills with Desley
Blanch. (Also at 0830, Mon. 2330, Tue. 2130.) %
+Sun. 0530 on 15515 - IN CONVERSATION (Rural) with Helen Brown - A chat
with rural leaders and people on the land. This week's guest: Virginia
Falls. A meeting organised by a friend at the Sydney Show 13 years ago
propelled Virginia into a world she had little knowledge of. At that
meeting she met her future husband and thus started a career in
agriculture, and in particular the pig industry. It was an unexpected
course for the woman from Sydney's eastern suburbs, to find herself in
the grazing district of Western Victoria. But she has made a
contribution to community life, the future of agriculture and the voice
of women. (First broadcast Sat. 2330; Also Sun.1130.) %
Sun. 1205 on 9580 - COUNTRY CLUB - Richard Porteous offers an
off-the-road ramble through the various tracks that make up that very
wide field of country music. In Australia, recent surveys indicate that
a third of the adult population enjoy some form of country music, and
20% nominate this style as their preferred choice. From Americana to
alternative, bush to bluegrass, and from heritage to tomorrow's music,
COUNTRY CLUB offers a complete country music trip. (Sole broadcast. 2
hrs. Produced by ABC Local Radio.)
Sun. 1405 on 9580 - BOOKS AND WRITING - In-depth discussions with
prominent novelists, poets, biographers and critics from Australia and
the world focusing on books, ideas and writing. This week, we hear from
English author and biographer, Nicholas Shakespeare, who was a guest at
the Perth Writers' Festival. His latest book is the authorised biography
of the writer Bruce Chatwin. Shakespeare discusses the problems of
writing the story of the complicated English writer who has become a
cult figure since his premature death. (Sole broadcast.) T
+Sun. 1505 on 9580 - ENCOUNTER - The religious experience of
multicultural Australia, exploring the connections between religion and
life. This week: "Summer Season: Asylum-Seekers". The issue of how
Australia treats asylum seekers remains high on the political and social
agenda. This program attempts to look at the situation from various
viewpoints: a young Iraqi or Afghani who has just been released from
months of detention, the professionals who've talked with them in
detention, the local communities who have become responsible for the
care of those released; and what will be the impact on Australia's
social fabric? (First broadcast 0905.) T
Mon. 0030 on 21740 - THE HEALTH REPORT - A weekly roundup of the latest
issues and developments in the world of health and medicine. This week,
the final episode of the 4 Part BBC series entitled The Ageing Game.
Entitled "Cure All, Kill All" it looks at how medicine is poised to make
huge leaps forward in the coming decade, thanks to our understanding of
the human genome. Without illness can we become fit and active
centenarians? (Also at 1030, 1530, 2130.) % T
+Mon. 0110 on 17580 - AWAYE! - Australia's only national indigenous arts
and culture program. This week: "Tribute to the Warumpi Band". The
Warumpi Band finished up last year in October at Broome's biannual
Stompem Ground festival. With Neil Murray and George Rurrambu from the
band, Awaye! plots the history of their incredible successes and mighty
status in Indigenous Australia. Starting from Jailangaru Parkarnu you'll
hear their music from live concerts over the Warumpi's 20 year history.
If you're a fan, you can't miss this one, and if you hear it, you'll be
one. (First broadcast Fri. 1605.)
Best frequencies noted for RA here in upstate NY:
2100 - 0100 UTC: 21740 [17715 also noted]
0100 - 0200 UTC: 17580 [17750 also noted]
0200 - 0900 UTC: 15515 [17580 and 17750 also noted]
0900 - 1100 UTC: 13605 [11880 also noted]
1100 - fade out: 9580 [11650 also noted]
Best reported frequencies for RA in UK (further reports from UK/Europe
welcomed):
0500 - 0700 UTC: 21725
0500 - 0900 UTC: 15240, 15415
0800 - 1100 UTC: 9580, 13605
0900 - 1000 UTC: 11880, 17750
1330 - 1700 UTC: 11660
1330 - 1900 UTC: 9475
If shortwave reception at your location is unreliable, you may find RA
via Internet audio a better alternative. The full Radio Australia
program schedule (with the exception of some specials and the weekend
"Grandstand" extended sports service) is streamed "live" in RealAudio
from the station's Internet site at <http://www.abc.net.au/ra/>. Late
details for some RA-produced programs may also be available there. Late
details for Radio National-produced programs are often available from
<http://www.abc.net.au/rn>.
Next update issued by Sun. evening North American EST. Good listening!
--
John A. Figliozzi
Volunteer Publicist, Radio Australia